Dr. Daniel Fitzpatrick, DO, MPH
Medical Director, NBL
NASA Johnson Space Center

I am a physician with Kelsey-Seybold, a NASA contractor at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. I serve as the medical director at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL), the facility where astronauts train for space walks. The NBL houses a training pool that is 200 feet long, 100 feet wide, 40 feet deep, and contains 6.2 million gallons of water. I provide daily medical support for the cadre of over 60 divers and the many astronauts who work and train there. I also provide on-site medical support for the NASA Undersea Research Teams "NEEMO" - NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operation (NEEMO 3 in Aug 2002 and now NEEMO 4).

I was born and raised in suburban Chicago where I lived until joining the US Army in 1971. After serving 3 years I left the Army to attend college in Portales, New Mexico. In 1977 I graduated from Eastern New Mexico University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training. I then rejoined the Army as a second lieutenant and also began medical school at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. In May 1982 I received my medical degree, and the following year completed an internship in Family Practice at Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii. While in the Army I completed a residency in Aerospace Medicine and a Fellowship in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine. During my last 5 years of service I developed and operated the Army's Clinical Hyperbaric Medicine program. I retired from the Army in June 2000 and joined the NASA team.

My hobbies include diving (I am PDI certified) and sports of all kinds. I have been married to the former Julia Jacko for 24 years and we have 3 daughters, Erin, Aileen, and Kelly. We live in Clear Lake City a suburb of Houston, Texas. Kelly age 14 attends Clear Lake HS with her main interests being art and music. Aileen age 17 is a freshman at the University of Tulsa, studying Athletic Training. Erin age 19, is majoring in Marine Biology at Texas A&M - Galveston.