Flight Surgeon Vs reapplying

[DOswag]

So here's my situation. I'm Air Force HPSP and just graduated from a DO school. I was shooting for emergency medicine last year and as I kinda expected at the time I didn't match and got deferred for a civilian transitional year. I feel like this will be a good thing since after doing a few months of EM last year and going through the match, I realized that EM just isn't for me for a career. I still like some aspects of it but the shift work was totally crushing me and I was already getting burned out on the hours and stress of the work. I'm fairly certain I want to go into Psychiatry (I think I've posted about this change of heart previously over in the Psych forum). I'm just debating now if I should reapply for psych in the AF despite not rotating at either program (since I rotated at 2 EM programs last year) and I'll be working as an intern and won't be able to rotate at either place this year, or should I pay back my time in flight medicine and get out to train civilian? Any thoughts from current psych guys, flight docs, or anyone in similar situation would be much appreciated.

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[deuist]

I did not match EM when I was a medical student, too. Unless you're looking forward to becoming a flight surgeon, apply for residency again.

 

[HighPriest]

Agreed. Apply again. Worst case scenario, you end up doing flight med.

 

[Mtn Doc]

So here's my situation. I'm Air Force HPSP and just graduated from a DO school. I was shooting for emergency medicine last year and as I kinda expected at the time I didn't match and got deferred for a civilian transitional year. I feel like this will be a good thing since after doing a few months of EM last year and going through the match, I realized that EM just isn't for me for a career. I still like some aspects of it but the shift work was totally crushing me and I was already getting burned out on the hours and stress of the work. I'm fairly certain I want to go into Psychiatry (I think I've posted about this change of heart previously over in the Psych forum). I'm just debating now if I should reapply for psych in the AF despite not rotating at either program (since I rotated at 2 EM programs last year) and I'll be working as an intern and won't be able to rotate at either place this year, or should I pay back my time in flight medicine and get out to train civilian? Any thoughts from current psych guys, flight docs, or anyone in similar situation would be much appreciated.

Hey Swag,

There is no answer to your question. Ultimately, there are pros and cons to all of your options. Only you can weight all of the costs and benefits and determine the final sum of the balance sheet. Ultimately, your posting on this forum to get the opinions of others or be advised to consider things you have overlooked.

Here are my thoughts:

1. It sounds like you have settled on doing Psychiatry for sure. Congrats. Your specialty is no longer an uncertainty.

2. Do you want to do your Psych GME AD or civilian?
- Lots of followup questions to be able to adequately answer this one - What is your long term plan? If you plan to do a full military career then it's a no-brainer, if not then you need to consider your exit strategy. If you do a GMO flight doc tour, you will likely have unique and enjoyable experiences and could pay back your entire HPSP commitment with an option to reapply in the civilian Psych match down the road. Do you have a dream program to apply into? If so, and that program is civilian, then again you have a no-brainer. However, if you would like to do one particular AD program and have not rotated, that may hurt your chances. Maybe a tour as a GMO flight doc will get you the additional points and time to rotate so that you have a better chance of getting the spot you desire.

Only you can really answer these questions. Like Deuist stated above, if you actually have an interest in flight med then do it. I have had an incredible experience as a GMO flight doc and if you have specific questions on that topic, feel free to ask.