I am an M1 and considering the air national guard. I have had a really hard time finding information on the web specific to medical students and the air national guard, and I can't find any recent (within the last couple years) conversations on SDN about it. Is there anyone here that has experience with the Air National Guard while in medical school? A conversation of the pros and cons would be much appreciated. Also, I live in Nebraska, so if you have any information specific to the Nebraska Air National Guard, that would be awesome. Thank you.
Air National Guard
- Thread starter blub1212
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Hello Blub!
I'm currently an MS4 and am an Army National Guard soldier(not air guard). I know that some information overlaps so I will try to be helpful. also, if you would like, I have a classmate who is a proud air guard soldier that would respond to any questions you may have. Briefly, I've been in for 10 years, joined when I was 17 and at 27, am halfway to retirement. During school I was required to drill, this can be frustrating during didactics bc i worried about studying and during clinicals. However, with some preplanning my grades were never affected and I never had problems coordinating days with attendings/hospitals. Plus a typical drill weekend will provide you a $400 paycheck (helpful during med school). I only have experience in AZ/OR guard, but both have been very accommodating to my schedule requests. You will have to attend a 3.5 week training within two years of joining. I completed this my first summer of med school. I've done multiple enlisted trainings and this training is so easy, I was sorta embarrassed for medical officers but I enjoyed it. Benefits during med school: $4500/yr tuition assistance and monthly GI bill (I think like $150). ALso, eligible for National Guard health insurance ($46/person, $150/family) that is equivalent to your school insurance, this saved me a few thousand dollars. They also reimbursed my boards (a few thousand).
As you enter residency, there is a flex training program for residents that is dependent on the State Surgeon of your state. The rules require drilling like 4 times per year. CME can be considered army time. You are also eligible for STRAP at $2000/month but this tacks on 1 year of service for every 6 months of benefits. Now after residency, you will start receiving $40,000/yr of loan repayment up to $240,000.
I've honestly enjoyed my service in the National Guard. I'm not financially stressed like multiple classmates and it added a lot of leadership experience. I feel like it diversifies me since I'm a 5'3" girl that knows what an M16A2 is and how to low crawl. I get to serve in the military while not being forced to live somewhere; the Army follows me, I don't follow the Army. Here are the cons: time, weekends. Deployment after residency (3 months on the sand) is a major possibility.
Please let me know if you have any clarification questions.
I'm currently an MS4 and am an Army National Guard soldier(not air guard). I know that some information overlaps so I will try to be helpful. also, if you would like, I have a classmate who is a proud air guard soldier that would respond to any questions you may have. Briefly, I've been in for 10 years, joined when I was 17 and at 27, am halfway to retirement. During school I was required to drill, this can be frustrating during didactics bc i worried about studying and during clinicals. However, with some preplanning my grades were never affected and I never had problems coordinating days with attendings/hospitals. Plus a typical drill weekend will provide you a $400 paycheck (helpful during med school). I only have experience in AZ/OR guard, but both have been very accommodating to my schedule requests. You will have to attend a 3.5 week training within two years of joining. I completed this my first summer of med school. I've done multiple enlisted trainings and this training is so easy, I was sorta embarrassed for medical officers but I enjoyed it. Benefits during med school: $4500/yr tuition assistance and monthly GI bill (I think like $150). ALso, eligible for National Guard health insurance ($46/person, $150/family) that is equivalent to your school insurance, this saved me a few thousand dollars. They also reimbursed my boards (a few thousand).
As you enter residency, there is a flex training program for residents that is dependent on the State Surgeon of your state. The rules require drilling like 4 times per year. CME can be considered army time. You are also eligible for STRAP at $2000/month but this tacks on 1 year of service for every 6 months of benefits. Now after residency, you will start receiving $40,000/yr of loan repayment up to $240,000.
I've honestly enjoyed my service in the National Guard. I'm not financially stressed like multiple classmates and it added a lot of leadership experience. I feel like it diversifies me since I'm a 5'3" girl that knows what an M16A2 is and how to low crawl. I get to serve in the military while not being forced to live somewhere; the Army follows me, I don't follow the Army. Here are the cons: time, weekends. Deployment after residency (3 months on the sand) is a major possibility.
Please let me know if you have any clarification questions.
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A few corrections, at least for Army National Guard:
OP- Getting information on the ANG is hard as they do not have as many programs targetting medical professionals as the ARNG. Take Myelin up on her offer of putting you in touch with an Air-side person.
There is a big thread, now on the 2nd page, that pretty much discusses every Army National Guard medical program and benefit in depth. It's called:
Army National Guard's new Med student program details
Flip through the last 10 or so pages of that monster thread if you're interested in learning more about the Guard. Every few weeks a question comes up and folks are active to answer it.
The monthly GI Bill can only be used after a period of service (4 years drilling status?). I haven't heard of new accessions using it in medical school, but it can be used in residency.
Actually, flexi-training is for medical students too, if they are slotted as medical students (which any new accession into med school would be). The 4 times per year thing was changed to 6 times per year. It is dependent on the approval of your CO, but I haven't heard of any Guardsman in med school not granted this (as med student slots, you're literally not qualified to do anything and are typically assigned to a med det where they usually don't really know what to do with you).
This varies by state, but many are cracking down on the CME payouts to limit them to "mission critical" CME. I know of several folks getting denied for heading to their specialty's national conference and the like.
OP- Getting information on the ANG is hard as they do not have as many programs targetting medical professionals as the ARNG. Take Myelin up on her offer of putting you in touch with an Air-side person.
There is a big thread, now on the 2nd page, that pretty much discusses every Army National Guard medical program and benefit in depth. It's called:
Army National Guard's new Med student program details
Flip through the last 10 or so pages of that monster thread if you're interested in learning more about the Guard. Every few weeks a question comes up and folks are active to answer it.
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Hi!
I wanted to bump this and see if anyone has more up to date info.
I'm interested in theair national guard. I've spent time on AD and the reserves. I'm graduating from medical school this summer.
I wanted to bump this and see if anyone has more up to date info.
I'm interested in theair national guard. I've spent time on AD and the reserves. I'm graduating from medical school this summer.
