HPSP and residency options

[surfdoc84isin]

Having pretty much decided to take the HPSP route explicitly for the money and since I already owe the Army 4-years of active duty (good old ROTC); I wanted to ask those of you who are currently in the process of getting residencies and those who have already gone through the process and are now in the military a few questions. My questions are aimed more towards the Army as I know there is a significant difference in the services:

First is it true that the military does not offer deferments for combined residencies?

If not what would be the likelyhood of getting a Pediatrics/Medical Genetics slot?

If so what would be the likelyhood of getting just a Medical Genetics slot?

If no deferment is available could I do a military pediatrics or internal medicine residency and then do a fellowship for medical genetics?

Or would I have to complete a second residency and would it be shorter since combined residencies are available for both IM and PEDs?

Would I be allowed a second residency or would I have to finish my commitment?

Lastly before I even get my hopes up have any of you heard of a medical genecist serving in the military?

Thanks for any and all help

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[The White Coat Investor]

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[colbgw02]

Having pretty much decided to take the HPSP route explicitly for the money and since I already owe the Army 4-years of active duty (good old ROTC); I wanted to ask those of you who are currently in the process of getting residencies and those who have already gone through the process and are now in the military a few questions. My questions are aimed more towards the Army as I know there is a significant difference in the services:

First is it true that the military does not offer deferments for combined residencies?

If not what would be the likelyhood of getting a Pediatrics/Medical Genetics slot?

If so what would be the likelyhood of getting just a Medical Genetics slot?

If no deferment is available could I do a military pediatrics or internal medicine residency and then do a fellowship for medical genetics?

Or would I have to complete a second residency and would it be shorter since combined residencies are available for both IM and PEDs?

Would I be allowed a second residency or would I have to finish my commitment?

Lastly before I even get my hopes up have any of you heard of a medical genecist serving in the military?

Thanks for any and all help

1) Yes, it is true.

2/3) No such residency exists, in the Army or otherwise. If you weren't in the Army, you could do a med/peds residency and then a genetics fellowship.

4) Maybe, but I hightly doubt it. The army not only limits the number of people they allow to do fellowship, but they also limit the type of fellowship you're allowed to pursue.

5/6) You could try to do a second residency, but I doubt they'd let you. Why would the Army let you do that when they already have a perfectly good board-certified physician? Some people get to do it, but, as you suggested, normally only after they've served a few years in their "first" specialty.

7) No, I haven't.

If being a geneticist, or even a med/peds geneticist, is your goal, then the best way to get there is to limit your time in the Army. If I were you (and I was just a few years ago), I would consider foregoing HPSP, doing a 3-year residency (peds, FP, IM), serving your 4 year ADO as a generalist, getting out, and then pursuing further education (2nd residency, fellowship, whatever). Then, if you still feel like serving, then you can rejoin, but the second time around you'll be in a better position to dictate terms.

 

[dtn3t]

The military only has 2 active duty docs that are (or will be) geneticists. One is an AF O5 at the Wilford Hall/BAMC peds residency, the other is currently a first year fellow at the NIH (fullly sponsored Army). The current fellow (peds trained) had to fight for 4 years to get his fellowship. Volunteering for a GMO and getting deployed finally got him enough points to even be considered for something like genetics. It's tough to get, but remotely possible given when you'll be coming in - although what is the Army going to do with TWO geneticists? Just realize geneticists just doesn't sound as sexy as Flight surgeon or Brigade surgeon to the Army and you might have to fight for a while until you get your spot.

 

[surfdoc84isin]

Thanks for your help. I understand that the military would have little use for a geneticist given that every member who enters the military has to go through a physical. And the physical would most likely screen out people with genetic disorders or a likelyhood of developing disorders. I figured that the best way to do it was through pedatrics since the children of servicemembers would be most likely to show signs of genetic disorder,through good old mendelian inheritance and random mutation

I found residencies for medical genetics / pedatrics online through FREIDA.
http://www.ama-assn.org/vapp/freida/srch/1,1239,,00.html
But since the army does not grant deferments for combined residencies
I guess the only way would be a fellowship.

Oh well, I most likely will just finish my commitment and do it afterwards. Thanks again