how hard is it for an intern to change career tracks in the military? i'm really unhappy with the choice of specialty i made and am seriously thinking about trying to change to something different. anyone heard of this being done or know anything about it?

The one positive thing I can see about having to apply for internship and residency separately is the scenario you just mentioned. All you need to do is just apply for a different specialty prior to the selection board meeting this fall. You can always decline a position if it was offered to you.

Worse case scenario #1: You might have to repeat portions of your internship.

Worse case scenario #2: You might have to do a GMO tour. This might actually be a good thing if you are unsure what you want to do. The tour would give you time to think things over.

Wow, I've actually seen 2 people change careers over at an AFB I just rotated at.

1 was an Internal Medicine R1, decided it wasn't his field and wants to go into Path instead. I talked to him and he is becoming a flight surgeon before applying for pathology GME slot next year or the year after.

The other was also an R1, decided FP wasn't for him and actually wants to specialize in Pulm/CC. He is opting to do 3 or 4 years as a flight doc or GMO and reapply to civie residency when he gets out. He also had an option to head over to another AFB as an R2 in internal medicine, but last we spoke, it sounded like he was opting for the flight doc tour.

Good luck!!

how hard is it for an intern to change career tracks in the military? i'm really unhappy with the choice of specialty i made and am seriously thinking about trying to change to something different. anyone heard of this being done or know anything about it?

The current USAF policy on this is: You have been selected for the specialty you are currently in based upon the needs of the Air Force, which means that the AF needs you fully qualified in that specialty within a certain time frame. Current policy also states, that if you choose to leave the specialty you are currently training in you must be assigned as a flight surgeon or GMO. It is not possible to simply go from one residency program to another in different specialties without becoming a GMO or FS and reapplying to the JSGME board after at least two years. You can read this policy for yourself at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil. Under medical officer information look for the newsletter for deferred/re-deferred physicians in training.

Same applies in the Navy....at least a year ago.