Education & Training
Learning and Discovery Beyond Earth
The Space Medicine Fellowship at UTHealth Houston offers a unique blend of academic excellence, hands-on training, and collaboration with leaders in the aerospace industry. Our program prepares physicians and medical trainees to meet the health and safety challenges of human space exploration, combining the resources of a major academic medical center with direct engagement in operational spaceflight environments.
Preparing Physicians for the Stars
Our fellowship provides immersive exposure to the clinical, operational, and research aspects of space medicine. Fellows receive advanced training, lead and contribute to innovative research projects, and participate in real-world aerospace operations. Each fellow follows an individualized learning plan tailored to their professional goals, ensuring both breadth and depth of experience. Through partnerships with organizations such as NASA and SpaceX, participants engage in high-fidelity simulation exercises, mission planning activities, and the development of health risk mitigation strategies for astronauts. This unique combination of academic rigor and hands-on experience prepares graduates to address the evolving challenges of human health in the space environment.
Learn more on our Fellowship Overview page, which links to:
Astronaut Training Activities
Fellows have opportunities to participate in astronaut training activities that immerse them in the operational realities of spaceflight. This may include collaborations with NASA’s Johnson Space Center and exposure to SpaceX crew readiness initiatives. Activities range from biomedical monitoring and equipment testing to mission simulations and operational medical support in analog environments. These experiences offer unparalleled insight into the physiological, psychological, and logistical demands of human space exploration.
COSMOS Medical Student Rotation
Our COSMOS rotation offers McGovern Medical School students an introduction to operational space medicine through interactive learning, simulation-based exercises, and exposure to ongoing research projects. Students gain first-hand insight into the medical challenges faced in space and how clinicians adapt care for extreme environments. (If this rotation becomes available to additional students in the future, an application link will be added here.)
McGovern Space Medicine Scholarly Concentration
Pending approval, this concentration will allow medical students to pursue a structured academic track in space medicine alongside their core medical curriculum. Students will explore the science, technology, and clinical applications behind human spaceflight, culminating in a scholarly project that contributes to the growing body of knowledge in the field. The program’s proposed curriculum will integrate both classroom-based instruction and practical experiences in aerospace medicine.