Flight surgeon vs. DMO vs. Battalion surgeon

[ZizAniE13]

Hi there,

I am applying to med school right now and strongly, strongly considering HPSP. I've read a ton on these forums, but have yet to post anything re: mil med. Basically, I'm trying to decide whether navy or af is where I want to be...

1) Seems like Army has higher match rates and I have seen the numbers for 2010 (ratio of applicants to spots)...but for the AF and Navy I haven't been able to acquire these numbers, or anything similar...anyone have ANY notion of about how many applicants/year (approximately, percentage-wise?) DON'T match, and therefore funnel into FS/GMO or Transition Years?

2) IF I were to end up as a FS for the AF, what are the different tracks for flight surgery, and how does one apply to them/how are people selected for them? How long are the minimum FS commitments?

3) IF I were to end up as a GMO for the Navy, same questions as above.

ps, by "tracks" i mean flight med, dive med, with seals or marines or special forces, etc etc...apologies if I am making up random 'tracks', I have NO military background

I have tons of questions...but figured I'd start with these and see if I get any useful feedback. Thanks in advance to anyone who tries to help!

Army - Almost everyone goes "straight through" to their residency of choice. Those who don't match can go out and do some sort of GMO, or match to something else. I have no idea what they do for GMO, or how long they are, but likely 1-2 years.

AF - Like Army, except their GMO is Flight Surgery. Unlike in the Navy, there is no flight school, but the clinic boils down to be the same thing. I have no idea how long their FS tours are. Probably 1-2 years.

Navy - Maybe 50-75% of interns go "straight through" for residency. Some programs match more straight through, some less. For example, ENT, Rads, Derm, Optho, Anesthesia, Urology pretty much all come from the GMO pool. Gyn and Psych for the most part all go through. IM and Surgery match about 50-75%.

The people who don't match do some form of a GMO: Flight, Dive, Marines, or "GMO". Flight and Dive require a seperate application, have 6 months of extra schooling (counts for time served) and their billets are 2 years long.

Flight's "carrot" is that you learn to fly, and are required to get flight hours as part of your job. (This can range from some stick time, like flying Ospreys in Iraq, to sitting on a trans-continental flight once a year) In return you do flight physicals and clinic work for pilots and aircrew for 2 years. Billets can range from flying all over the world doing fun stuff to manning a clinic in the middle of nowhere. I'm sure there are also some cool research billets out there too. Can be a flight doc for Navy or Marines. If you are with a fighter wing, you can get deployed on an aircraft carrier.

Dive's "carrot" is that you become a certified Navy diver, and are required to get some dive time as part of your job. (Again, can range from acting like a working diver on special projects to going out and doing lake dives with reservists for minimum hours needed to keep your certification up) In return, you take care of submariners or Navy divers.

Taking care of submariners gives you the opportunity to "get your dolphins" (become a qualified submarine medical officer) which gets you extra pay, and are generally 9-5 clinic jobs with little "Hoo-yah" potential, but offer a good lifestyle.

Taking care of divers can range from seeing clinic and manning the hyperbaric chamber for straight up Navy Divers (construction, repair, salvage) to taking care of EOD guys (lots of deployments) to taking care of special ops guys (Marine Recon, SEALs). As before, some billets can be a lot of fun with lots of diving, while others can be day-in day-out doldrums (yes, even SEAL billets). There are also some cool research opportunities out there.

Marines - speaks for itself. Take care of Marines. If not in Okinawa, you are likely to deploy. Lots of opportunities to go out and "have fun with the boys" if you like to PT and blow **** up.

GMO - Ranges from ships doc to pierside doc to clinic doc. These billets are generally not the most sought after, unless for personal reasons. If you really want to be on a ship, or if you really need to be in a geographic location. Still, there are some cool and fun GMO billets, like with the SeaBees, where you go on humanitarian missions and such. GMO billets are also the easiest to get out of, so you can apply for residency every cycle, and so long as you aren't screwing your command by leaving (ie, ruining a deployment) most are happy to let you go on to residency if you match.

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[155HE]

Marines - speaks for itself. Take care of Marines. If not in Okinawa, you are likely to deploy. Lots of opportunities to go out and "have fun with the boys" if you like to PT and blow **** up.

I'm currently serving as a GMO for a Marine battalion in Okinawa. It's not a glamorous job. If you want to deploy to OEF/OIF, don't come to Okinawa. There are opportunities to deploy in Okinawa with the MEU (Singapore, Australia, Philippines, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, etc). Some of the units (eg 9th ESB which is deploying later this year) will go to OIF/OEF.

If you want to go to "combat", ask to go to an infantry unit out of Lejeune, Twentynine Palms, or Pendleton. Also, one of the battalions from 3d Marines in Hawaii is usually deployed. Alternately, you can become a UMO and become the Battalion Surgeon/UMO for a Recon Battalion, but there are only three of these billets in the Marines and are difficult to come by.

My particular unit is "deployed" to security exercises around the Pacific theatre on a regular basis. While on exercises, I set up a BAS tent in the field and work sick call and medical ops out of my AMAL cans backed up by supplemental supplies and equipment that I order. I've had a few patients with serious illnesses/injuries who I've had to resuscitate/stabilize before having MEDEVACed on a helicopter, but this rarely happens. The job is not that exciting. Most of the injuries are of the musculoskeletal type and of low acuity. Think sprained ankles, broken fingers, lacerations (especially scalp lacs from bumping their head on a part of a 7 ton truck), meniscal tears, etc. There is a neverending supply of URIs, tinea infections, ingrown toenails, rashes, and psychiatric disorders. Sometimes it's really underwhelming.

At times it's hard to not become cynical, but I really like my fellow company grade officers and a few of the majors. My CO is a cool guy who lets me pretty much do as I please--he takes my recommendations and trusts me enough to follow them.

In the field, there are many things in my job description that you are never trained to do. Maintain the 997 ambulance?? Nobody taught me how to do that! Load crypto and other frequencies into my radio? Nope. Call in a posrep/disrep? Learned how to do that. Verify PEWACs. Give a convoy brief. These are things that, as an officer serving with Marines, they never expect you to know, but you pick it up quickly. Knowing their language helps.

In garrison, we do sick call every morning and physical exams/established appointments in the afternoon. 7:30 am to 4:30 pm-ish. I work out at lunch and try to read. Thursday afternoons are our dedicated training days where I teach the Corpsmen about some various topic and we go over what we did the previous days. I have countless staff meetings that I need to fit between patients (or vice versa).

The most important aspect of my job, besides taking care of the sick and injured Marines, is taking care of my Corpsmen. I'm not with an infantry battalion, so I don't have 21 Corpsmen working in my BAS. I have a handful. They're great guys. Young, enthusiastic, energetic (mostly). I have a good Chief who takes care of me and helps me take care of the junior Corpsmen. I take time every day to teach them about various medical topics, how to do knee exams, how to prescribe various medications, how to identify certain rashes, etc. The Corpsmen ultimately are the ones that run the BAS--they know the Marines better than you, and having good, well trained Corpsmen will make the shop run smoothly. It's in your best interest to take care of them, because in the end, they'll take care of you.

Message me if you want more details.

 

[BOHICA-FIGMO]

To piggyback on a few of these comments:

USAF GMO = Flight Surgeon. The USAF doesn't have a ton of in-house residencies and a HUGE shortage of flight surgeons. So, if you don't get a civilian deferment you will wind up being a flight doc. You are much more likely to get a civilian deferment in the USAF than you are in the USN. How much flying you get to do varies depending on your operational commander, flight clinic commander, and your airframe (e.g., fighter guys HAVE to fly about once a week to keep their quals whereas C-17 or KC-10 docs could probably fly once every two months and meet their quals)

USN DMO: very few of the "glamorous" billets where you get to do "cool ****" Those billets would be MDSU, EOD, SEAL teams, or Marine force recon. They comprise about 1/2 the billets. The other half are more like clinic billets where you do physicals, waivers & disquals, sick call, or keeping your sub IDCs squared away. The carrot, here is overrated. The submarine medical warfare pin is the hardest to get (written test, sub ride time with PQS, and research thesis). The pin you receive on completion of the school is the dive medical officer pin which qualifies as an AQD NOT a warfare device.

USN Flight med: much more flight time than USAF flight docs get during training. The flight medicine badge is a true warfare device. You get to wear a flight suit. The work is, like DMO, mostly unglamorous clinic work doing physicals, waivers and disquals, sick call, etc. The school is much shorter than dive school.

Ship GMO: usually you will be assigned to a ship's medical department under supervision of a board certified senior medical officer. I'm not sure how many junior medical officers CVNs have, but I do know LHA, LHD, LPD, and LSD have them. You earn the surface warfare medical officer warfare device. Best chance to get into residency more quickly, as you can break your orders after 1 yr. There may be a few clinic billets not attached to a ship, but these are few and far between.

Marine GMO: this is the place you want to be if you want downrange combat medicine. You will deploy and get to do all the Hoo-ah groundpounder stuff. You get to work with the best population in the military (Personal bias: I LOVE Marines!) and earn the FMF warfare device.

That's my input. Good luck with your decision!

 

[UMOC101]

USN DMO: very few of the "glamorous" billets where you get to do "cool ****" Those billets would be MDSU, EOD, SEAL teams, or Marine force recon. They comprise about 1/2 the billets.

USN Flight med: The flight medicine badge is a true warfare device. The school is much shorter than dive school.

As I am sure you know, there are no DMO's in the Navy. Our speciality leader has made it clear we are UMO's and our focus is radiation health. I would say our distribution is more like 1/3 dive billets, 1/3 sub billets, 1/3 clinic.

Couple of questions:

1. When did FS become a warfare device?
2. Dive school is 8 weeks, the flight training portion of FS is 15 weeks. How does that make flight school shorter?

Finally, the most important aspect has gone unsaid. If you are a FS, you are REQUIRED to get flight time in, and it is part of your schedule. As a UMO, no one cares if you get to dive after graduation. I know of several UMO's that did their 3 year tours without ever getting wet.

 

[BOHICA-FIGMO]

As I am sure you know, there are no DMO's in the Navy. Our speciality leader has made it clear we are UMO's and our focus is radiation health. I would say our distribution is more like 1/3 dive billets, 1/3 sub billets, 1/3 clinic.

Couple of questions:

1. When did FS become a warfare device?
2. Dive school is 8 weeks, the flight training portion of FS is 15 weeks. How does that make flight school shorter?

Finally, the most important aspect has gone unsaid. If you are a FS, you are REQUIRED to get flight time in, and it is part of your schedule. As a UMO, no one cares if you get to dive after graduation. I know of several UMO's that did their 3 year tours without ever getting wet.

I think you are probably right on the distribution billets. I was focusing on the DMO part of UMO.

1. That's what at least two O-5 flight docs who also went through the UMO course told me. I have to be honest, I haven't delved into the regulations to verify.
2. When you combine the time in Groton with the time in Panama City, it is six months of total training. I'm pretty sure that is longer than flight surgeon training.

As for diving, if you want dive pay, you have to "dive" four times per year. Now what qualifies as a "dive" can be interesting (e.g., a dive in the sub escape trainer tower actually counts! So does a dive in the 12' NDSTC pool!) Many DMOs that are not near a dive locker often travel (leave or no-cost TAD) to knock out their dives.

 

[UMOC101]

Straight from NAMI website, FS training is 25 weeks. The first 15 are dedicated to flight training, and the last 10 are medical. I'll defer to any Flight surgeons out there as to the number of hours they accumulated during the course.

http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/nomi/nami/academics/Pages/FlightSurgeon.aspx

Straight from NUMI website, UMO is 23 weeks long making it shorter than FS training. From my experience, really only 9 weeks were spent doing dive training. The "PT" during the first 6 weeks was pretty weak, and I wouldn't include it as part of the dive training. It occupied about 2 hours a day with the other 6-8 hours spent on radiation health. I don't have my dive log in front of me, but I think I accumulated 15 or so dives at NDSTC and maybe an hour of bottom time.

http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/nomi/numi/Pages/UMOC.aspx

I tried looking up the regs on warfare devices, but I couldn't find anything. I'll leave that open to anyone who knows the exact reg.

As far as TAD for diving, it is 100% command dependent. I have a classmate who's command supported a 1 week TAD to NDSTC to keep up his quals. I know of several other UMO's whose commands will not support their dive quals. The fact is, they are not required to support dive qualification. UMO's can still do their job even if they let their dive qualification lapse.

 

[backrow]

1. When did FS become a warfare device?

From Navy Personnel Command Uniform Regulations:
http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/support/uniforms/uniformregulations/chapter5/Pages/5201.aspx

(1) Aviation Warfare Insignia
Naval Astronaut
Naval Astronaut (NFO)
Naval Aviator (Pilot)
Naval Aviation Observers and Flight
Meteorologists
Naval Flight Surgeons
Naval Flight Nurse
Naval Flight Officers
Professional Aviation Maintenance Officer qualification
Aerospace Experimental Psychologist
and Aerospace Physiologists
Aviation Warfare Specialists
Naval Aviation Supply Corps
Naval Aircrew Warfare Specialist

 

[UMOC101]

From Navy Personnel Command Uniform Regulations:
http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/support/uniforms/uniformregulations/chapter5/Pages/5201.aspx

I saw that list, but it doesn't specify (to me) what devices are warfare devices. If it's because of the word "warfare", then FMF officer is not a warfare device. That would be shocking to me and several others. Also, I thought MDV was considered a warfare device. At least, I don't know of any MDV's who would wear an ESWS device above their dive pin.

I read that as just a list of approved devices for wear. Anyone else care to weigh in?

PS There's also an error on that page showing a silver FMF officer insignia. It also fails to show the new IT warfare device.

 

[backrow]

I saw that list, but it doesn't specify (to me) what devices are warfare devices. If it's because of the word "warfare", then FMF officer is not a warfare device. That would be shocking to me and several others. Also, I thought MDV was considered a warfare device. At least, I don't know of any MDV's who would wear an ESWS device above their dive pin.

I read that as just a list of approved devices for wear. Anyone else care to weigh in?

PS There's also an error on that page showing a silver FMF officer insignia. It also fails to show the new IT warfare device.

You're getting into the nitty gritty details at this point; however, that is a list that contains both "warfare devices" and "qualification devices." Yes, if it contains the word "warfare" then it's a "warfare qualification."

I would have to pull up the original messages outlining the FMF device (it is relatively new) to get further clarification as I do note that the enlisted device contains the word warfare; whereas the officer does not. Also the fact that the picture is silver is simply a coding mistake on the website. In the description it plainly says 'gold'.

Also the IT device is very, very new and I'm not surprised it isn't on that site. It takes a while for .mil to update those things, but it is well detailed in NAVADMIN's.

For why you never see MDV below ESWS that's because you wear insignia following this guideline:

(3) Personnel with multiple qualifications may wear two insignia, placing one in the primary position and the second in the secondary position, within the following guideline:

(a) Warfare qualification insignia take precedence over other qualification insignia and are placed in the primary position.

(b) Two warfare insignia, each from separate warfare categories, are authorized following these rules:

1 The warfare insignia of the specialty in which currently serving will be worn in the primary position.

2 If not currently serving in a warfare specialty, or have not earned the warfare insignia of the specialty in which currently serving: officers will wear the insignia corresponding to their designator, otherwise the warfare insignia earned first in the primary position; all other personnel will wear the warfare insignia earned first in the primary position.

Actually I think there have been some changes to that recently as I think former NFO's/Pilot's/Aircrew can now wear both the flight surgeon and their former wings as well; whereas according to this they cannot. (and technically should wear the flight surgeon wings while in a flight surgeon billet, but you'll never see that )

 

[backrow]

Actually I think there have been some changes to that recently as I think former NFO's/Pilot's/Aircrew can now wear both the flight surgeon and their former wings as well; whereas according to this they cannot. (and technically should wear the flight surgeon wings while in a flight surgeon billet, but you'll never see that )

Found it: para 1B

http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/messages/Documents/NAVADMINS/NAV2009/NAV09271.txt

 

[UMOC101]

Hey backrow,

Were you a FS? If so, how much flight time did you get during the course?

 

[backrow]

Hey backrow,

Were you a FS? If so, how much flight time did you get during the course?

I can't remember the exact numbers, guess I could pull out my log book. In the fixed wing I flew to Key West for a five day vacation and then back for most of my hours. Probably around 10-12hrs total, then rotary wing probably another 6 or 7. You get most of your flight time once you're in a squadron.

 

[Glycereine]

I know this is a very old thread but I am applying to USUHS this cycle and am interested in UMO, FS, and Marine GMO as my primary choices and am curious about some guidance in each.

As background, I am a Navy Maintenance Officer now, and also a recreational SCUBA instructor and certified civilian pilot. My experience and knowledge about diving physiology is what initially sparked my interest in UMO and my experience and knowledge flying is what sparked my FS interest...

Also have been in a Marine command and flat out just like working with Marines...

I'll be happy with all of it, just trying to figure out my choice preferences. Also I know I have time.

 

[ZizAniE13]

I know this is a very old thread but I am applying to USUHS this cycle and am interested in UMO, FS, and Marine GMO as my primary choices and am curious about some guidance in each.

As background, I am a Navy Maintenance Officer now, and also a recreational SCUBA instructor and certified civilian pilot. My experience and knowledge about diving physiology is what initially sparked my interest in UMO and my experience and knowledge flying is what sparked my FS interest...

Also have been in a Marine command and flat out just like working with Marines...

I'll be happy with all of it, just trying to figure out my choice preferences. Also I know I have time.

Hi!

I'm currently a UMO working with Submarines. All three of your choices have their pluses and minuses, as I'm sure you've read through all the posts.

In some way, it depends on what you want to be "when you grow up". What sort of residency do you want to do? Do you want to stay in the military? Being a USUHS student, I'm sure you do, so the thing to think about is how will these choices affect you later?

Residency selection boards look at a bunch of things, but part of that look is your military experience. For many of us, we have none prior to doing a GMO. You do. That means that come selection time, you will be looked at more favorably for going "straight through" residency, without NEEDING to do a GMO tour. Just something to think about.

Most GMO tours set you up nicely to pursue a career in Occupational Health/Preventative Medicine. This is actually a great gig in the military, as you end up having a few detailers, which helps you pick and choose the billets that best suit you down the road. If this is something that interests you, I would recommend going UMO, finishing out a tour, then doing the Residency in Aerospace Medicine program, which makes you a Flight Surgeon, and Board Eligible for Occ Health and Prev Med. That gives you 4 detailers to play with the rest of your Navy career.

If you just want to do something fun prior to going to some other residency, I would recommend (biasedly, mind you) going the UMO route.

You can be with Marines with both the Flight Surg or UMO route, but it isn't a given. Going with the Marines kind of sours you on Marines, as you tend to see the worst of them, the whiniest ones, but if you love 'em, you'll see past it.

Flight Surgeons are a dime a dozen, and don't really do much piloting. They are generally regarded as "self loading baggage", and get flight time all they want, but rarely fly the plane themselves. That being said, Pilots are fun to hang out with. And being a Flight Surgeon is way way better than being a GMO.

If you are physically fit enough, the UMO training pipeline is one of the most fun experiences available to Navy docs. NUMI and Dive School are a blast. The jobs afterwards are also pretty interesting. I love working with Submariners, and going out on Submarines. I also dive pretty regularly. If you like Marines, Recon Marines are a step above. Divers are a great community, as are EOD. SEALs are pretty cool too, but don't expect to ever be an operator.

In anything you do, recognize that between 50-90% of what you do will be straight up clinical medicine/medical screening/medical overwatch, 25-50% will be supervising other providers (PAs, NPs, IDCs, Corpsmen), 10-25% Admin (meetings and associated BS), and the fun stuff that you want to do (Flying, Diving, etc.) filling in the cracks.

Hope this helps!

 

[Glycereine]

Hi!

I'm currently a UMO working with Submarines. All three of your choices have their pluses and minuses, as I'm sure you've read through all the posts.

In some way, it depends on what you want to be "when you grow up". What sort of residency do you want to do? Do you want to stay in the military? Being a USUHS student, I'm sure you do, so the thing to think about is how will these choices affect you later?

Residency selection boards look at a bunch of things, but part of that look is your military experience. For many of us, we have none prior to doing a GMO. You do. That means that come selection time, you will be looked at more favorably for going "straight through" residency, without NEEDING to do a GMO tour. Just something to think about.

Most GMO tours set you up nicely to pursue a career in Occupational Health/Preventative Medicine. This is actually a great gig in the military, as you end up having a few detailers, which helps you pick and choose the billets that best suit you down the road. If this is something that interests you, I would recommend going UMO, finishing out a tour, then doing the Residency in Aerospace Medicine program, which makes you a Flight Surgeon, and Board Eligible for Occ Health and Prev Med. That gives you 4 detailers to play with the rest of your Navy career.

If you just want to do something fun prior to going to some other residency, I would recommend (biasedly, mind you) going the UMO route.

You can be with Marines with both the Flight Surg or UMO route, but it isn't a given. Going with the Marines kind of sours you on Marines, as you tend to see the worst of them, the whiniest ones, but if you love 'em, you'll see past it.

Flight Surgeons are a dime a dozen, and don't really do much piloting. They are generally regarded as "self loading baggage", and get flight time all they want, but rarely fly the plane themselves. That being said, Pilots are fun to hang out with. And being a Flight Surgeon is way way better than being a GMO.

If you are physically fit enough, the UMO training pipeline is one of the most fun experiences available to Navy docs. NUMI and Dive School are a blast. The jobs afterwards are also pretty interesting. I love working with Submariners, and going out on Submarines. I also dive pretty regularly. If you like Marines, Recon Marines are a step above. Divers are a great community, as are EOD. SEALs are pretty cool too, but don't expect to ever be an operator.

In anything you do, recognize that between 50-90% of what you do will be straight up clinical medicine/medical screening/medical overwatch, 25-50% will be supervising other providers (PAs, NPs, IDCs, Corpsmen), 10-25% Admin (meetings and associated BS), and the fun stuff that you want to do (Flying, Diving, etc.) filling in the cracks.

Hope this helps!

Thank you so much for the detailed post.

I hadn't even thought about being able to go straight through to residency but that does make sense. Are there downsides to that?

The one thing I still don't really grasp is career progression, ie where I should be at each rank or how that matters in Medical Corps.

I am definitely in for a career

 

[ZizAniE13]

I hadn't even thought about being able to go straight through to residency but that does make sense. Are there downsides to that?

The only downside is missing out on a fun operational experience. It won't hurt you in the medical corps.

The one thing I still don't really grasp is career progression, ie where I should be at each rank or how that matters in Medical Corps.

You need to be board certified in order to make O5. You generally make O4 about 4 years after internship, less if you are prior service. You are up for O5 about 4-5 years after that.

You need to time your career such that you are board certified as an O4, and staff at a hospital, involved in committees, being some sort of director of something so that when you are up for O5, your fitreps show that you deserve to be an O5. From O5 to O6, you need to kind of bebop back and forth from operational and clinic billets.

 

[backrow]

You need to be board certified in order to make O5.

You don't have to be board certified to make O-5, I know at least one person who was selected for CDR during their first residency and I know another who will hopefully be selected at the board that is currently awaiting release.

What you absolutely need from what I have seen is to be at least in a residency when you are coming up for O5. I have seen the catch 22 occur of someone not being selected for O5 bc they weren't in a residency and then not be picked up for residency because they were passed over for O5.

This scenario can happen to those folks who do a GMO tour, go to a longish residency they then decide to leave prior to completion and then go back to the fleet.

 

[Glycereine]

Unfortunately with a decent amount of time in it seems like my biggest concern will be getting a residency relatively quickly in which case I might have to forgo UMO or something similar.

Thanks for all the posts, they gave me some info that I didn't already have.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[medicalbrah2017]

Great info in here, thanks to everyone that has contributed so far! Having read the stickies and every post relating to UMOs, I had a question for those experienced in the field. I am currently a medical student and set on becoming a NAVY UMO. Right now, my options are:
Accept the 3-year NAVY HPSP/HSCP and pursue dive school after my intern year.
OR
Wait, join via FAP, complete a residency in EM or FM, complete a utilization tour and then (hopefully) get selected for dive school.
I know there are advantages to being a board certified doc when going to dive school (ie: pre-picking billets) but I wanted to know if anyone here had some insight more insight on joining now versus later... I'm not sure if the quality and type of work/play/lifestyle is different between those who are board certified and those who aren't.
Sorry for the long post but thank you all ahead of time!

 

[Mtn Doc]

The only downside is missing out on a fun operational experience. It won't hurt you in the medical corps.



...You generally make O4 about 4 years after internship, less if you are prior service. You are up for O5 about 4-5 years after that.

I don't know if its the same in all of the services, but I would guess it is. In the USAF medical corps, you pin on O-3 upon graduation from medical school and awarded your doctorate. This establishes your Date of Rank (DOR). You pin on O-4 exactly six years from this date. This is almost guaranteed and there is no competition. Once, you get to O-5, it gets slightly more complicated as there is some competition for promotion.

 

[Mtn Doc]

Army - Almost everyone goes "straight through" to their residency of choice. Those who don't match can go out and do some sort of GMO, or match to something else. I have no idea what they do for GMO, or how long they are, but likely 1-2 years.

AF - Like Army, except their GMO is Flight Surgery. Unlike in the Navy, there is no flight school, but the clinic boils down to be the same thing. I have no idea how long their FS tours are. Probably 1-2 years.

It is true that the USN puts their flight surgeons through considerably more flight school. USAF flight surgeons go to Aerospace Medicine Primary (AMP) course, which is now at Wright Patt AFB in Dayton Ohio. The course is 6 weeks long. 2 weeks is dedicated flight training with a contracted civilian flight instructor school. You learn just enough to understand basic aerodynamics and the lingo. I think I got 12-16 hours of time in my log book in the end.

 

[Glycereine]

I don't know if its the same in all of the services, but I would guess it is. In the USAF medical corps, you pin on O-3 upon graduation from medical school and awarded your doctorate. This establishes your Date of Rank (DOR). You pin on O-4 exactly six years from this date. This is almost guaranteed and there is no competition. Once, you get to O-5, it gets slightly more complicated as there is some competition for promotion.

I would guess in my case (and from being told by people in a similar situation) that since I am already comissioned and put on O4 in 2 months, that I will have a DOR that isn't the same as my graduation date.