Looking for any current members of the Naval Reserve Medical Corps. The recruiter I talked with made it sound like you can opt out of the program at any time (but you have to pay back any money that you have taken). Obviously I am not going to join with the sole premise of eventually quitting, but I need to know if there is an out just in case your private practice can't let you go for 4 months if you get called up. They also said that there is NO WAY that you can get called up during residency or fellowship. Any comments would be helpful as I ponder this decision. Thanks in advance.

Cassidy61:

I've been active duty for 4 yrs & am switching to the reserves for residency. While it is true that residents are the very last reserves called up & it would be incredibly rare if this happened, there are never any absolutes that you will not get activated. I don't know the specifics on the "buy-back" option you mentioned, but I'm highly sceptical - unless you see it in writing, don't believe it. I've enjoyed my time in the Navy, but when you join (Active or Reserves) you sign a contract & the boss is looking after the welfare of the business, not yours.

I know there are instructions on repaying your financial obligation if the Navy should release you from service prior to the completion of your obligated period of duty, but these are primarily for instances such as medical/administrative separations & UCMJ violations, etc. I don't know of an elective "buy-back" option.

thanks for your quick reply. i am definitely not signing anything until i see it all in writing. i want to do this, but i just don't want it to hinder me from looking attractive to a private practice. there is no such thing as a free lunch, right?!

Be sure to think hard before signing up. It's not true that you can cancel your post at any time. A close friend of mine tried very hard to get out of the Navy Medical Corps (for very good reasons that I can't really go into here) -- she also offered to pay back the money that they had given her, and they wouldn't let her get out of her agreement. This went on for about 6-9 months until she finally gave up and resigned to the fact that the Navy has a very strong hand in her life and career decisions. This is not a temporary decision -- it is one that will last for at least 12-15 years, and can greatly affect your career. You will have to get everything you do during that time approved by the Navy, and it is certainly no guarantee that they will approve anything. If you are even thinking of taking extra time to do research, teach, etc, then forget it -- they will not allow you to take any time off from your training because it would postpone when you are supposed to start your payback years.

There was a line in my HPSP scholarship contract that specifically said "this contract cannot be bought out". I can't imagine there's such a thing ias a buy-out in the reserve FAP contract. Maybe if you saw it in writing, then had a lawyer confirm it, I might believe it...maybe.
I like the Navy, but they own you. If you're recalled to active duty, it's often for a year, a long time out from private practice. If you're with a huge group (more than 50 employees total, I think) or a university/HMO/etc. than they must keep your job for you if you're recalled. They may not be happy.

I have heard of people being stung for triple the input from the government. The Navy was $150k into me when I graduated, $450k payback sounds pretty rough. Think long and hard, there are other ways to get money if that's what you're after.
DD

Moving to the Military Forum...

I would like to know if anyone knows what the specific residency optoions are for the FAP, (financial assistance programs). I heard the you were only able to do what ever the needs of the Navy were? I am interested in PMR.

Frankly, even if I saw this in writing, I wouldn't believe it. Everyone would want to opt out of the reserves at the same time and when they are most needed (ie with an impending call-up). I'm sure big brother would prevent that from happening. Reservists are being utilized more and more. I definitely wouldn't do it unless you could handle a solid 12-14 month call-up.

So if you did your HPSP years as a DMO/GMO/Flight surgeon, you could get a reserve obligation for your residency? That is what I was hoping to do a few years down the road.

Originally posted by referee
So if you did your HPSP years as a DMO/GMO/Flight surgeon, you could get a reserve obligation for your residency?

Anyone?

Nope, at the end of your residency at an MTF (or consecutive years of training if you did a residency and then fellowship back to back), your active duty committment = the length of your residency or your HPSP obligation (whichever is longer). If you complete a civilian residency, you will also be obligated to serve time on active duty at the end.