- Joined
- Jul 6, 2003
- Messages
- 663
- Reaction score
- 14
Finally done with this service commitment. I got my DD214 today and checked out of the command. Moving guys come in 2 days, and at the end of the week I am off to start the next phase of my life.
Compared to many on this board, I had it pretty good. The Navy paid my way through an incredibly expensive medical school and I got fully deferred for my training. I stayed stateside during my entire 4 year payback. Only hiccups were a duty station change after 2 years and a month TAD in Guam. The duty station change was pretty annoying, but it did have a few bright spots. Anyway, I got what I could out of the Navy, and I feel like I provided a very good service to the Marines, sailors, dependents, and veterans.
If I didn't have to do it again, I probably wouldn't. But, my family's financial situation was fairly dire. I'm not even sure if there would have even been a lender to give me the money to get through school. So, I put on khakis, got my degree, got trained, and served.
The major drawbacks for me were the constant uncertainty of life - not knowing if I could get deployed or transferred. A lot of it was my own paranoia about big brother - am I going to get called into the CO's office, get EMI, fail a uniform inspection, etc. None of this ever happened, but I just constantly felt like someone was watching me regardless of what I did. If I left the hospital early because I had finished clinic, was some admin type going to walk into my office and ask where I was. This did happen on at least one occasion, and it was a pain to deal with.
The benefits were the lifestyle for sure. No patient was really sick. Clinic volume was fairly light. Case load was real basic, simple stuff. I got to see my children quite a bit. On the downside, everything was such a snoozer that I definitely lost some OR skills. But they'll likely return once I start seeing these patients again.
I did do some moonlighting, but I'm not sure if it was worth it. As an anesthesiologist like PGG, I think being in the Navy can be good where you work a day job and then moonlight on a weekend or two. I definitely knew a guy who made a lot more with his moonlighting than he did as a navy staff anesthesiologist. But for us surgeons, it's really hard to find a group that wants call coverage for a weekend here and there. For the most part, I had to drive or fly far away to cover a hospital for a week that their doc was away. Sure, I made $8k for the week, but I ate up a lot of leave for it.
Anyway, I don't post too much, but I do lurk. It's a great feeling to be done. I really look forward to starting my job at my new hospital. Administration is already asking me what I want for clinic and the OR. Feels good to be wanted.
Compared to many on this board, I had it pretty good. The Navy paid my way through an incredibly expensive medical school and I got fully deferred for my training. I stayed stateside during my entire 4 year payback. Only hiccups were a duty station change after 2 years and a month TAD in Guam. The duty station change was pretty annoying, but it did have a few bright spots. Anyway, I got what I could out of the Navy, and I feel like I provided a very good service to the Marines, sailors, dependents, and veterans.
If I didn't have to do it again, I probably wouldn't. But, my family's financial situation was fairly dire. I'm not even sure if there would have even been a lender to give me the money to get through school. So, I put on khakis, got my degree, got trained, and served.
The major drawbacks for me were the constant uncertainty of life - not knowing if I could get deployed or transferred. A lot of it was my own paranoia about big brother - am I going to get called into the CO's office, get EMI, fail a uniform inspection, etc. None of this ever happened, but I just constantly felt like someone was watching me regardless of what I did. If I left the hospital early because I had finished clinic, was some admin type going to walk into my office and ask where I was. This did happen on at least one occasion, and it was a pain to deal with.
The benefits were the lifestyle for sure. No patient was really sick. Clinic volume was fairly light. Case load was real basic, simple stuff. I got to see my children quite a bit. On the downside, everything was such a snoozer that I definitely lost some OR skills. But they'll likely return once I start seeing these patients again.
I did do some moonlighting, but I'm not sure if it was worth it. As an anesthesiologist like PGG, I think being in the Navy can be good where you work a day job and then moonlight on a weekend or two. I definitely knew a guy who made a lot more with his moonlighting than he did as a navy staff anesthesiologist. But for us surgeons, it's really hard to find a group that wants call coverage for a weekend here and there. For the most part, I had to drive or fly far away to cover a hospital for a week that their doc was away. Sure, I made $8k for the week, but I ate up a lot of leave for it.
Anyway, I don't post too much, but I do lurk. It's a great feeling to be done. I really look forward to starting my job at my new hospital. Administration is already asking me what I want for clinic and the OR. Feels good to be wanted.
