Filling Civilian Sponsorship vs Active Duty Slots

[wannabeadoct0r]

Hi,

I'm currently applying for fellowship in the AF. I was curious to know if there's an order in which the JSGMESB fills spots. Do all active duty spots in the AF have to be filled before they allow someone to go Civilian Sponsored?

I know AD spots have to fill before they allow deferment, since the AD spot is funded and the deferred spot is not. But since sponsored spots are already funded, does the AF still want AD spots filled first?

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[Kilgoretrout 65]

I would say, in general, yes the AD fellowship slots would fill first. You would be not only filling a need at that MTF (likely SAMMC) but it is also behooves an ACGME accredited program to fill a space in their own program. If there is a need for more fellowship trained people than AD spots they would move to fill that need through deferment or civilian sponsored training. If the forecast board (HPERB) lists a funded civilian sponsored slot and you wanted it, it is possible you would get it as your first choice. I have rarely seen
AD spots go unfilled while people get deferred or civ sponsored slots. Not sure how it ends up that way, sometimes if you are really good they want to get you back after you train at Mayo etc. Sometimes for the deferred spots they don't have the money to train you so they let you stay at Florida to do that fellowship in deferred status.

You have to look close at the HPERB results because if it says "AU", approved-unfunded, that means there's no current money for that slot and the Specialty Consultant only gets that spot at the end of the day if Ortho or ENT hasn't won it for their spot.

 

[wannabeadoct0r]

I would say, in general, yes the AD fellowship slots would fill first. You would be not only filling a need at that MTF (likely SAMMC) but it is also behooves an ACGME accredited program to fill a space in their own program. If there is a need for more fellowship trained people than AD spots they would move to fill that need through deferment or civilian sponsored training. If the forecast board (HPERB) lists a funded civilian sponsored slot and you wanted it, it is possible you would get it as your first choice. I have rarely seen
AD spots go unfilled while people get deferred or civ sponsored slots. Not sure how it ends up that way, sometimes if you are really good they want to get you back after you train at Mayo etc. Sometimes for the deferred spots they don't have the money to train you so they let you stay at Florida to do that fellowship in deferred status.

You have to look close at the HPERB results because if it says "AU", approved-unfunded, that means there's no current money for that slot and the Specialty Consultant only gets that spot at the end of the day if Ortho or ENT hasn't won it for their spot.

Thanks for the response! I'm applying for fellowship in Nephro and there are 2 AD spots (SAMMC) and 2 Civilian Sponsored Spots per the HPERB. Due to how the field is in decline, I've gotten a lot of great interviews (UW, UCLA, etc) so I actually put CS first.

I'm coming from deferred status from residency too, so I would actually owe them 2 more years payback doing sponsored rather than if I did the AD spots. So maybe that'll entice the JSGMESB to give me the CS spot haha. Guess Ill have to wait until Dec 7 to see if I'll get it.

 

[teacherman84]

I'm applying for fellowship with AF as well this year. I've been told all AD spots fill before sending people out and who gets civ varies on the consultant and generals at the board. Sometimes they keep the top people for their program, sometimes they rank everyone and then give ppl their #1 choice going down the list.