military medicine...please advise.

[Dub]

Hey folks,
I'm just starting my M1 year at MCV and though I will definitely be focusing on the 25 meter target, I would like some advice from those who know about military medicine.

My background is if I was not in med school I would be an SF candidate. My interest is in trauma medicine, and I still want to serve my country in the Army.

Basically now my questions are:
How are physicians incorporated into SOF units...specifically SF?

What can I do to better my chances of being selected to serve with SF?

Do you think I should go ahead and sign on with the Army now via an AMEDD scholarship?


Feel free to post here or PM me. All advice appreciated!

I am pumped to start school.
- Don

[Doczilla]

The recruiters will be coming around shortly to dangle loan repayments and stipends and free books and stethoscopes in front of you. My advice: do not do the HPSP.

There are better ways to join the Army if you wait until you are in residency. PM me and I will fill you in.


'zilla

[Dub]

pm sent

[Eagle5US]

Not a doctor, but about as close to it as I am gonna get (it seems) now that I am considered "old and crusty"

If you have the inclination and the ability to be physician...be a physician. Somehow, someway...if you want to be a doctor, then go and be one now-not later.

Taking nothing away from Special Forces or your potential there...but get the doctor thing finished, do your residency in Emergency Medicine and a follow on Sports Medicine Fellowship. Stay in good shape and keep out of trouble. Your chances will be maximized to participate in one of the many Special Operations opportunities for physicians.

Good luck-

Eagle

[Guy]

Eagle5US:

The "follow on Sports Medicine Fellowship" comment is SPOT on! Given the number of injuries that we sustain.

Stay safe.

[swatsurgeon]

Damn boys, I guess that put me out of the running...trauma surgeon, good shape, too old, good medicine in bad places training and all that.
Why sports medicine? I think I know the answer but just curious as to the insiders view.

ss

[RichL025]

To the OP:

Military medicine generates alot of discussion in different internet forums. I suggest you check out the Student Doctor's Network forum on Military Medicine ( http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=35 ).

There are a few posters there that are blindingly positive, and many who are embittered and negative. As with everything else in life, the people who are negative always make more noise, so take the ratio with a grain of salt.

I was on active duty for over 10 years before going to medical school, now I'm currently a resident in an army general surgery program. I came into military medicine fully knowing the good things and the bad things about the army in general, so I am less disenchanted than many <g>, but I have not yet graduated so everything I know about life as an attending is all second-hand.

As far as becoming a physician in an SF unit goes, the majority of them are Emergency Medicine or FP trained , but I would caution you against choosing a medical specialty based solely on your desire to serve in a SF unit. Remember, when you choose your residency, that is the career you will be doing for the rest of your working life, as opposed to a 2-3 year tour with an SF unit (if you can even get a slot).

I originally went to medical school planning on returning as a Bn Surgeon in an SF unit, but then discovered I would rather chew off my own arm than do Emergency Medicine for a living. No offense to EM - two other 18Ds I went to med school with both did EM, and they will be outstanding Bn Surgeons one day - it was just that I realized that EM was not for me, and I would absolutely HATE doing it as a civilian doc 10 or 20 years from now.

Pay attention to Doczilla's comment about waiting to commit to the military - recruiters for HPSP scholarships have been accused of bending the truth somewhat, and occasionally someone with a HPSP commitment will not match into the residency they want, or they will be stuck in an undesireable location for residency. On the other hand, by doing your residency in the military system, you will be able to develop more contacts that will help you get a desireable assignement after residency. Take your pick.

The attendings who seem the bitterest are the ones who went into the HPSP process without knowing what they were getting into, and got stuck in a small medical facility with low volume where they felt their skills were not utilized. Of course, that's just my impression, take it with a grain of salt.

Good luck with medical school, and keep an OPEN MIND with regards to what kind of residency you want to do. Do NOT choose a residency based on attractiveness for a 2-3 year tour in a particular unit that you may or may not get.

[Dragbag036]

So hows the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) work for lets say, someone who could retire in a year and change. I was looking at the site and didn't really see info for soldiers already active. (I could be blind).

[RichL025]

Well, I did USUHS, but overall the limiting factors are the same.

1. You will incur a commitment to be served after completing all of your training (generally 1 yr for every year of HPSP scholarship, unless your residency is longer, in which case it's one-for-one of your residency time, not HPSP)

2. You require an age waiver if you will be commissioned after the age of 32 (? - somewhere around there). Generally not an issue.

3. For soldiers already on active duty you will need a formal letter of release from someone in your chain of command (I think it's the first O6 but don't quote me).

Still very do-able for those of advanced age as we are <g>. Although be forewarned - pulling 30-36 hours straight on call gets a little more difficult over the age of 40. Not impossible, just a little more difficult <g>. Feel free to pm me with any other questions, unless you think they'll be of general interest.

Rich