Navy EM Residency - hard to get?

[Bones DO]

How difficult is it to match Navy EM? I'm looking at their wiki site and there appear to only be 18 spots a year?

http://www.navyhpsp.net/wiki/Navy_Gr...ation_Programs

The recruiter says EM isn't very hard to match to, but looking at this and after reading about how many of them are liars, I want your thoughts.

Thanks.

[DeadCactus]

I believe EM is notoriously competitive (more so than in the civilian world) in all three branches.

[Gastrapathy]

I don't think EM is necessarily that competitive. Nearly everyone from my intern class who wanted EM eventually got to train (they are all staff now, so this isn't exactly the latest and greatest info). Like most non-primary care specialties, this was universally post-GMO tour and I suspect that just as many folks do their time as a GMO and then get out to train.

Bottom line, if you want to be an emergency physician (god help you), you'll get to eventually. It may be after your obligation is completed or, more likely, you'll get to train after a GMO tour. I can't speak about the chances of a full deferment but I'm generally pessimistic given the shortage of trainees over the past few years (we may already be past the tail end of that, I don't really know).

[orbitsurgMD]

Originally Posted by Bones DO

How difficult is it to match Navy EM? I'm looking at their wiki site and there appear to only be 18 spots a year?

http://www.navyhpsp.net/wiki/Navy_Gr...ation_Programs

The recruiter says EM isn't very hard to match to, but looking at this and after reading about how many of them are liars, I want your thoughts.

Thanks.

If you want a military program, you will probably have to do a GMO tour; EM is competitive in that sense and seems to be perennially desired by returning GMOs. If you decide instead to exit after GMO for civilian training, you will probably find yourself competitive for a good civilian program.

So either way, unless the Navy completely eliminates GMO positions (read: not likely), there is a good chance you will pay back most if not all of your obligation from HPSP (assuming that, you didn't say) before entering residency, after which, you will have additional obligation. Depending on your long-term goals, that might or might not be important. But I would not assume you will escape the GMO tour.

[Bones DO]

Thanks for the valuable information guys. Regarding Naval GMO Tours, are you "deployed" for 100% of the time you're a GMO or are you on a base for a part and on a ship for another part? If someone could break down how that works for me I'd really appreciate it...Thanks again for your information, my recruiter either doesn't know or is intentionally not telling me these details!

[backrow]

Originally Posted by Bones DO

Thanks for the valuable information guys. Regarding Naval GMO Tours, are you "deployed" for 100% of the time you're a GMO or are you on a base for a part and on a ship for another part? If someone could break down how that works for me I'd really appreciate it...Thanks again for your information, my recruiter either doesn't know or is intentionally not telling me these details!

I highly recommend you scroll through the threads on this board and get an understanding of what the GMO tour is.

You need to read quite a bit before going any further with the recruiter.

There really are too many variables to describe the break down, but it has been done numerous times on here.

Most Navy GMO billets are somewhere between 6mos deployed, 6mos home to 6mos deployed, 18mos home, to those that never deploy.