📋 Tender Overview
Published May 7, 2025
By Whitney Wetsig
711th Human Performance Wing
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFRL) -- A new partnership between the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, or USAFSAM, a mission unit within the Air Force Research Laboratory, and Purdue University will expand educational opportunities for Airmen and Guardians and provide added mission flexibility. The new opportunities involve Purdues Master of Public Health, or MPH, program and the schools ability to grant college credits to military members who complete select USAFSAM courses.
At USAFSAM, we research, educate, consult and lead the Department of the Air Force with integrated operational medical capability development, said Col. Richard Speakman, USAFSAM commander. We aim to provide our students with the best possible educational opportunities, and one way we do that is by securing partnerships with top-notch academic institutions. This agreement with Purdue is a win-win for both organizations and will especially benefit our Airmen and Guardians.
Leaders from the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, or USAFSAM, and Purdue University pose during a tour of several 711th Human Performance Wing facilities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, March 11, 2025. USAFSAM hosted Purdue leaders in honor of a new partnership that expands educational opportunities for Airmen and Guardians. (U.S. Air Force photo / Richard Eldridge)
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The agreement, signed by Speakman, enables students in USAFSAMs Residency in Aerospace Medicine, or RAM, program to complete their required MPH degree online through Purdue University. Before the 2024 academic year, students completed this degree in-person at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.
Because our residents are going on clinical rotations, which often require travel across the country, it is challenging for them to complete an in-person program, and it also causes additional stress, said Dr. Melanie Lazarus, dean of USAFSAM. This new online degree option will make the residency a more positive experience for our students.
Capt. Coty Winn, a resident in the program, said the online MPH provides much needed flexibility and more opportunities for travel. Winn, who is just starting his aeromedical consult service rotation, will work in Florida and Germany for several months and will also spend time in Texas, Utah and Oklahoma. He also wants to spend time at NASA working in its occupational medicine clinic as an elective.
Now that we are able to complete the MPH online, we have a lot more opportunities for rotations, he said.
Lazarus said that in addition to providing flexibility for students in the two-year RAM program, Purdue has a strong reputation for providing quality online education.
Purdue is a leader in online learning with over two decades of experience, and they know how to do it well, Lazarus said. They are also willing to work with us to flex as needed for our residents, knowing that we have a very complicated curriculum that must be completed in a short period of time.
New USAFSAM partnership with Purdue University expands educational opportunities for Airmen, Guardians
Leaders from Purdue University view a C-130 training aircraft, part of the En Route Care Training facility, during a tour at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, March 11, 2025. The U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine hosted Purdue leaders in honor of a new partnership that expands educational opportunities for Airmen and Guardians. (U.S. Air Force photo / Richard Eldridge)
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New USAFSAM partnership with Purdue University expands educational opportunities for Airmen, Guardians
Leaders from the Air Force Research Laboratorys 711th Human Performance Wing greet Purdue University leaders prior to a tour of several facilities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, March 11, 2025. The U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine hosted Purdue leaders in honor of a new partnership that expands educational opportunities for Airmen and Guardians. (U.S. Air Force photo / Richard Eldridge)
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New USAFSAM partnership with Purdue University expands educational opportunities for Airmen, Guardians
Leaders from U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, or USAFSAM, and Purdue University tour the Epidemiology Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, March 11, 2025. USAFSAM hosted Purdue leaders in honor of a new partnership that expands educational opportunities for Airmen and Guardians. (U.S. Air Force photo / Richard Eldridge)
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The new partnership also enables Purdue University to grant college credits to Airmen and Guardians who complete select USAFSAM courses.
This is a significant milestone in our schools history, and a tremendous additional benefit for the 5,000 students who go through USAFSAM every year, who come through to advance their military career, but can now also leave with college credits for their academic career, Lazarus said.
While USAFSAM has partnered with Community College of the Air Force for many years to provide associates level credits, the school also wanted to provide opportunities for those who already achieved two-year degrees and wanted to work towards completing their bachelors or masters.
Lazarus said USAFSAM has worked the past four years to locate the best universities and secure this partnership.
We started with Purdue because of their reputation, but also because they are one of the forerunners in providing academic credits to military members, she said.
Lazarus said that USAFSAM values its relationships with academia for the additional educational opportunities they present to Airmen and Gu
