The German Society of Aerospace Medicine

The German Society of Aerospace Medicine (short: DGLRM / GSAM) is a scientific organization dedicated to pursuing problems associated with aviation and space medicine and specifically to the practical improvement of aviation and space flight safety. From its beginning the German Society of Aviation and Space Medicine was founded as an independent registered association, free of extraneous interests. Its members provide the entire financial support for the society. 90% of the members are physicians. Membership ranges from doctors who manage flight medical examinations, pursue scientific work in flight medicine or flight physiology, to specialists in space and aviation medicine, who provide medical guidelines for air travel, or work as military flight surgeons. The goals of the society are achieved through investigation performed by members, who meet regularly for continuous studies and exchange of scientific findings in the field of aviation and space medicine.

The results are published in the quarterly magazine "Flugmedizin, Tropenmedizin, Reisemedizin" (Aviationmedicine, Tropical Medicine, Travel Medicine). Working Groups are organized for special topics like the "history of flight and space medicine", "medical evacuation" etc. Here, definite problem areas are worked on and the results are shown during the annual meetings. The society promotes the cooperation between interdisciplinary investigation groups, and also contacts and exchanges between institutes of aviation and space medicine, and associations and organizations at home and abroad. In particular, the society promotes personal acquaintances and talks among experts in the individual specialties of aviation and space medicine. This society founded together with Lufthansa the Deutsche Akademie für Flugmedizin (German Academy for Aviation Medicine) organizing, on a regular basis, continuation training and follow-on studies at Wiesbaden close to Frankfurt.

The annual conference provides a scientific award, the "Albrecht-Berblinger-Preis" totalling € 10.000. The German Society of Aviation and Space Medicine also sponsors research programs in the field of aviation and air travel medicine. The founding is done through the German Academy of Aviation and Travel medicine. The German Society of Aviation and Space Medicine is an associated member of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (German Society of Aeronautical Astronautics), Berlin, an affiliate organization to the "Aerospace Medical Association" in Washington DC, USA, since 1972. Close contacts exist between the "Deutschen Fliegerarzt Verband - DFV" (German Flight Surgeons Association). The German Society of Aerospace Medicine is a founding member of the European Society of Aerospace Medicine (ESAM). Members of outstanding merit are awarded a scientfic medal. Some of the renowned members are the astronauts Sigmund Jähn, Ulf Merbold and Klaus Dietrich Flade as well as honorary members or prizewinners who represent the high level of the society's work.