Hello I am a senior in college seeking to become a doctor. I would like to do my residency in emergency medicine and I was curious about a few things.
1. If I join will I be able to complete my residency at a civilian institute or will I be required to practice as a general practitioner or will I need to attend a naval institute?
Currently, the navy requires you to apply for a military-based residency first, and then, if you don't get in they may allow you to apply to a civilian residency. With that in mind, most applicants get into a military residency. And as a side note, the experience you get in the military for emergency medicine will be outstanding.
2. Will I be required to serve on a ship or can I be stationed and practice at a base for the entirety of my service?
There is no requirement to serve on a ship. The detailer (person who assigns personnel to duty stations) will distribute you according to the needs of the Navy while taking your personal situations, extenuating circumstances, etc into consideration. Navy assignments tend to be 3 years for shore duty (i.e,. naval hospital/clinic) or 2 years sea duty (i.e., on a ship), or 3 years operational billet (i.e., Seabees or Marine unit/base). There are variations on each, but if you play your cards right, you can typically get what you want.
3. If I joined what would be my rank after I finished medical school ? After I finish my residency?
You will be an O-3 (Lieutenant) fresh out of med school. After your residency, you will be either an O-3 or an O-4 (Lieutenant Commander), depending on your time of service, your performance up until that time, and your evaluations.
4. My wife is a early childhood teacher will she be able to teach children of families who live on the base and if not will the navy help her find a job in the surrounding area?
If you are moving to your base from out of the area (there are guidelines and limitations), she can use the Military Spousal Preference status to apply for civilian military contracts or GS positions. Check out
www.usajobs.gov ...
As far as private sector civilian jobs, there are resources available with the military. At the base I'm at, they hold job fairs semi-annually for military personnel who are transitioning out and military spouses as well.
Since your wife is an early childhood teacher, I would STRONGLY suggest contacting the AF base near you, and ask to be connected to whatever daycare/child care/preschool/youth center they have, and ask if there will be any jobs coming up, and how to be hired through the military, and what certifications are required. Once you have the contact and application in hand, be sure to check the box for "Military Spousal Preference." It is not a guarantee, but it does put you closer to the top of the list.
The centers at San Diego are staffed with a lot of personnel whose husbands are active duty military, or otherwise associated with the military through civilian positions on base.
On a side note, you're really lucky that your wife has a very portable career. Military professionals tend to have an easier time moving around if their spouses aren't tied to a geographic location. (e.g., another dentist, pig farmer, etc).
5. While I was in high school I broke my back. It does not really effect me now except when the weather changes. I do not have any trouble lifting or moving just stiff when I wake up sometimes. Will this effect me joining the navy?
Since I'm not a medical screener, I can positively say 'maybe' ... it's something you'll have to disclose during the application process, but it might preclude you from military service.
(BTW, not a good idea to hide major stuff like this from the military if you're applying. Technically the military can kick you out, make your life miserable if they find out you lied. Especially if they want to, say, send you out with the marines for 6 months, and something happens, and they find out it was something you didn't disclose. And now the marine unit is screwed because their ER/Trauma doc is out of commission with a re-injured back, someone's going to get pissed.)
6. Will I be able to have a choice in where I am stationed?
You'll be able to have input, but everything is according to needs of the navy -- who's leaving what station, is that position already spoken for, etc etc etc. The detailer will try to find something you'll be happy with, but not everyone can go to Hawaii, San Diego, Sigonella, Italy, or Rota, Spain.
7. While living on a base how does the housing process work? Will I need to apply and hope I get a place to live or will housing be provided or will I have to live off base?
Typically as officers, you are not required to live on base. The same is not true for most enlisted, especially junior enlisted.
To live on base, you have to apply through the base housing office or equivalent. There is usually a waiting list. If you do accept base housing, you forgo your Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) pay. Many choose to live off base because they are able to find a rental in nearby areas for less than the BAH. Since BAH pay is tax-free, whatever difference you keep is extra tax free money in your pocket.
8. I had spoken with a recruiter and in the city where I would like to attend medical school there is also an Air Force base. The recruiter had assured me that I would be able to live there if I applied and there was available room for me and my wife. I was wondering if this is a true statement and how far ahead would I need to apply?
I call bull****. Maybe your recruiter isn't trying to fleece you. Most likely he transferred out of this area and is going off of faulty assumptions. I would verify with the base housing department, whatever it's called on AF bases.
But before that, consider this:
It sounds like you are looking at the HPSP program or the HSCP program. Let's say you take this, congrats you're in the navy!
In practice, you are in this weird limbo with the military. Throughout medical or dental school, you are not assigned to the base or an actual unit on that base, and when you apply for housing, they will ask you "Which unit are you with"?
You will say, "I'm not with a unit, but I'm a med student, and I go to U of X down the street, but I'm on a Navy scholarship and the recruiter said you'd be able to get me into base housing."
You'll probably get nowhere, because their job is to assign housing to
active duty personnel stationed on base. You, being neither a reservist nor active duty member, will be pretty much SOL. Besides, they won't know what to do with you because you technically belong to the navy.
And, the housing staff will start thinking, "I might get in trouble if I give this guy a house, when CAPT Smith has been on the waiting list for 8 months."
So with that in mind, I would go ahead and plan for off-base housing:
1) You can use the extra $ from the difference between BAH and your monthly rental.
2) You will have many years ahead of you to be a member of the military -- enjoy your time right now as a civilian living out in town, and getting trained on the military's dime!
3) If you live on military housing, you will be living among other officers, most of whom are higher rank than you. Once they find out you are an officer, they will likely treat you accordingly as an officer of that rank and may expect the same from you. But let's face it, unless you had previous military service, you won't know what to do or how to act. That's why they send you to officer training around your second year of med school, so when you hit your military residencies and rotations, you don't act like a total FNG. (F*ckin' New Guy)
So just enjoy the civilian life for now! Grow your hair as long as you want, flaunt that soul patch, wax your handlebar mustache! Don't sweat that speeding ticket you got coming home (they can revoke your driving privileges if you get pulled over on base too many times).
Save all the military regulations for when you are in the military and concentrate on your schooling!
Good luck,
OAH