Explore the Space Medicine Fellowship
Our Fellowship
This is a first-of-its-kind, two-year fellowship in Space Medicine designed to prepare physicians for the unique challenges of delivering care beyond Earth. Our mission is to train clinicians who can provide acute care in extreme environments while advancing the scientific, operational, and technological frontiers of human spaceflight.
Setting the Stage for what lies ahead in Space Medicine
As human spaceflight continues to evolve, from low Earth orbit to deep space exploration, the need for physicians trained in these unique environments is more critical than ever. This program is built to meet that need, combining clinical excellence with forward-thinking innovation.
Fellows gain exposure to the full spectrum of space medicine. From managing the physiological effects of microgravity to supporting medical planning for long-duration missions. This includes understanding how the human body adapts to spaceflight, as well as preparing for the operational challenges of delivering care in isolated and resource-limited environments.
From Foundational Concepts to Real-world Application
In addition to clinical knowledge, fellows develop a strong foundation in risk assessment, mission planning, and systems-based thinking, skills that are essential for both spaceflight and high-acuity care settings on Earth.
Training includes hands-on experience through mission simulations, high-fidelity exercises, and interdisciplinary work across medicine, engineering, and human performance. These experiences are designed to mirror real-world scenarios, allowing fellows to build confidence and adaptability in dynamic, high-stakes environments.
Where Knowledge meets Hands-on Experience
Through collaborations with NASA, SpaceX, and other industry leaders, fellows are immersed in a truly unique learning environment that bridges clinical medicine with aerospace innovation. This exposure provides insight into the future of commercial spaceflight and the expanding role of medicine within it.
This fellowship prepares physicians to respond to medical emergencies in space, contribute to aerospace research, and help shape the future of care for astronauts and commercial spaceflight participants.
Ultimately, the program is designed not only to advance clinical skills, but also to foster leadership, innovation, and a deeper understanding of healthcare in some of the most extreme environments imaginable.
Program Highlights
- ½ full-time faculty salary
- Clinical obligation: 14 shifts every other month at Memorial Hermann–TMC & Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital (LBJ)
- Specialty rotations:
- Major commercial spaceflight companies
- Aerospace engineering coursework
- Scuba diving / EVA simulations
- Dentistry, Interventional Radiology, Regional Anesthesia
- Collaborative training: NASA, SpaceX, Vast – Building Next-Generation Space Stations, and other aerospace industry partners
Eligibility & Application Timeline
Application Requirements
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident (ITAR regulations)
- Board-Certified or Board-Eligible in Emergency Medicine
- Eligible for Texas, Florida, and California medical licenses
Timeline
- Submissions: August 1 – November 1 (L–92 to L–0)
- Interviews: Mid-November – Mid-December
- Final Selection: Late December
Apply here: Submit your application
Three Core Areas of the Space Medicine Section
- Education & Training
- Research & Technology Development
- Commercial Spaceflight