Some questions

[dnw826]

So I have been trying to wade through all of these threads about USUHS and HPSP. I do have a couple questions, though, if someone would be so kind as to help me out. I am still iffy about what I want my specialty to be, so I just want an overview of these to let me know in advance.

1. Which branch is better to be a military doc for surgery? Navy, Army, AF?

2. Which branch is better to be a military doc for OB? Navy, Army, AF?

3. Which branch is better to be a military doc for peds? Navy, Army, AF?

4. Which branch is better to be a military doc for FP? Navy, Army, AF?

5. Which branch would be more family friendly if you need to move your family with you?

6. Any tips on training for Officer training or ideas on getting into shape for the physical requirements? Are there many differences in physical requirements for each branch?

7. What is it like as a non-trad student?

8. Are the residency programs comparable to civilian ones? Hours/working conditions about the same, etc.?

Please don't give me the lecture on how horrible military medicine is. I have read through hundreds of posts about that already. But for me, this is what I want. I just need to be informed before I apply. Besides, from what I've read, I have worked in worse hospitals than many of the situations I have read about. So I only anticipate the worst.

TIA!

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[USAFdoc]

So I have been trying to wade through all of these threads about USUHS and HPSP. I do have a couple questions, though, if someone would be so kind as to help me out. I am still iffy about what I want my specialty to be, so I just want an overview of these to let me know in advance.

1. Which branch is better to be a military doc for surgery? Navy, Army, AF?

2. Which branch is better to be a military doc for OB? Navy, Army, AF?

3. Which branch is better to be a military doc for peds? Navy, Army, AF?

4. Which branch is better to be a military doc for FP? Navy, Army, AF?

5. Which branch would be more family friendly if you need to move your family with you?

6. Any tips on training for Officer training or ideas on getting into shape for the physical requirements? Are there many differences in physical requirements for each branch?

7. What is it like as a non-trad student?

8. Are the residency programs comparable to civilian ones? Hours/working conditions about the same, etc.?

Please don't give me the lecture on how horrible military medicine is. I have read through hundreds of posts about that already. But for me, this is what I want. I just need to be informed before I apply. Besides, from what I've read, I have worked in worse hospitals than many of the situations I have read about. So I only anticipate the worst.

TIA!

I think the non trad student s have an advantage in maturity and life experiences. A dissadvantage if you already have a family and many other responsibilities.

FP in all the military is tough. I would make that decision (what service) based on whether you want to deploy/go to sea or not. The USAF probably has less deployment time.

 

[pgg]

1. Which branch is better to be a military doc for surgery? Navy, Army, AF?
2. Which branch is better to be a military doc for OB? Navy, Army, AF?
3. Which branch is better to be a military doc for peds? Navy, Army, AF?
4. Which branch is better to be a military doc for FP? Navy, Army, AF?
5. Which branch would be more family friendly if you need to move your family with you?

There's probably not too much difference between the services in terms of opportunities for those specialties. You won't have to be a stellar applicant to get a spot in one of those specialties, most likely. The biggest problem is that military GME is a much smaller pool than the civilian match - e.g., in the Navy, each year has only one or two slots for things like ENT, neurosurgery, urology, rad onc ... some years some specialties alternate the slot between services. Depending on the level of interest a specialty gets a particular year, it can be very tough to compete for a military position, whereas a civilian applicant can count on more openings and a much more predictable level of competition. This can work for or against you.

Deployments in the AF are probably fewer and more comfortable than Army or Navy. Most AF units in Iraq need to be next to a runway, which tends to put them on large bases with amenities like Pizza Huts, movie theaters, and "Salsa Night" type parties ... and usually a free shuttle bus to take you there.

6. Any tips on training for Officer training or ideas on getting into shape for the physical requirements? Are there many differences in physical requirements for each branch?

Unless you're horribly out of shape, you won't have trouble meeting the minimums. You don't get bonus points toward GME or promotion for doing super well, but actually failing will hurt you. A little cardio work a couple times per week before you go should be more than sufficient.

You can Google for "Navy fitness standards" or Army or AF and get charts showing exactly how many push-ups you have to do, how fast/far you need to run, etc.

7. What is it like as a non-trad student?

USUHS students tend to be a bit older than HPSP on the whole. More are married, have prior military service, or previous careers.

What do you mean, specifically, by non-traditional? That covers a lot of ground.

8. Are the residency programs comparable to civilian ones? Hours/working conditions about the same, etc.?

Of course it varies between hospitals and specialties, but most are reasonably strong. Probably none are comparable to top tier civilian programs. Board pass rates are very high, and average scores are typically above the national mean, and often quite a bit above the national mean. Didactics at military residencies seem to be relatively strong. I think that might be part of a conscious effort to compensate for a generally less sick patient population (which is, I think, a disadvantage to military GME, whatever the PDs like to say).

Military residencies probably aren't the best place to start an academic career as there tends to be less emphasis on research than civilian university based programs.

 

[IgD]

8. Are the residency programs comparable to civilian ones? Hours/working conditions about the same, etc.?

I pretty much agree with PGG but want to flush out this point. I believe that military residents have a reputation for being smarter and have better interpersonal communication skills than civilian residents. For example my program had almost a 100% board pass rate and the national average was 50%.

We do treat dependents who have a multitude of severe problems in military medicine but I don't think this compares to treating homeless people. Some might argue because of this you don't get enough training in procedures.

Military medicine is really a form of occupational medicine. In addition to treating to the patient, you have to have interactions with the patient's employer. Military medicine has a unique emphasis on leadership skills that you don't get as a civilian resident. More so after training in addition to being a doctor you find yourself in a role of being the subject matter expert and having to advise the line community in public health matters.

 

[dnw826]

Thank you everyone for responding so fast. I was talking to an Army Psych resident, but she's quite busy, so I haven't spoken to her much.

I am not terribly interested in academic medicine. I have spent enough time in healthcare that I want to work with my patients, not spend most of my time in a lab or doing research, or, really, even doing administrative duties more than what is necessary. But, hey, you can't get around that one!

By non-trad I mean that I am a pretty young mother and wife and I just didn't know how much they would work with keeping your family together.

 

[usnavdoc]

Thank you everyone for responding so fast. I was talking to an Army Psych resident, but she's quite busy, so I haven't spoken to her much.

I am not terribly interested in academic medicine. I have spent enough time in healthcare that I want to work with my patients, not spend most of my time in a lab or doing research, or, really, even doing administrative duties more than what is necessary. But, hey, you can't get around that one!

By non-trad I mean that I am a pretty young mother and wife and I just didn't know how much they would work with keeping your family together.

Keeping your family together is not their primary or even secondary concern. Just read up on milmds post about his detailor issues. If your husband has a career he will have to be able to relocate every 2 to 3 years. As well as pulling your kids out of school every time you move.

I think it is hard enough being married and raising kids let alone trying to do it in the military. So many military kids grow up without much in the way of parenting. This is one of the reasons I left the service. Looking ahead to that point in my life. Hell with all the deployments and being stationed in a hell hole known as camp lejeune I would have never got to that point anyway.

 

[island doc]

I pretty much agree with PGG but want to flush out this point. I believe that military residents have a reputation for being smarter and have better interpersonal communication skills than civilian residents. For example my program had almost a 100% board pass rate and the national average was 50%.

We do treat dependents who have a multitude of severe problems in military medicine but I don't think this compares to treating homeless people. Some might argue because of this you don't get enough training in procedures.

Military medicine is really a form of occupational medicine. In addition to treating to the patient, you have to have interactions with the patient's employer. Military medicine has a unique emphasis on leadership skills that you don't get as a civilian resident. More so after training in addition to being a doctor you find yourself in a role of being the subject matter expert and having to advise the line community in public health matters.

Another one of your idiotic, outlandish, wildly ignorant statements. Try telling the residents at Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Mayo, etc. that they are "dumber" and have poorer interpersonal communication skills than the residents at Wilford Hall, Walter Reed or Bethesda. Your feeble, weak minded attempt to use some unidentified board score result to support such a premise is pitiful at best, if not just totally stupid. You're a fool. Go ahead, cry to the caveman.

 

[st0rmin]

I think it is hard enough being married and raising kids let alone trying to do it in the military. ... This is one of the reasons I left the service. Looking ahead to that point in my life.

Since you have not done it, how can you know? (re raising kids in the military).

So many military kids grow up without much in the way of parenting.

Interesting. Why do you say that? I had great parenting growing up. My wife had a great family life. My children have had a good life so far. I know a lot of military families, with children, who have good lives and good parenting.

Like I said, interesting...

 

[colbgw02]

So many military kids grow up without much in the way of parenting.

I'm gonna have to disagree with this one, and, unlike military medicine, this is a topic that I know a good deal about. I consider myself to have had great parenting, despite having grown up an Army brat, and some of the best, most well-adjusted people I've ever known also grew up in the military.

 

[usnavdoc]

Since you have not done it, how can you know? (re raising kids in the military).



Interesting. Why do you say that? I had great parenting growing up. My wife had a great family life. My children have had a good life so far. I know a lot of military families, with children, who have good lives and good parenting.

Like I said, interesting...

I dont have to be raising kids to realize that an absence of a parent for extended deployments and work ups is not a good thing. Also I simply have to look around base to realize how many kids are being unsupervised. You see all kinds of young high school kids(14-17) haning out inappropriately near the barracks, where there is no adult supervision at all. Just a few weeks ago my command had to put out a statement regarding alcohol, sex, and minors.

The previous poster made mention of family needs. I simply responded with what I have seen. Maybe I was a bit strong but I still think in todays world you need both parents around, and that life is simply not for me.I moved 4 times from 7-12 grade. Stability especially at that age group is important

 

[dnw826]

So, I didn't really want this to become an argument, though I appreciate everyone's views. And about the military family thing, I know many families who are just find and well adjusted. Delinquints are everywhere you look, not just in military families. Moving s, but I already move all the time anyway, and always have. I am quite used to it.

I am 22 and have moved 25 times, so I know what I'm getting into. It's not for everyone, but it wouldn't affect me much.

When I meant the question about your family, I didn't want to make it an argument about how being a military kid s. Being unsuperviesd is a part of being in high school and learning to grow up and act responsibly. Those problems are everwhere.

Can we keep this friendly, please?

 

[pgg]

I dont have to be raising kids to realize that an absence of a parent for extended deployments and work ups is not a good thing. Also I simply have to look around base to realize how many kids are being unsupervised. You see all kinds of young high school kids(14-17) haning out inappropriately near the barracks, where there is no adult supervision at all. Just a few weeks ago my command had to put out a statement regarding alcohol, sex, and minors.

There's more to it than deployments. Bad parenting is far better correlated with age/$$$ than time away from home.

I live in a nice neighborhood off base where the average rank is O4-O5, plus a few warrant officers & senior enlisted. Lots of stay-at-home and part-time moms, because the dads have the rank to earn enough money to support a family on one income. Just about every house has 2-3 kids. Everyone's been deployed at least once in the 3 years I've been here, and most have deployed twice. And yet ... the kids aren't delinquents. Practically every kid on my block is at the top of his class. The one graduating from high school this year got a full ride merit based scholarship and is headed for college. No one's selling drugs on the corner and the 8-year-olds aren't beating up my 6-year-old for his lunch money.

But at the other end of town you've got the 21 year old LCPLs married (or not married) to 19 year old girls working on kid #2. They can't live on one income, so there are no stay-at-home moms. (Unless she is, for whatever reason, unable to hold a job.) If they're lucky they have base housing; if not they live in a dump off base. Fast forward 10-15 years and that is where the teenage girls hanging out at the barracks come from.

It's not the deployments, it's the young, poor, immature kids having kids of their own. All respect and gratitude for every single person who signs up for service ... but the stars of our society generally don't enlist in the armed forces. The smart ones who join and serve for the experience or training or GI Bill benefits aren't the ones having kids. It's not the deployments that make so many of them them ****ty parents, it's that 21 year old parents are all *****s to begin with. So you have two absent idiots raising kids on not enough money - which is no different than life for many young non-military families in poor areas.

A deployed dad with a responsible mom at home is not the horrible thing you make it out to be. It's not easy on the kids, but it doesn't ruin their lives.

Maybe I was a bit strong but I still think in todays world you need both parents around, and that life is simply not for me.

I just had the funny thought of one of my old college friends, who's spent the last 10 years living a "normal" life of 40 hour work weeks and weekends that they don't spend working (!), reading this forum and snickering at a bunch of doctor parents and non-parents pontificating on the importance of being present for their kids. We're part of a profession that's insane enough to think that a mandated 80 hour work week is either some kind of victory ... or a sign of weakness.

I moved 4 times from 7-12 grade. Stability especially at that age group is important

Family stability, yes. I think geographic stability is way overrated.

Damn. I apologize for derailing this thread. What were we talking about again?

 

[usnavdoc]

There's more to it than deployments. Bad parenting is far better correlated with age/$$$ than time away from home.

I live in a nice neighborhood off base where the average rank is O4-O5, plus a few warrant officers & senior enlisted. Lots of stay-at-home and part-time moms, because the dads have the rank to earn enough money to support a family on one income. Just about every house has 2-3 kids. Everyone's been deployed at least once in the 3 years I've been here, and most have deployed twice. And yet ... the kids aren't delinquents. Practically every kid on my block is at the top of his class. The one graduating from high school this year got a full ride merit based scholarship and is headed for college. No one's selling drugs on the corner and the 8-year-olds aren't beating up my 6-year-old for his lunch money.

But at the other end of town you've got the 21 year old LCPLs married (or not married) to 19 year old girls working on kid #2. They can't live on one income, so there are no stay-at-home moms. (Unless she is, for whatever reason, unable to hold a job.) If they're lucky they have base housing; if not they live in a dump off base. Fast forward 10-15 years and that is where the teenage girls hanging out at the barracks come from.

It's not the deployments, it's the young, poor, immature kids having kids of their own. All respect and gratitude for every single person who signs up for service ... but the stars of our society generally don't enlist in the armed forces. The smart ones who join and serve for the experience or training or GI Bill benefits aren't the ones having kids. It's not the deployments that make so many of them them ****ty parents, it's that 21 year old parents are all *****s to begin with. So you have two absent idiots raising kids on not enough money - which is no different than life for many young non-military families in poor areas.

A deployed dad with a responsible mom at home is not the horrible thing you make it out to be. It's not easy on the kids, but it doesn't ruin their lives.


I just had the funny thought of one of my old college friends, who's spent the last 10 years living a "normal" life of 40 hour work weeks and weekends that they don't spend working (!), reading this forum and snickering at a bunch of doctor parents and non-parents pontificating on the importance of being present for their kids. We're part of a profession that's insane enough to think that a mandated 80 hour work week is either some kind of victory ... or a sign of weakness.


Family stability, yes. I think geographic stability is way overrated.

Damn. I apologize for derailing this thread. What were we talking about again?

I agree with some of your points but how can you say that geographic stability is overrated? Teenagers bond closely with their friends through sports and school. To completely pack up and move in the middle of those years is hard on their social outlook. There is no way to convince me otherwise, Ive felt it.

To the previous op who stated she didnt want to start an arguement. This is far from an arguement. This is the way people get information on this site. Seeing two opposing viewpoints both with merit.

 

[combatmedic]

1. Which branch is better to be a military doc for surgery? Navy, Army, AF?

AIRFORCE
2. Which branch is better to be a military doc for OB? Navy, Army, AF?
ARMY
3. Which branch is better to be a military doc for peds? Navy, Army, AF?
AIR FORCE
4. Which branch is better to be a military doc for FP? Navy, Army, AF?
ARMY
5. Which branch would be more family friendly if you need to move your family with you?
Hands down AIR FORCE
6. Any tips on training for Officer training or ideas on getting into shape for the physical requirements? Are there many differences in physical requirements for each branch?

Okhay for beginners set a goal: Do repititions of 10 push ups 5 times a day
15 Situps 5 times a day....
Start pumping them out anywhere...Wether it be library,classroom doesnt matter......Okhay now lets talk about Cardio: For beginners do a one mile RUN(Time yourself), if your time is over 10 minutes you are in some serious need of a work out if not, good news now your goal will be easier to accomplish. Your one mile goal will be 6.30MINS if possible,do whatever it takes to reach that goal.....Okhay you have reached the goal..Now what?? Well now do a 2 mile run...Time yourself....Your goal is 12-13 MINS.....

Dude on a serious note stop eating junk food,treat yourself with a dessert once a month....No donuts,candies....

And yea work out atleast 3 times a week.

7. What is it like as a non-trad student?

I wouldn't know anything about it

8. Are the residency programs comparable to civilian ones? Hours/working conditions about the same, etc.?

Yes they are

Please don't give me the lecture on how horrible military medicine is. I have read through hundreds of posts about that already. But for me, this is what I want. I just need to be informed before I apply. Besides, from what I've read, I have worked in worse hospitals than many of the situations I have read about. So I only anticipate the worst.

If your goal is to be a rich snob doctor who wants to own his own private practice then Military Med isn't the righ choice pal

 

[militarymd]

Nothing wrong with being rich....especially if you work hard for it.

Having a lucrative practice allows physicians to accept patients insured with Tricare....essentially MediAid.........which essentially means the physician is sometimes paying money out of pocket (overhead costs) to see these patients.

 

[dnw826]

Quote (don't quite know how to work that feature yet...):
"It's not the deployments, it's the young, poor, immature kids having kids of their own. All respect and gratitude for every single person who signs up for service ... but the stars of our society generally don't enlist in the armed forces. The smart ones who join and serve for the experience or training or GI Bill benefits aren't the ones having kids. It's not the deployments that make so many of them them ****ty parents, it's that 21 year old parents are all *****s to begin with. So you have two absent idiots raising kids on not enough money - which is no different than life for many young non-military families in poor areas."

This is really quite rude, I am sorry. I became a mother very young (17) and I am a 22 yo with 3 kids. I am incredibly responsible, a student with a secure family life and stable finances. I am a darn good parent, and I would prefer that you not judge 21 yo's for being bad parents as a generalization. I can tell you for certain that there are 40 yo's that are/would make horrible parents, yet I don't go around saying that every 40 year old is a crappy parent.

And most of the military people that I know went into the military for "the experience or training or GI Bill benefits" do have families young and are great parents.

And thank you so much for answering my questions, combatmedic. But in response to: "If your goal is to be a rich snob doctor who wants to own his own private practice then Military Med isn't the righ choice pal". This is not who I am. I have been in healthcare since I was 15 and it is where my heart is. I would not even think of going into military medicine if I was in it for the money. I would be a rich cardiologist in NYC. But I am a country who loves helping poor people and providing the care that they need. Seeing how many in our military are from disadvantaged backgrounds (including several of my closest friend's children), I think that this would be highly rewarding. As long as I can make enough money to pay back some debt and to pay some bills and still have money left to eat, I will be happy. I have put up with enough crap in my life from being poor and mistreated as a patient, that I find offense to anyone thinking that I am in it for the money. Because with our system how it is, a lot of docs don't make much! Most of my doc friends drive 20 year old junkers and shop at Save A Lot.

 

[usnavdoc]

1. Which branch is better to be a military doc for surgery? Navy, Army, AF?

AIRFORCE
2. Which branch is better to be a military doc for OB? Navy, Army, AF?
ARMY
3. Which branch is better to be a military doc for peds? Navy, Army, AF?
AIR FORCE
4. Which branch is better to be a military doc for FP? Navy, Army, AF?
ARMY
5. Which branch would be more family friendly if you need to move your family with you?
Hands down AIR FORCE
6. Any tips on training for Officer training or ideas on getting into shape for the physical requirements? Are there many differences in physical requirements for each branch?

Okhay for beginners set a goal: Do repititions of 10 push ups 5 times a day
15 Situps 5 times a day....
Start pumping them out anywhere...Wether it be library,classroom doesnt matter......Okhay now lets talk about Cardio: For beginners do a one mile RUN(Time yourself), if your time is over 10 minutes you are in some serious need of a work out if not, good news now your goal will be easier to accomplish. Your one mile goal will be 6.30MINS if possible,do whatever it takes to reach that goal.....Okhay you have reached the goal..Now what?? Well now do a 2 mile run...Time yourself....Your goal is 12-13 MINS.....

Dude on a serious note stop eating junk food,treat yourself with a dessert once a month....No donuts,candies....

And yea work out atleast 3 times a week.

7. What is it like as a non-trad student?

I wouldn't know anything about it

8. Are the residency programs comparable to civilian ones? Hours/working conditions about the same, etc.?

Yes they are

Please don't give me the lecture on how horrible military medicine is. I have read through hundreds of posts about that already. But for me, this is what I want. I just need to be informed before I apply. Besides, from what I've read, I have worked in worse hospitals than many of the situations I have read about. So I only anticipate the worst.

If your goal is to be a rich snob doctor who wants to own his own private practice then Military Med isn't the righ choice pal

Last I looked you were an enlisted medic? I think you should refrain yourself from answering questions regarding physician work and training experience since you have none.

 

[combatmedic]

Last I looked you were an enlisted medic? I think you should refrain yourself from answering questions regarding physician work and training experience since you have none.

awww....you are just mad that I didn't mention navy in any of my preferred choices. I dont blame you NAVY DoC.....We all got our branch pride

 

[usnavdoc]

awww....you are just mad that I didn't mention navy in any of my preferred choices. I dont blame you NAVY DoC.....We all got our branch pride

lol right thats what got to me.

 

[pgg]

Last I looked you were an enlisted medic? I think you should refrain yourself from answering questions regarding physician work and training experience since you have none.

awww....you are just mad that I didn't mention navy in any of my preferred choices. I dont blame you NAVY DoC.....We all got our branch pride

OK ... so ... you're not a military physician? And yet you're here giving advice and "helpful" information based on ... what, exactly? Pride?

And learn to quote properly in replies, please. It makes it easier to read and avoids confusion.

 

[helo doc]

With regards to the OP's questions, the answers are very wide and very deep. From the sounds of it, you are soon to be a med student. So, the very first question is do you want to be involved with the military medical community as a physician? If yes, why? Is it just for the $$ and avoiding the med school debt? If so, consider re-reading hundreds/thousands of previous posts explaining why that isn't necessarily a good, nor financially sound, reason for signing up. If you're convinced that military medicine is for you, do you have any reason for choosing one service over the other? Everyone has their reasons... duty station locations, uniforms, opportunity to train straight through and avoid GMO tours, family influence, etc. What's yours? Finally, you'll need to eventually decide on a specialty. Again, from your original question, it sounds like you don't have an idea of what that might be - not that there's anything wrong with that. To me it just seems awful early to make decisions now based on a specialty that you might never go into after all.

You need to decide what's truly important to you. Write them out and rank them. Then you might be able to objectively decide loans vs HPSP and then AF vs Navy vs Army. Each branch is "family friendly" in their own unique ways. To get specific answers, ask specific questions. Example, what specifically makes one service better with respect to another in a certain specialty? Number of procedures per year, opportunities for fellowship training in service, residency programs available, ability to research and publish, number of RVU's per provider per clinic, etc......

 

[dnw826]

I have many reasons on wanting to be a military doctor. I have several friends who were in the Army and AF (and one is a Marine). My cousin was in the AF and loved it. He always talks about it. I have actually almost signed up for the AF several times. The first time I couldn't because I needed to sort out the whole marriage thing, and then I got pregnant with my youngest dd. I have just been in love with the idea for the past 7 years. Everybody I meet has always asked if I was in the military. Your guess is as good as mine if that would be an insult or a compliment. Maybe it's because I am a control freak perfectionist who is a bit drill sargent like and I have picked up a lot of my cousin's habits.

It is not just for the money. Though I am poor and noone in my family has ever broken the poverty line, so the thought of someone helping to pay for my schooling is quite attractive. I really hate debt and loans. The locations of the AF are appealing as well. I like the family atmosphere and the friendships you make in the military. You may disagree, but this has been my friends' main point on why they love the military so much. It's a community that I have always fit into and that I would like to join. I would prefer to avoid GMO tours, and I am not thrilled about deployment, but not many people are.

I have ALWAYS wanted to be an OB/GYN. I know it is quite a y stereotypical field, but I have a lot of experience working in RE and with GYN oncology and Perinatology. I also love surgery, and immunology. But I don't want to lose basic "doctor" skills that FP docs use to treat everybody. So that is why I am conflicted. But knowing myself, it will most likely turn out to be OB or Surgery. I will see when I get there which one I am best at!

Which branch I go into (I really am open to them all, I just know more about the AF) really will depend on whichever one I find will most likely have OB or surgery openings, a wide caseload for a broad use of skills, and how likely my family will be happy with my decision. i.e. deployment time, ability to travel with accomodations for my kids, etc. I guess another decision factor would be: Can I bring my cats with me if I need to live on base? I have had them for years and would never give them up. That may seem a bit trivial, but they are very important to me and my kids. I know that my Marine (cousin in law? however that works) friend was allowed to keep a dog with his family, so I just didn't know if that applied to everyone.

 

[pgg]

I would prefer to avoid GMO tours, and I am not thrilled about deployment, but not many people are.

You have a much greater chance of being assigned as a GMO in the Navy, compared to the Army or AF.

If deployments are likely to be a real hardship for you, don't sign up.

Can I bring my cats with me if I need to live on base?

The chances that you'll ever "need" to live on base are low. The overwhelming majority of physicians live off base. There are a few advantages to base housing, but IMO the biggest disadvantage is that you forfeit a tax-free cash housing allowance that could be $1000-2000+ per month you could be putting toward a mortgage.

I believe most base housing around here permits pets, subject to some reasonable rules and restrictions (usually <2 animals, I think).

 

[usnavdoc]

You have a much greater chance of being assigned as a GMO in the Navy, compared to the Army or AF.

If deployments are likely to be a real hardship for you, don't sign up.


The chances that you'll ever "need" to live on base are low. The overwhelming majority of physicians live off base. There are a few advantages to base housing, but IMO the biggest disadvantage is that you forfeit a tax-free cash housing allowance that could be $1000-2000+ per month you could be putting toward a mortgage.

I believe most base housing around here permits pets, subject to some reasonable rules and restrictions (usually <2 animals, I think).

Also for the money the quality of housing is much better off base than on. Unless you start talking about some foreign billets, but even then you get cola and other funds.