Operational Graduate Medicine Education (OGME) program

ABOUT THE OPERATIONAL GRADUATE MEDICINE EDUCATION (OGME) PROGRAM

OGME_sealAir Force aviators and operators work in some of the world’s most demanding environments. They need physicians to provide medical support anytime, anywhere. It’s the mission of the Operational Graduate Medicine Education (OGME) program to select, train and field the very best Air Force physicians. Our vision is to ensure excellently trained, expeditionary physicians are expedited to the field.

OGME Information

Who: Anyone eligible for residency training who can medically qualify for aviation duty. Graduating medical students, general medical officers, and physicians seeking a new residency and new career pathway.

What: OGME is the largest GME program in the Air Force, averaging around 60 residents. The program is built around three training pathways: Operational Family Medicine (OFM), Operational Internal Medicine (OIM), Operational Emergency Medicine (OEM). These residencies are integrated into both active duty and civilian training sites, with no additional commitment incurred.

emergency helicopter in action

OGME Training

While in training, you function as any other resident. Additionally, you must pass an Initial Flying Class II physical exam, and complete a total of eight weeks of additional training at the School of Aerospace Medicine at Wright Patterson AFB during residency elective time. You’ll also receive OGME Online training, where we update you on changes in the career field, and provide military relevant education. Remaining elective time can be used to attend additional training, such as military and tropical medicine, wilderness medicine, and military trauma courses, among others.

image of warfighter jets

Upon completion of Air Force Occupational Medicine and Aerospace Medicine Primary training, you’re awarded flight surgeon wings, and become a rated aviator.  When you graduate from OGME at the end of your residency, the consultant to the Surgeon General for Aerospace Medicine will then work with program leadership to place you in an operational billet.

OGME Programs

Where: OFM and OIM residents can integrate into any active duty training site, or elect to train at Ohio State University (OSU). OEM is based in our civilian affiliated sites, which include OSU (Columbus, OH), Einstein Health Network (Philadelphia, PA), St. Louis University (St. Louis, MO), Mercy St. Vincent (Toledo, OH), and Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA). Details of exact training allocation vary year by year but are announced in the Health Professions Education Requirements Board (HPERB), usually released around June. Access myPers at mypers.af.mil and search for “HPERB.”

When: It’s never too early to make inquiries, so feel free to reach out to us. But the application process is part of the military match, and that cycle begins in July.

How: Reach out and we’ll guide you through the process. In brief, OGME applicants must adhere to all the standards associated with an application to the military match in their residency, with an additional interview with OGME leadership. Civilian affiliated sites will virtually coordinate their own application processes and interviews. These are accomplished before and independent of the ERAS match.

Why: In addition to receiving excellent training, the advantage of the OGME pathway lies in the jobs it connects you with. Operational positions are more closely aligned with Air Force operators and the missions they execute. They are more expeditionary, and require that you fully integrate with your unit by flying with them. So if you’re ready to lean forward, reach out and contact us.

Contact Us

You can contact us via email at: 
OGME@us.af.mil

pilot in action

aerial view of jet fighters