Meet the VFS Physicians

Quay C. Snyder, MD, MSPH                                                     President/CEO, Co-Founder

Dr. Snyder is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and Duke University School of Medicine. He has completed medical residencies in Family Practice and Aerospace Medicine. He is board certified in both specialties, as well as Occupational Medicine. Dr. Snyder received his Master's of Science Degree in Public Health from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He spent 17 years in the US Air Force as a flight surgeon and family practice physician. He was selected as his command's Flight Surgeon of the Year on three separate occasions. Dr. Snyder also spent five years in the Colorado Air National Guard as a flight surgeon and Colorado State Air Surgeon. He served as the senior flight surgeon at the USAF Air Reserve Personnel Center in support of Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom.  Dr. Snyder retired from the USAF Reserve in November 2002.

Dr. Snyder is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Colorado Health Science Center in the in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics and at the University of Colorado Medical School in the Department of Occupational Medicine. He is also on the associate clinical faculty at the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks AFB, TX and Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University.  Dr. Snyder serves on the Editorial Board and as a clinical reviewer for the international journal Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine.

Dr. Snyder is the author of more than 40 scientific papers and articles on aviation medical issues in various professional pilot journals. He is the 1985 recipient of the Howard Unger Award given by the Society of USAF Flight Surgeons (Aerospace Medicine Association) for the outstanding published research paper in aerospace medicine.  He is a frequent speaker at aviation safety and aeromedical meetings.

Dr. Snyder is a rated commercial pilot, FAA certified flight instructor since 1975 and Designated Pilot Examiner. He holds Gold Seal Flight Instructor and Advanced Ground Instructor ratings as well.  Dr. Snyder has 2400+ flying hours in 48 types of aircraft from gliders to F-16's. He was attached as a glider instructor pilot and spin instructor at the US Air Force Academy's 94th Flying Training Squadron. He is the recipient of the US Air Force Academy's award for the 94 FTS Attached Instructor Pilot of the Year, 2000. Dr. Snyder serves as an Aviation Safety Counselor for the Denver FSDO and has been a National Association of Flight Instructors Master CFI since April 2003.  Dr. Snyder owns a Schleicher ASW-19 glider and splits his flying time between long distance cross country glider flights, instruction and administering FAA Practical Tests at the private, commercial and CFI levels.

Serving as Associate Aeromedical Advisor for Aviation Medicine Advisory Service since 1994, Dr. Snyder was named as the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Aeromedical Advisor in 2010.  In these roles, he has assisted thousands of airline pilots and air traffic control specialists with aeromedical certification issues. He is a certified Medical Review Officer for DOT drug and alcohol testing procedures.  Dr. Snyder serves on the HIMS Advisory Board for the joint FAA/ALPA/airline industry program for identification and treatment of pilots with substance abuse and dependence.

Dr. Snyder is a Fellow of the Aerospace Medicine Association and American Academy of Family Physicians  and a member of AOPA, Soaring Society of America, National Association of Flight Instructors, EAA, Society of USAF Flight Surgeons, Alliance of Air National Guard Flight Surgeons, Aerospace Human Factors Association, Air Force Association, the American Society of Aerospace Medicine Specialists and the International Association of Military Flight Surgeon Pilots.  He is also an appointed member of the Flight Safety Foundation's Corporate Advisory Committee and the National Business Aviation Association's (NBAA) Safety Committee.  In 2004, he was elected to the International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine.

W. Keith Martin, MD, MPH
Chairman of the Board, Co-Founder

Dr. Martin is graduate of the Medical College of Virginia School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Aerospace Medicine at the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine in 1985, after receiving his Master's Degree in Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley in 1984. From 1985 through 1991, he worked as Chief, Aeromedical Education Division at the United States Army School of Aviation Medicine directing the U.S. Army Flight Surgeon Course. He served on the U.S. Army Aeromedical Consultants Advisory Panel participating in waiver review recommendations for all U.S. Army aviators. Dr. Martin was recipient of the U.S. Army's 1986 Aerospace Medicine Specialist of the Year Award.

Since 1991, Dr. Martin's practice has focused on civilian FAA aeromedical certification. As Associate Aeromedical Advisor with Aviation Medicine Advisory Service, he has consulted and represented thousands of commercial pilots in maintaining and obtaining FAA medical certification. Dr. Martin is a certified Medical Review Officer (MRO) having extensive background in DOT drug and alcohol testing procedures.   He has served on several national task forces and consulting bodies regarding DOT drug and alcohol testing in airline pilots.  Dr. Martin is Vice-President of Virtual Flight Surgeons, Inc.

Previously serving as a Lieutenant Colonel and Senior Flight Surgeon in the Army National Guard, Dr. Martin has extensive experience in rotary wing aircraft, accident investigation, hypobaric medicine and military medical certification.

Dr. Martin is Board certified in Aerospace Medicine.  He is on the clinical faculty at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in the in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics.  Dr. Martin is a Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine. He is Associate Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association and member of the Society of U.S. Army Flight Surgeons.

Phillip E. Parker, MD, MPH
Director of Clinical Services

Dr. Parker is a graduate of Baylor University and the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB).  He is board certified in both Aerospace Medicine and Occupational Medicine.  He was a 1993 Honor Graduate of the Aerospace Medicine Primary Course at the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine.

Dr. Parker received his Master's of Public Health degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas.  He had 12 years of experience in the US Air Force before joining the VFS staff, was the Chief of Aerospace Medicine in the Colorado Air National Guard, and currently is the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DoDMERB).  Prior to his USAF active duty separation, he served as the Chief of Aerospace Medicine and the flight surgeon for the nation's first operational F/A-22 squadron.  He has a wide range of operational experience in over 30 military aircraft with nearly 100 combat and combat support hours.   He also has experience in hyperbarics and space operations.  Dr. Parker is a private pilot and flies out of Centennial airport, one of the busiest for general aviation in the United States.  Before joining VFS, Dr. Parker was a FAA certified Aviation Medical Examiner for 11 years.

Dr. Parker has authored several aeromedical articles in peer-reviewed journals.  He has published chapters in the USAF Flight Surgeon's Checklist and Occupational Medicine Text.  Dr. Parker has given presentations at national aerospace medicine meetings and provided background research to the FAA on nitrogen inerting of fuel systems on commercial aircraft.  He is also a certified Medical Review Officer.   Dr. Parker currently serves on the Aerospace Medicine Association's scientific program committee, and is an associate clinical faculty member at the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks City Base, TX and Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University.

Dr. Parker has received numerous awards and was selected as the USAF Space Command Flight Surgeon of the Year.  He is a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association and a Diplomate of the American Board of Preventive Medicine and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.  He is a member of the Society of USAF Flight Surgeons, Air Force Association, the American Society of Aerospace Medicine Specialists, AOPA, and EAA. He joined the Aviation Medicine Advisory Service and Virtual Flight Surgeons in 2004.

Jon M. Riccitello, MD, MPH
Staff Physician

Dr. Riccitello is a graduate of the University of Colorado and the McGill Faculty of Medicine.  He is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Aerospace Medicine after completing a combined residency program at the University of Texas Medical Branch. This training included completion of the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Medicine Primary Course, attendance at the FAA Aviation Medical Examiner seminar, duties at the NASA Johnson Space center, and rotations in hyperbaric and travel medicine.

Dr. Riccitello received his Master's of Public Health degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas.  Prior to his career in medicine, Dr. Riccitello served in the U.S. Navy as an officer onboard the Ohio class nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine USS Wyoming.  His background also includes experience as an ambulance Emergency Medical Technician and professional ski patroller.  Dr. Riccitello is a licensed private pilot and certified SCUBA divemaster. 

Dr. Riccitello has given presentations on several topics and clinical cases at national aerospace medicine meetings.   He is an associate clinical faculty member at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas.  Dr. Riccitello is a member of the Aerospace Medical Association and the American Medical Association.  He joined the Aviation Medicine Advisory Service and Virtual Flight Surgeons in August 2009.