Literature

Curbside Consults Podcast

By Mridula Nadamuni, MD

Published January 4, 2023

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we discuss aerospace medicine with two physicians who are double boarded in internal and aerospace medicine and are also NASA astronauts. Dr. Auñón-Chancellor recently served as Flight Engineer on the International Space Station for Expeditions 56 and 57. She is an internist at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and program director for the University of Texas Medical Branch Aerospace Medicine Residency. Dr. Michael R. Barratt was selected by NASA in 2000 and has participated in two spaceflights and performed several spacewalks. Dr. Barratt serves in the Mission Support branches providing medical and human factors expertise to multiple spaceflight programs. He also has served as a lecturer for the Aerospace Medicine Residency at the NASA Institutional Scientific Collection and University of Texas Medical Branch, Wright State, and the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine.

00:05 – Intro
02:38 – What is aerospace medicine?
08:46 – Aerospace medicine residency
12:53 – Space tourism
16:29 – Space physiology
20:12 – Proprioception in space
24:01 – Space constraints
28:39 – Spores in space
31:06 – Outro

Articles discussed in this episode:

1. Stepanek J et al. Space Medicine in the Era of Civilian Spaceflight. N Engl J Med 2019.
2. Auñon-Chancellor S et al. Venous Thrombosis during Spaceflight. N Engl J Med 2020.

The Curbside Consults series complements the foundational information in Rotation Prep by taking a deep dive into key clinical topics with expert clinicians and educators. These podcasts explore and critique the evidence behind clinical practice and break down statistical concepts for the busy clinical trainee.

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Dr. Serena Auñón-Chancellor recently served as Flight Engineer on the International Space Station for Expeditions 56 and 57. In her first flight, Serena logged 197 days in space. She currently covers medical issues and on-orbit support in the NASA Astronaut Office. She is an internist at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and serves as program director for the University of Texas Medical Branch Aerospace Medicine Residency.
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Dr. Michael R. Barratt was selected by NASA in 2000 and has participated in two spaceflights and performed several spacewalks. Dr. Barratt serves in the Mission Support branches providing medical and human factors expertise to multiple spaceflight programs. He also has served as a lecturer for the Aerospace Medicine Residency at the NASA/Institutional Scientific Collection and University of Texas Medical Branch, Wright State, and the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine. In all these programs he conducts basic training on space physiology and medicine. He was a member of the Aerospace Medicine Examination Subcommittee of the American Board of Preventive Medicine.
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Mridula Nadamuni, MD, is a 2022–2023 NEJM Editorial Fellow. She completed her internal medicine/pediatrics residency and chief residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Research summaries covering topics relevant to residents and trainees.