Military Residency

[dearveruca]

I know this may be a question nobody knows the answer to, but I needed to ask:

I matched military for residency starting this June at a program I love. However, my grandfather (and uncle) have been recently diagnosed with Huntingtons and my mother is currently waiting to be tested by a geneticist.

My grandfather already requires a tremendous amount of help at home and it's obvious that things will continue to get worse in the next few years. The program I matched in is very far from home and I would be both unable to help provide the care he needs as well as be (mostly) unable to be with him during these last few years of his life.

I'm sure it's an incredible long shot, but I was wondering if there was some sort of compassionate release (I don't know what else to call it) in order to try to match at a program near home so that I can be near my grandfather, despite already matching at a mil program?

I love this program and I'm happy to match there, but I love my grandfather much more.

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[Doctor Bob]

Short answer: no

 

[Oo Cipher oO]

I am sorry for this sad news you received about your grandfathers health and the emotional ramifications your entire family must be going through. I understand this must be a challenging time for you. You state you feel you would like to stay near home and be available to help take care of your grandfather. You feel that matching to a location closer to home may help in this.

As mentioned above the likelihood of being able to be released from your military match position at this point is very low. But even if you could I want to ask how much help do you really expect to be as a resident even if it is close to your family. Your grandfather may need constant help that you will be unable to give with the time constraints residency will put on you. At best you may be able to help out a few hours here or there. Is that worth going through all the effort and potentially burning bridges for such meager help? I can understand you would like to be close and help support your family during this challenging time but you have to understand that realistically your contribution and effort is not likely going to amount to anything crucial. Either way your family will likely have to plan for more permanent and present care. Again I'm sorry for what your family is going through and I wish you the best in choosing the best course of action.

 

[j4pac]

Sorry about your grandpa. I think that you are underestimating what is to come regarding residency. It's not only a full-time job...it's two full-time jobs. If you don't plan on investing that type of time into it...you are doing yourself, your family, and your patients a disservice. You cannot provide quality care to two (hopefully not three) Huntington's patients with the emotional tool associated, while going to residency. It's dangerous to both yourself and your family. Leaving the military is unfortunately not a real option. You can ask to be released...I highly doubt that the military would...but what end would you be accomplishing even if they do allow you? Failing out of residency? Not being able to practice medicine? I love my Grandpa...one of my favorite people in the world...but he would kick me straight in the nuts if I told him that I was going to compromise my ability to take care of the rest of my family by being a practicing physician in order to give a half-assed attempt of taking care of him. I get it...you want to give it your all. I get it...you feel guilty and helpless. Have you thought about talking to your family about your issues? I suspect that they would kick you in the nuts as well.

EDIT: or vag...one of the two

EDIT #2: buy as much disability and life insurance (if you have people who financially rely on you) that you can afford and they are willing to give you...as soon as possible. Your ability to insure will evaporate if God-willing your 1st degree relatives come down with Huntingtons.

 

[Gastrapathy]

EDIT #2: buy as much disability and life insurance (if you have people who financially rely on you) that you can afford and they are willing to give you...as soon as possible. Your ability to insure will evaporate if God-willing your 1st degree relatives come down with Huntingtons.

You should buy the insurance regardless of whether there are people who rely on you now. We accumulate these people over time.

 

[j4pac]

You should buy the insurance regardless of whether there are people who rely on you now. We accumulate these people over time.

This is a good point. If money is the deciding factor...I would go with disability insurance first...then life insurance. But I agree...both are a must.

 

[SDN]

I know this may be a question nobody knows the answer to, but I needed to ask:

I matched military for residency starting this June at a program I love. However, my grandfather (and uncle) have been recently diagnosed with Huntingtons and my mother is currently waiting to be tested by a geneticist.

My grandfather already requires a tremendous amount of help at home and it's obvious that things will continue to get worse in the next few years. The program I matched in is very far from home and I would be both unable to help provide the care he needs as well as be (mostly) unable to be with him during these last few years of his life.

I'm sure it's an incredible long shot, but I was wondering if there was some sort of compassionate release (I don't know what else to call it) in order to try to match at a program near home so that I can be near my grandfather, despite already matching at a mil program?

I love this program and I'm happy to match there, but I love my grandfather much more.

Advice given in this thread is excellent. Recommend go with the residency you've been given. Residency will take every free moment of your life; even if you were next-door to your grandfather, you will have little to no time available to care for him.

Also, don't consider dropping from the program at any point -- the damage to your career will not be worth it.

 

[GAAA]

I know this may be a question nobody knows the answer to, but I needed to ask:

I matched military for residency starting this June at a program I love. However, my grandfather (and uncle) have been recently diagnosed with Huntingtons and my mother is currently waiting to be tested by a geneticist.

My grandfather already requires a tremendous amount of help at home and it's obvious that things will continue to get worse in the next few years. The program I matched in is very far from home and I would be both unable to help provide the care he needs as well as be (mostly) unable to be with him during these last few years of his life.

I'm sure it's an incredible long shot, but I was wondering if there was some sort of compassionate release (I don't know what else to call it) in order to try to match at a program near home so that I can be near my grandfather, despite already matching at a mil program?

I love this program and I'm happy to match there, but I love my grandfather much more.

It really breaks my heart to read about the choices you have, and the advice that has been posted covers all the important points that I can think of.
I just wanted to reiterate the point that your grandpa would not accept that you risk your career for him, and that goes for any sane parent to their off-spring and descendants. I also agree with the point of talking to your family, because no residency would provide you enough time to make an actual difference with his care. You will be better off living far away, that way non-medical family members wouldn't think your just avoiding to help. Trust me from personal experience if you're in the same town, you will hate your self because you will never be able to help as much as you are expected to and more importantly as much as you would like to.

Good luck, and I wish you and your family good health.


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[pgg]

This is a good point. If money is the deciding factor...I would go with disability insurance first...then life insurance. But I agree...both are a must.

Disability insurance is tough to get while on active duty. Most of the major own-occ insurers won't touch anyone on AD.

The AMA will sell a very limited (but cheap) own occ policy to people on AD. Last I looked the benefit was capped at $2500/month and limited to 5 years.

After a few years and a couple of brokers and a few applications, I was able to get Mass Mutual to underwrite a policy for me.


IMO the "disability insurance" that the military provides to AD physicians via the med board system is inadequate. If you're 100% disabled at most you'll ever get is "disabled O3/O4/O5" pay, not "disabled doctor" pay.

 

[notdeadyet]

Agree with the others about disability/life insurance. In your case, OP, this will be particularly relevant. There has been pretty consistent political movement to try to repeal Obamacare. One of the biggest emphasis behind this is to roll-back the elimination of pre-existing condition exclusions. I'd strongly recommend getting what insurance you can lest the insurance lobby and their bidders get their way.

And you have my sympathies. This is a horrible thing to have to deal with, much less while pursuing residency in which you lack even the minimal control your counterparts have. I wish you the best and hope you have support to lean on during these hard times.

 

[j4pac]

Disability insurance is tough to get while on active duty. Most of the major own-occ insurers won't touch anyone on AD.

The AMA will sell a very limited (but cheap) own occ policy to people on AD. Last I looked the benefit was capped at $2500/month and limited to 5 years.

After a few years and a couple of brokers and a few applications, I was able to get Mass Mutual to underwrite a policy for me.


IMO the "disability insurance" that the military provides to AD physicians via the med board system is inadequate. If you're 100% disabled at most you'll ever get is "disabled O3/O4/O5" pay, not "disabled doctor" pay.

I'm stumbling across this conclusion. I have 6 months until I resign my commission. Ideally I would purchase disability while my income is $100,000 and not $50,000 as a resident. It would also make some since to do it before my upcoming separation physical, in which there is a possibility of getting service connected disability. I'm hitting road blocks, so I guess that I will take my residency disability policy and keep my eye open for good deals down the road.

 

[pgg]

You'll get get a better deal as a resident. Most policies can be bought with future insurability increase riders, so you can increase the benefit when your income rises, without additional underwriting or change to the $X premium per $Y benefit.

Also, you're not going to be able to get own occ disability insurance at all before completing residency, since you don't have a specialty to insure prior to residency.

 

[Army Doctor]

I do not know if the Military will allow you to give up your residency.
If you were a civilian, you MUST give up your residency.
With this conflict in mind, you will not be able to do a good service to yourself, your peers or your patients.
You can always apply and come back to residency training in future if you feel up to it!

 

[SDN]

I do not know if the Military will allow you to give up your residency.
If you were a civilian, you MUST give up your residency.
With this conflict in mind, you will not be able to do a good service to yourself, your peers or your patients.
You can always apply and come back to residency training in future if you feel up to it!

Whut? This is all nonsense.

 

[pgg]

I do not know if the Military will allow you to give up your residency.
If you were a civilian, you MUST give up your residency.
With this conflict in mind, you will not be able to do a good service to yourself, your peers or your patients.

I don't know what any of this means.

You can always apply and come back to residency training in future if you feel up to it!

But I do know that this is a dangerous line of thinking.

It can be incredibly hard to get back into the training pipeline if you step away for a few years.

 

[MR Insurance]

As has already been mentioned, MassMutual, Lloyd's of London and some medical associations are three of the very few disability insurance options for AD attending physicians. Residents and Fellows have one additional option which is underwritten through Standard (one of the top 5 or 6 Own-Occupation insurers right now). Standard will underwrite applications for physicians doing their training through the military, so long as call-up orders have not yet been received, even when there is a definitive pay-back obligation. This is definitely the best option I'm aware of for military residents/fellows - it's for their Protector Platinum policy which is what they offer to all physicians.

 

[Kingfisher]

As has already been mentioned, MassMutual, Lloyd's of London and some medical associations are three of the very few disability insurance options for AD attending physicians. Residents and Fellows have one additional option which is underwritten through Standard (one of the top 5 or 6 Own-Occupation insurers right now). Standard will underwrite applications for physicians doing their training through the military, so long as call-up orders have not yet been received, even when there is a definitive pay-back obligation. This is definitely the best option I'm aware of for military residents/fellows - it's for their Protector Platinum policy which is what they offer to all physicians.

Sooooooo we had recruiters on here, and now we have insurance companies in SDN? Pretty soon the Pharm companies will be trolling on here as well......

 

[SDN]

Sooooooo we had recruiters on here, and now we have insurance companies in SDN? Pretty soon the Pharm companies will be trolling on here as well......

I'm keeping an eye on this member. They're one of the few for-profits that has not crossed the line into marketing their own products. Information has been useful.

If you find any evidence of spamming or stealth marketing on SDN, use the report post link so the mods can remove and ban.


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