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- Apr 24, 2012
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I am new to this, but I have so many questions that I can't find recent answers for. Please don't get angry if you know of a forum that answers my question. You can just point me in that direction. I have spent several hours looking for answers and didn't find all the answers I am looking for.
First off, I am a premed student, half-way done with my undergrad. I know I want to go to med-school and I have been thinking about going into the military for the past 3 years now. I have always known I wanted to help people since I was very young.
I try to get involved in as much as possible (volunteering, student medical society, honor societies and so on) and I have a pretty good gpa (3.7). I haven't taken MCATs yet.
I have been looking into the air force hpsp scholarship and being an orthopedic surgeon. I know that the orthopedic residency is 5 years, maybe longer if I want to specialize in spinal surgery. So I guess my questions would be....
1. How competitive is orthopedic surgery in the Air Force(recently)? Is it possible to specialize in spinal surgery or other specialty area?
2. I know everyone says not to base your decision on pay (but long story short, I didn't have much growing up and want to make sure my kids never experience that. I want to give them everything I possibly can and in today's world that means making as much money as possible.) So would it be more beneficial to serve my four year commitment and get out and be a civilian doctor, or would I make more serving my 20 years and retiring from the Air Force? I feel like the new health care bill will really affect this.
3. Will I have more time to spend with my family being a military doctor or civilian doctor? I don't currently have any kids, but when I do I know they will be my whole world and I want to have time for them. (I know that in the civilian world you can kind of make your own schedule, but this also effects how much money you make.)
4. Is it hard to have a family and be a doctor in the military? (I know this has been answered other places but I want specific opinions of a current military doctor.)
5. Overall, do you have any regrets becoming a military doctor?
Thank you for your responses and I apologize for all the questions, I just can't find any recent threads on these topics and it seems like a lot is changing with the military and medical field.
First off, I am a premed student, half-way done with my undergrad. I know I want to go to med-school and I have been thinking about going into the military for the past 3 years now. I have always known I wanted to help people since I was very young.
I try to get involved in as much as possible (volunteering, student medical society, honor societies and so on) and I have a pretty good gpa (3.7). I haven't taken MCATs yet.
I have been looking into the air force hpsp scholarship and being an orthopedic surgeon. I know that the orthopedic residency is 5 years, maybe longer if I want to specialize in spinal surgery. So I guess my questions would be....
1. How competitive is orthopedic surgery in the Air Force(recently)? Is it possible to specialize in spinal surgery or other specialty area?
2. I know everyone says not to base your decision on pay (but long story short, I didn't have much growing up and want to make sure my kids never experience that. I want to give them everything I possibly can and in today's world that means making as much money as possible.) So would it be more beneficial to serve my four year commitment and get out and be a civilian doctor, or would I make more serving my 20 years and retiring from the Air Force? I feel like the new health care bill will really affect this.
3. Will I have more time to spend with my family being a military doctor or civilian doctor? I don't currently have any kids, but when I do I know they will be my whole world and I want to have time for them. (I know that in the civilian world you can kind of make your own schedule, but this also effects how much money you make.)
4. Is it hard to have a family and be a doctor in the military? (I know this has been answered other places but I want specific opinions of a current military doctor.)
5. Overall, do you have any regrets becoming a military doctor?
Thank you for your responses and I apologize for all the questions, I just can't find any recent threads on these topics and it seems like a lot is changing with the military and medical field.