Careers Paths in Aerospace Medicine

US Air Force retired colonel Dr. Daniel Skotte spent nearly 45 years in the military. Among other fields, Dr. Daniel Skotte has worked in aerospace medicine. This sector involves improving health, promoting safety, and maximizing the performance of those operating and traveling in extreme environments.

The unique nature of working in volatile settings such as space and underwater mandates that medical-support professionals develop highly-disciplined skills. Many of these can be acquired through certification programs such as those administered by the American Board of Preventive Medicine.

Individuals involved in aerospace medicine come from diverse industries. In addition to physicians, aerospace medicine professionals can include nurses, physiologists, human factors specialists, industrial hygienists, and bio-environmental engineers.

The field is wide open for opportunities to research or study micro-environments on Earth and in outer space. For instance, aerospace medicine professionals might find themselves in roles involving the areas of atmospheric flight or undersea activities.

Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy – Hands-On Musculoskeletal Treatment

A family physician and retired U.S. Air Force colonel, Daniel Skotte, DO, maintains board certification with the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians. Among the patients Dr. Daniel Skotte treats at his Sunriver, Oregon, family medicine practice are those requiring osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT).

Non-invasive and medication free, OMT involves not only the use of the hands in diagnosing injuries and illnesses, but also an in-depth knowledge of how the musculoskeletal and nervous systems interact with one another. Through physical adjustments, optimal alignment is achieved, thus encouraging the body to heal itself, as it’s naturally inclined to do.

In addition to resolving muscle pain and its related issues, OMT can be a pathway toward wellness for those experiencing migraines, sinus disorders, and repetitive stress issues such as carpal tunnel syndrome. The therapeutic technique is accomplished through the gentle application of manual pressure in specified directions, which either relaxes the tissues or engages the tissues to functional limits.

Depending on the condition, there are a number of specialized OMT techniques employed, including cranial-sacral, myofascial release, counterstrain, and high velocity-low amplitude, which is the traditional “thrust” technique.

AOA Board Certification FAQs

 

Daniel Skotte

Oregon-based physician Daniel Skotte, DO, provides high-quality care through High Desert Family Medicine in Sunriver. A former physician with the United States military, Dr. Daniel Skotte holds board certification from the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Board of Family Physicians.

AOA board certification ensures physicians provide top-quality osteopathic care to patients through the promotion of whole-person care, continuing education, and collaboration. Below are several frequently asked questions about the organization’s certification process:

Question: How long does certification take?
Answer: Each certification specialty has its own set of requirements that physicians must meet before earning their credential. Because of this, certification duration varies. For example, certification in obstetrics and gynecology may take as little as one year, while certification in general surgery takes about two years.

Q: When must certifications be renewed?
A: All certifications offered by the AOA remain active for 10 years or less. After this point, physicians must complete continuing education requirements to ensure their certification stays up to date. Only two specialties have certification expiration dates below 10 years: family physicians must renew after eight years and OB/GYN practitioners must renew after six.

Question: Who is eligible for AOA board certification?
Answer: Before seeking certification, professionals must have graduated from an accredited medical school or college of osteopathic medicine. Additionally, professionals need not only an active license to practice in their area, but also to have completed a recognized residency relating to osteopathic medicine. Additional specialty-specific requirements for certification are also necessary.

Symptoms and Signs of High Cholesterol Levels

Vital test Photo by Hush Naidoo on Unsplash

Daniel Skotte, DO, a long-time physician, recently retired from the United States Air Force after 50 years of unbroken military service. Now, Dr. Daniel Skotte primarily fills his time as an aeromedical examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration and a family medicine physician at High Desert Family Medicine. In the latter capacity, he and his team provide comprehensive care that ranges from manipulative therapy to routine internal medicine, such as cholesterol management.

Although cholesterol is an essential component of the blood, it becomes harmful when levels are too high. When cholesterol levels exceed normal levels, it leads to the development of fatty deposits in the blood vessels, thus increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems.

High cholesterol levels, per se, are not associated with any obvious symptoms. For this reason, it’s essential that individuals have a blood test performed regularly. It’s recommended that children and young adults get tested just once between the ages of 9 and 11 and again between the ages of 17 and 19. After that, adults with no risk factors should have a test done every five years.

More frequent testing may be necessary if a person’s cholesterol levels are not within desirable ranges or he or she has several risk factors, such as a family history of heart disease or a personal history of high blood pressure.

Even though high cholesterol in the blood has no symptoms, it does increase a person’s risk of various conditions that are associated with symptoms. This includes chest pain, stroke symptoms, and symptoms of high blood pressure. Soft, yellowish growths on the skin are also linked with high cholesterol levels, as is impotence in men.