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A Day in the Life: Navy Flight Surgeon Handles Helicopters and Sailors' Ills.

The lure of sea and sky isn’t just for fishermen, surfers, or astronomers. Sometimes physicians feel the draw, too. Josh Lesko, MD, knows the sentiment. He listened to a family friend recount experiences as a military flight surgeon and the attraction was immediate. “It was just the appeal of being out there in the fleet...where you are the medical go-to person for 500 people,” Lesko said. But there’s more. “I wanted to be able to fly,” he added. Today, Lesko is a US Navy flight surgeon with the rank of lieutenant. He’s attached to 2 helicopter squadrons at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California. The 243-year-old US Navy has a long history of air transport. “We have fleets of helicopters and all sorts of aircraft that are based on ships,” said Lesko, who trained in emergency medicine. The 24-week Naval flight surgeon training is extensive, involving the study of aerodynamics, meteorology, aircraft engine systems, aviation physiology, and land and water survival. And then there’s learning to fly. “There’s nothing like the vantage point of a helicopter, flying low over the ocean, seeing massive schools of dolphins, practicing search and rescue with actual divers, or just exploring the terrain,” Lesko explained. Although his title is flight surgeon, the designation is a misnomer. “It’s kind of a holdover term, like the surgeon general isn’t necessarily a surgeon,” he said. “I think it’s always been just the medical moniker.” Lesko may never touch a scalpel during his tour on North Island, but his work presents a lot of variety. “I don’t think I’ve had 2 weeks that have had the same schedule since I’ve been here,” he said. A monthly schedule informs him a few weeks in advance of his daily responsibilities. But he’s in the military, so his work life has to have some structure. In essence, a typical day in Lesko’s life—on the ground, in the air, or at sea— means working to ensure that hundreds of US sailors stay healthy and fit for duty.