Navy Navy Family Med to GMO

[LBB2031]

I have a question about Navy family medicine residencies. I often see FM cited as a specialty likely to get straight-through training, but what if you want to do a GMO/FS tour after your intern year? Is that something you are always able to request (and secure) after any intern year? Would leaving to be a GMO/FS after a FM intern year screw over your colleagues (i.e. leaving them one resident short for the next 2 years, so they end up with, for example, q4 call instead of q5 call for the rest of residency)?

If someone hopes to do a military FM internship followed by a GMO/FS tour, can you be honest about your goals with military residency program directors when you interview, or would that honesty negatively impact your chance of matching?

Thanks for the info.

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[Cooperd0g]

Yes and yes

 

[Red Lobster Actual]

Also want to reinforce what Dr. Cooperdog said. I talked with a Navy FM program director 6 months ago and said they absolutely do not have a negative view of one going on a GMO tour following FM intern year. He also mentioned that they will effectively hold a spot for you when you come back from your tour.

 

[Kingfisher]

....I often see FM cited as a specialty likely to get straight-through training, but what if you want to do a GMO/FS tour after your intern year? Is that something you are always able to request (and secure) after any intern year? Would leaving to be a GMO/FS after a FM intern year screw over your colleagues (i.e. leaving them one resident short for the next 2 years, so they end up with, for example, q4 call instead of q5 call for the rest of residency)?....

Navy specific answer:

You can always apply to FS/UMO training after intern year no matter what the specialty you choose, because you are not guaranteed to go straight through anywhere (they used to offer straight through contracts for FM and psych but I don't know if they still do). You are not hosing your shipmates, as there is usually always a warm body ready to jump in your spot. The old days of FM not filling their spots seems to have changed. There was a time when some FM programs would only fill 1/3rd of their 2nd and 3rd year spots. I am a little separated from that aspect of FM residency programs, but last I heard they always fill.

 

[LBB2031]

Thanks to all who answered. The person charged with shepherding me through the residency application process at my school hasn’t dealt with many Navy students before, and she was quite convinced that FM intern years didn’t exist. Technically speaking, of course, she is correct; but I appreciate the help in confirming that this is still a possible path in the Navy.

I’m still on the fence about my specialty choice right now as I start my last year. FM is probably the leader in the clubhouse, so I was debating between just going for it and seeing how it goes vs. applying for a transitional year to sort it out. Either way, I’m interested in doing GMO/FS after intern year, so I like to think I have several years yet to decide on a specialty (perhaps a naïve view). My understanding from the Navy is that I need to apply for the civilian match even if I am not seeking a civilian deferment (since there are projected to be significantly more applicants than spots in the upcoming Navy match). Given my plans, should I plan to apply to transitional intern years and prelim med years only in the civilian match? I assume it would be a mistake to apply for FM in the civilian world, as a deferral for that would leave me on the outside for 3 years.