Applying for a medical corps officer as a GP?

[mitra88]

Hi,

I am an international medical graduate (IMG) who graduated medical school out of states. I am currently a permanent resident and, so far, hold an ECFMG certificate (not passed step 3 yet, though).

I already have read some of long (really long) debates about pros and cons of military medicine on this forum and, mostly, agree with them. However, I really need to be in military medicine due to some personal reason even with them.

My question here is, provided that I enlist myself to military (ex: Army) and acquire a U.S. citizenship quickly (it seems that it now takes just a few months), will I be able to apply for a direct commission into the Army medical corps as a commissioned officer? My interest is in family practice and I don't think I will be wanting for other specialties. Also, by the time I acquire my citizenship, I will have acquired my unrestricted license by taking step 3. However, I will not have FYGME done by that time since I will still be in the Army as an enlisted soldier.

Ok, let me summarize. IMG + ECFMG certificate + passed step3 (but no FYGME yet) + citizenship + current active duty enlisted army soldier + wanna be FP physician........ what is going to be my chance? I know it might sound really weird to many of you. But, I have desperate personal reason for this. As long as it is possible, it will be of value to me. I would appreciate any bit of your advice or information.

PS: I plan to enlist myself as 68K (medical laboratory specialist). I also would appreciate any advice on this MOS, too.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[NavyFP]

Hi,

I am an international medical graduate (IMG) who graduated medical school out of states. I am currently a permanent resident and, so far, hold an ECFMG certificate (not passed step 3 yet, though).

I already have read some of long (really long) debates about pros and cons of military medicine on this forum and, mostly, agree with them. However, I really need to be in military medicine due to some personal reason even with them.

My question here is, provided that I enlist myself to military (ex: Army) and acquire a U.S. citizenship quickly (it seems that it now takes just a few months), will I be able to apply for a direct commission into the Army medical corps as a commissioned officer? My interest is in family practice and I don't think I will be wanting for other specialties. Also, by the time I acquire my citizenship, I will have acquired my unrestricted license by taking step 3. However, I will not have FYGME done by that time since I will still be in the Army as an enlisted soldier.

Ok, let me summarize. IMG + ECFMG certificate + passed step3 (but no FYGME yet) + citizenship + current active duty enlisted army soldier + wanna be FP physician........ what is going to be my chance? I know it might sound really weird to many of you. But, I have desperate personal reason for this. As long as it is possible, it will be of value to me. I would appreciate any bit of your advice or information.

PS: I plan to enlist myself as 68K (medical laboratory specialist). I also would appreciate any advice on this MOS, too.

Get the citizenship and it could work.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

Hi,

I am an international medical graduate (IMG) who graduated medical school out of states. I am currently a permanent resident and, so far, hold an ECFMG certificate (not passed step 3 yet, though).

I already have read some of long (really long) debates about pros and cons of military medicine on this forum and, mostly, agree with them. However, I really need to be in military medicine due to some personal reason even with them.

My question here is, provided that I enlist myself to military (ex: Army) and acquire a U.S. citizenship quickly (it seems that it now takes just a few months), will I be able to apply for a direct commission into the Army medical corps as a commissioned officer? My interest is in family practice and I don't think I will be wanting for other specialties. Also, by the time I acquire my citizenship, I will have acquired my unrestricted license by taking step 3. However, I will not have FYGME done by that time since I will still be in the Army as an enlisted soldier.

Ok, let me summarize. IMG + ECFMG certificate + passed step3 (but no FYGME yet) + citizenship + current active duty enlisted army soldier + wanna be FP physician........ what is going to be my chance? I know it might sound really weird to many of you. But, I have desperate personal reason for this. As long as it is possible, it will be of value to me. I would appreciate any bit of your advice or information.

PS: I plan to enlist myself as 68K (medical laboratory specialist). I also would appreciate any advice on this MOS, too.

You will need to become a U.S. citizen first to get a commission.
You will need to complete step 3 and you will also need to do at least one year of internship training to get a license to practice.

Before a medical recruiter will have an interest in you as a direct accession, you will need to show you are eligible for a commission.
Do you have a green card? If you do, you should do an internship and possibly a whole residency first. By that time, you would be eligible for citizenship.

I would not count on the Army to break your orders as an enlisted as soon as you become a citizen. Even if you are granted citizenship, you will not be of any use in any medical capacity except as an intern. You might be delayed until the end of your contract.

I recommend you inquire whether the services can provide you a delayed entry as a commissioned officer while accepting you as a reserve enlisted with some educational deferment, for a year, while you do a civilian internship. You might determine then whether a fast-track citizenship application could be made on the basis of your reserve duty. It would be sort of a personally-tailored arrangement, but these days, as desperate as they are, they might be willing to try to help you.

 

[mitra88]

Thanks for the prompt answer. Yes, all of these plans are based on the assumption that I acquire my U.S. citizenship and complete step 3 (from a state which does not require internship for eligibility). I believe that I can achieve them while I am enlisted as an active duty soldier.

As a matter of fact, my main concern is whether the Army would accept me even as an intern once I become eligible (citizenship + ECFMG cert. + state license). Are there any IMGs in military who were accepted as an intern? On the medical corps recruiting brochure, it clearly states that an IMG should have a U.S. citizenship, an ECFMG certificate and an unrestricted license to practice in a state to apply for a commission as a medical corps officer, which looks ok for me. It didn't mention anything about having the internship completed prior to application. However, on some articles about the Army FYGME program, they were not clearly stating about IMGs. They were only saying that a person should be a graduate of U.S. medical school. It was confusing to me and I just wanted to make sure that, at least, I can be accepted to the medical corps as an intern or a general practitioner.

You will need to become a U.S. citizen first to get a commission.
You will need to complete step 3 and you will also need to do at least one year of internship training to get a license to practice.

Before a medical recruiter will have an interest in you as a direct accession, you will need to show you are eligible for a commission.
Do you have a green card? If you do, you should do an internship and possibly a whole residency first. By that time, you would be eligible for citizenship.

I would not count on the Army to break your orders as an enlisted as soon as you become a citizen. Even if you are granted citizenship, you will not be of any use in any medical capacity except as an intern. You might be delayed until the end of your contract.

I recommend you inquire whether the services can provide you a delayed entry as a commissioned officer while accepting you as a reserve enlisted with some educational deferment, for a year, while you do a civilian internship. You might determine then whether a fast-track citizenship application could be made on the basis of your reserve duty. It would be sort of a personally-tailored arrangement, but these days, as desperate as they are, they might be willing to try to help you.

 

[georgia_md]

PS: I plan to enlist myself as 68K (medical laboratory specialist). I also would appreciate any advice on this MOS, too.

I was a 68K when I was in Army. Back then we were called 91K. I really loved this job! I gained valuable experience and education. But do you want to spend the next 5-6 years as 68K, because last I heard, that's the minimum required Active Duty service for this MOS. You will spend a whole year training for this MOS; 6 months didactic and then 6 months on-the-job training. Doesn't seem like a long time, but then, the Army stuffed 2 years of material into 1 year. So the attrition rate is pretty high. My class started out with 150 people. We graduated about 22.

 

[i want out]

there is one piece of information that it is absolutely critical that you understand:

Keep asking enough people in the Army, the same question and eventually you will find the answer you want.

Pass Step 3, and then go see the MEDICAL officer recruiter, if he/she doesn't proactively work to get you in, either as an intern, or on track to internship in less than 1 to 2 years, then ask to speak to a regional recruiting office.

You also may want to suggest that your Medical officer recruiter request a waiver regarding the citizenship. (I doubt that you can get one, but it may be worth asking) I know that you can be in the medical corps with dual citizenship.

Please note, that I specifically mentioned the MEDICAL OFFICER recruiter, do not under any circumstances let the regular enlisted recruiter talk you into signing anything. They are out to make their numbers, and will promise you anything they think you want to hear just to get you signed up, then will laugh all the way to the bank while your trapped into a position that in no way utilizes your education.

Good luck, you will need it to survive the milmed system with some sanity.

i want out

 

[orbitsurgMD]

Thanks for the prompt answer. Yes, all of these plans are based on the assumption that I acquire my U.S. citizenship and complete step 3 (from a state which does not require internship for eligibility). I believe that I can achieve them while I am enlisted as an active duty soldier.

As a matter of fact, my main concern is whether the Army would accept me even as an intern once I become eligible (citizenship + ECFMG cert. + state license). Are there any IMGs in military who were accepted as an intern? On the medical corps recruiting brochure, it clearly states that an IMG should have a U.S. citizenship, an ECFMG certificate and an unrestricted license to practice in a state to apply for a commission as a medical corps officer, which looks ok for me. It didn't mention anything about having the internship completed prior to application. However, on some articles about the Army FYGME program, they were not clearly stating about IMGs. They were only saying that a person should be a graduate of U.S. medical school. It was confusing to me and I just wanted to make sure that, at least, I can be accepted to the medical corps as an intern or a general practitioner.

You can't be used in any capacity by the Army as a GMO (="GP", if I am understanding you correctly) until you complete at least one year of GME. That is essential to your being able to get a license. Citizenship is not essential; in fact neither is a green card, a training visa should suffice. Citizenship is necessary to get a commission, however.

I strongly recommend that you not enlist as a laboratory technician. Enlistment solely for the purpose of accelerating a citizenship application is itself a gamble--you are not guaranteed this will happen--and then gambling again that you will be accepted very early in your enlistment contract term for a commissioning and then gambling again that your command will approve your early release for commissioning to the Army medical corps and then gambling again that your transcript and ECFMG Step 3 will be completed on time and be accepted as sufficient for placement as a PGY1 resident in a military program. I see all that as a very long shot.
When did you finish medical school? How recently did you complete the first two steps of your ECFMG (now that everyone, IMG and domestic grads are taking the USMLE?)

The military has not traditionally accepted IMGs (except Canadian school grads) for placement as PGY1s. They have always accepted IMGs as medical officers once they are licensed and have qualified with at least one year of GME.

You haven't explained the rush for citizenship or the urgency to get into the Army, but I think your chances for getting citizenship are reasonably good as long as you haven't violated U.S. immigration law (or other laws) by overstaying an existing visa. I still think you should try to get your training first, and finding a U.S. civilian hospital that will take you as an intern in FP as an IMG should not be difficult. Even very prestigious hospitals are begging to fill primary care programs. Once in a residency program, I would apply for the military (with your step 3 completed) and have the medical recruiter work connections to fast-track your citizenship application so that you can get a commission. I suggest you try for the reserves.