Josef Schmid (flight surgeon)
Encyclopedia
Josef F. "Joe" Schmid, M.D., MPH
is a NASA
flight surgeon
and a colonel
in the United States Air Force Reserves. He served as an aquanaut
on the joint NASA-NOAA NEEMO 12 underwater exploration mission in May 2007.
, West Germany
. He graduated from Belmont Abbey College
in Belmont, North Carolina
, in 1988 with an Honors degree in biology
. While at Belmont Abbey College, Schmid was a summer intern at NASA. He received his medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine
in 1992. He completed his family practice residency
at David Grant USAF Medical Center
and then served tours in Okinawa, Japan, and Frankfurt, Germany. Following his active duty Air Force service, Dr. Schmid then obtained his Master of public health
and aerospace medicine residency at University of Texas Medical Branch
(UTMB) in Galveston, Texas
. Dr. Schmid is board certified and a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians
. He lives in Houston, Texas
and is married.
Discovery mission, which was completed in December 2006. His duties during missions include the primary care
and medical certification for those assigned astronaut
s, medical training of the shuttle crew medical officers and crew and medical support during shuttle launch and landing. He also staffs the shuttle surgeon console in Mission Control during the mission, where he monitors physiologic data during extravehicular activities (EVA) and provides real-time telemedicine
via private medical conferences directly with the crew. Dr. Schmid holds shuttle Mission Control console certification and is currently in training for International Space Station
surgeon console certification. Dr. Schmid flies as a T-38
crewmember and has flown many KC-135 Reduced Gravity flights as the medical monitor and as a subject for medical and surgical training.
Dr. Schmid is a NASA flight surgeon in the Medical Operations Branch at Johnson Space Center in Houston. He is also the NASA/UTMB
Aerospace Medicine Residency co-director. Furthermore, Dr. Schmid serves as the commander of the 433rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron in Lackland Air Force Base
, Texas
.
In May 2007, Schmid became an aquanaut
through his participation in the joint NASA-NOAA, NEEMO 12 (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations) project, an exploration research mission held in Aquarius
, the world's only undersea research laboratory
. He was the first NASA flight surgeon to serve on a NEEMO mission. Schmid was the crew surgeon for the STS-120
Atlantis shuttle mission, which visited the International Space Station in October–November 2007. He served as crew surgeon again for ISS Expedition 23
/24
(2010), and is serving as deputy crew surgeon for ISS Expedition 29
/30
(starting in September 2011).
Schmid's interests include surgeon-guided remote robotics
, center-of-gravity
studies for future lunar missions, and robotics demonstrations for schoolchildren.
MPH
MPH is a three-letter acronym that refers to miles per hour, a measurement of speedMPH may also refer to:* Make Poverty History, a campaign supported by Bob Geldof to end poverty in Africa...
is a NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
flight surgeon
Flight surgeon
A flight surgeon is a military medical officer assigned to duties in the clinical field variously known as aviation medicine, aerospace medicine, or flight medicine...
and a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the United States Air Force Reserves. He served as an aquanaut
Aquanaut
An Aquanaut is any individual who remains underwater, exposed to the ambient pressure, long enough to come into equilibrium with his or her breathing media. Usually this is done in an underwater habitat on the seafloor for a period equal to or greater than 24 continuous hours without returning to...
on the joint NASA-NOAA NEEMO 12 underwater exploration mission in May 2007.
Education
Schmid was born in StuttgartStuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. He graduated from Belmont Abbey College
Belmont Abbey College
Belmont Abbey College is a private liberal-arts Catholic college located in Belmont, North Carolina, USA west of Uptown Charlotte. It was founded in 1876 by the Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey...
in Belmont, North Carolina
Belmont, North Carolina
Belmont is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States, located about west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina and east of Gastonia. The population was 8,705 at the 2000 census. Once known as Garibaldi, the city named in honor of August Belmont, a prominent New York banker...
, in 1988 with an Honors degree in biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
. While at Belmont Abbey College, Schmid was a summer intern at NASA. He received his medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
The Wake Forest School of Medicine is the medical school of Wake Forest University, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is affiliated with North Carolina Baptist Hospital and Wake Forest University Physicians, forming part of the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center system...
in 1992. He completed his family practice residency
Residency
Residency is the act of establishing or maintaining a residence in a given place.-United States of America:It is important in terms of politics, as candidates must maintain residency within the district in which they intend to run. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, and sometimes by the political...
at David Grant USAF Medical Center
David Grant USAF Medical Center
The David Grant USAF Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California, is the U.S. Air Force’s largest medical facility on the west coast. Serving military beneficiaries throughout eight western states, it is a milestone in the history of the Air Force Medical Service and one of...
and then served tours in Okinawa, Japan, and Frankfurt, Germany. Following his active duty Air Force service, Dr. Schmid then obtained his Master of public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
and aerospace medicine residency at University of Texas Medical Branch
University of Texas Medical Branch
The University of Texas Medical Branch is a component of the University of Texas System located in Galveston, Texas, United States, about 50 miles southeast of Downtown Houston...
(UTMB) in Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
. Dr. Schmid is board certified and a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Family Physicians
The American Academy of Family Physicians was founded in 1947 to promote the science and art of family medicine. It is one of the largest medical organizations in the United States, with over 100,000 members...
. He lives in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
and is married.
Honors and awards
Schmid's special honors and awards include:- Fellow, American Academy of Family Physicians
- NASA Group Awards for Flight Medicine Clinic, Electronic Medical Record Development and Space Medicine Training
- NASA Individual Performance Awards
- Tom McNish USAF Reserves National Physician Recruiting Award
- USAF Health Professions Scholarship Program Recipient
- Belmont Abbey Anne Horne Little Scholarship Recipient
- Air Force Meritorious Service Medals
- Air Force Commendation Medal
- Air Force Achievement Medal
- Air Force Outstanding Unit Medals
- Various other military service and campaign awards
- 2008 Belmont Abbey College Wall of Fame Honoree
NASA career
Dr. Schmid served as the deputy crew surgeon for the STS-116STS-116
-Crew notes:Originally this mission was to carry the Expedition 8 crew to the ISS. The original crew was to be:-Mission highlights:* The STS-116 mission delivered and attached the International Space Station's third port truss segment, the P5 truss....
Discovery mission, which was completed in December 2006. His duties during missions include the primary care
Primary care
Primary care is the term for the health services by providers who act as the principal point of consultation for patients within a health care system...
and medical certification for those assigned astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
s, medical training of the shuttle crew medical officers and crew and medical support during shuttle launch and landing. He also staffs the shuttle surgeon console in Mission Control during the mission, where he monitors physiologic data during extravehicular activities (EVA) and provides real-time telemedicine
Telemedicine
Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication and information technologies in order to provide clinical health care at a distance. It helps eliminate distance barriers and can improve access to medical services that would often not be consistently available in distant rural communities...
via private medical conferences directly with the crew. Dr. Schmid holds shuttle Mission Control console certification and is currently in training for International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
surgeon console certification. Dr. Schmid flies as a T-38
T-38
The T-38 amphibious scout tank was a Soviet amphibious light tank that saw service in World War II.-History:Designed in 1934–36 by N. Astrov's bureau at Factory No. 37 in Moscow, the T-38 was a development of the earlier T-37, based in turn on the French AMR 33 light reconnaissance tank. The tank...
crewmember and has flown many KC-135 Reduced Gravity flights as the medical monitor and as a subject for medical and surgical training.
Dr. Schmid is a NASA flight surgeon in the Medical Operations Branch at Johnson Space Center in Houston. He is also the NASA/UTMB
UTMB
UTMB may mean:*University of Texas Medical Branch*Ultra-Trail_du_Mont-Blanc...
Aerospace Medicine Residency co-director. Furthermore, Dr. Schmid serves as the commander of the 433rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron in Lackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located west-southwest of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
In May 2007, Schmid became an aquanaut
Aquanaut
An Aquanaut is any individual who remains underwater, exposed to the ambient pressure, long enough to come into equilibrium with his or her breathing media. Usually this is done in an underwater habitat on the seafloor for a period equal to or greater than 24 continuous hours without returning to...
through his participation in the joint NASA-NOAA, NEEMO 12 (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations) project, an exploration research mission held in Aquarius
Aquarius (laboratory)
The NOAA Aquarius Reef Base is an underwater habitat located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, adjacent to Conch Reef. It is one of the few underwater research facilities in the world dedicated to science...
, the world's only undersea research laboratory
Underwater habitat
Underwater habitats are underwater structures in which people can live for extended periods and carry out most of the basic human functions of a 24-hour day, such as working, resting, eating, attending to personal hygiene, and sleeping...
. He was the first NASA flight surgeon to serve on a NEEMO mission. Schmid was the crew surgeon for the STS-120
STS-120
-Crew notes:As commander of STS-120, Pamela Melroy became the second woman to command a space shuttle mission. Additionally, the Expedition 16 crew that received STS-120 was commanded by Peggy Whitson, the first female ISS commander...
Atlantis shuttle mission, which visited the International Space Station in October–November 2007. He served as crew surgeon again for ISS Expedition 23
Expedition 23
Expedition 23 was the twenty-third long-duration mission to the International Space Station . Expedition 23 began with the Soyuz TMA-16 undocking on 18 March 2010. Shortly thereafter cosmonauts Aleksandr Skvortsov and Mikhail Korniyenko and astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson arrived at the Space...
/24
Expedition 24
Expedition 24 was the twenty-fourth long-duration mission to the International Space Station . Expedition 24 initially had 2 planned spacewalks, one Russian and one American Extra-vehicular Activity . The U.S. EVA was re-planned and a second U.S. EVA was added.- Crew :Source: NASA- Backup crew :*...
(2010), and is serving as deputy crew surgeon for ISS Expedition 29
Expedition 29
Expedition 29 was the 29th long-duration expedition to the International Space Station . The expedition formally began with the departure from the ISS of the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft at 00:38 UTC on on 16 September 2011...
/30
Expedition 30
Expedition 30 is the 30th and current long-duration mission to the International Space Station . The expedition's first three crew members – Dan Burbank, Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoli Ivanishin – arrived on the ISS aboard Soyuz TMA-22 on 16 November 2011, during the last phase of...
(starting in September 2011).
Schmid's interests include surgeon-guided remote robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
, center-of-gravity
Center of gravity
In physics, a center of gravity of a material body is a point that may be used for a summary description of gravitational interactions. In a uniform gravitational field, the center of mass serves as the center of gravity...
studies for future lunar missions, and robotics demonstrations for schoolchildren.