USAF NG post-fellowship, thoughts?

[QuinnB]

Hello all,

I am considering joining a CA AF national guard and had a few questions. Here is some background:

Credentials: I am a 35 year old physician (US citizen) who has completed residencies in internal medicine and preventive medicine (accredited US program, active board certified) and a fellowship in infectious diseases (accredited US program, active board certified). I also have some grad school (MPH epidemiology, MS clinical research).

Why am I joining? My parents were both immigrants. Both sides of my family have come from abroad and have been blessed in the US. I feel an obligation to serve my country. I'm not interested in the money, retirement, loan repayment or anything else like that, just an opportunity to give back to something that I believe in. Lame, I know, but I've been thinking about this for years and I can't seem to shake it.

Work situation: Here's the ringer - I am voluntary faculty at a university medical center, but have a job doing something other than medicine 9-5 (work in administration for a company; long story).

I am writing with a few questions that I'm hoping someone can help clarify:

1) Is this even possible? That is, I don't have a private practice or an academic appointment. I still practice a small amount of medicine (still have weekly clinic, attend on wards 2-4 weeks/year, etc...) and still feel comfortable with medical practice, but if I don't have a regular medicine gig, am I excluded from being a physician in the air NG? Has anyone heard of anything like this?

2) I have myopia (-6 bilaterally) and flat feet. I assume I can get a medical exception? I've been told these have been grounds for exclusion for some in the past.

3) Anyone have a realistic perspective on the "one weekend a month, two weekends per year?" It will only be a problem at my work if I under-estimate the time given the nature of what we do (team based assignments lasting 3-4 months). I am thinking of just saying it will be 4 days a month + 28 days a year - is that reasonable? What about active duty assignments? Really every 3-5 years or more like every 2 years (have heard the latter)?

4) I've heard MDs can use time at medical conferences to count towards the weekend training, but that this is dependent on your base commander (I'm sorry if that is the wrong term, I don't know how to refer to this individual...yet). Is this true?

5) How much additional opportunity is there to take advantage of AF training? For instance, if I wanted to train up in several different areas, is that up to you or is it designated by needs of the AF or the command? Again, sorry for my ignorance.

Thanks for reading and considering. Looking forward to hearing from people.

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[DrMetal]

Sure its possible. Hell you might even be overqualified.

Its hard to say exactly what you'll be doing on your drill weekends. That really depends on the unit you're with. You can also combine drill periods: that is, instead of doing 1 weekend/month, you can combine them and complete a block of drills (say cover a ward for a month), if you so desire. Reservists who do their drills in blocks (and thus cover weekdays) are very well-liked, because they actually help out the active duty component.

Find out specifically which reserve unit you'd be joining, get in touch with the CO. Ask him/her your specific questions about the job at hand. If you're committed to the AF, you're probably looking at Travis AFB in the Sacramento area.

 

[notdeadyet]

QuinnB- I'm a doc in the California National Guard, Army side. Send me a PM. I might be able to help smooth some of the wheels for you with putting you in touch with the folks on the Air Force side, if you're interested.

For the below, I'll comment on what is the same between Air and Army NG.

1) Is this even possible? That is, I don't have a private practice or an academic appointment. I still practice a small amount of medicine (still have weekly clinic, attend on wards 2-4 weeks/year, etc...) and still feel comfortable with medical practice, but if I don't have a regular medicine gig, am I excluded from being a physician in the air NG? Has anyone heard of anything like this?

As long as you have an medical license in your state and no big dings against it, you'll be fine. Your medical colleagues may raise their eyebrows at the fact that you're not really practicing medicine anymore, but to the AMEDD recruiters, a doctor is a doctor is a doctor.\

2) I have myopia (-6 bilaterally) and flat feet. I assume I can get a medical exception? I've been told these have been grounds for exclusion for some in the past.

This one I'll definitely have to defer, since Air Force standards are different from Army. That said, almost anything that is disqualified is waivable. Whether they waive these is up to their particular needs. It will depend on how desperate they are for doctors. The Army side of the Guard seems to have a much tougher time attracting doctors than the Air Force side (docs in general don't like to get dirty), but I don't know of too many states who are tossing docs aside.

3) Anyone have a realistic perspective on the "one weekend a month, two weekends per year?" It will only be a problem at my work if I under-estimate the time given the nature of what we do (team based assignments lasting 3-4 months). I am thinking of just saying it will be 4 days a month + 28 days a year - is that reasonable? What about active duty assignments? Really every 3-5 years or more like every 2 years (have heard the latter)?

For the Army side, the one weekend/month + 2 weeks/year thing is an understatement, but your comment about 4 days/month + 28 days a year is probably overstatement. For me, I'd say my time comes out to be 2-3 days (usually a weekend, sometimes a Friday + weekend or weekend + Monday) per month plus about 10-20 hours/month on my own schedule (a couple hours here and there on evenings). Your mileage may vary on this. I have a lot of extra administrative duties for someone of my rank. The two weeks/year of AT is pretty standard, though occasionally I volunteer for missions.

4) I've heard MDs can use time at medical conferences to count towards the weekend training, but that this is dependent on your base commander (I'm sorry if that is the wrong term, I don't know how to refer to this individual...yet). Is this true?

Yes, but this is more of a feature while you're in residency training. For someone at your position, you usually just don't go to drill that month. As long as you make it up with another weekend, they're fine. Often you don't even have to make it up, if you have a good reputation as a hard worker with your command.

5) How much additional opportunity is there to take advantage of AF training? For instance, if I wanted to train up in several different areas, is that up to you or is it designated by needs of the AF or the command? Again, sorry for my ignorance.

This one is going to be service-specific. I'm not sure of what AF training you'd be talking about. Golf?

Kidding. The main training that you'd be looking at is a Flight Surgeon course (6 weeks in the Air Force?). Despite what the brochures say, for someone of your background, you'd be functioning as a primary care doc for whatever squadron you've been assigned to. The AF Reserve has ID folks, but the ANG does not (as far as I know in California). they will likely want you to go to the Flight Surgeon course so that you can act as PCP to pilots. That said, I'm not sure of their standards, given your vision. I'd ask how correctable it is, but to be honest, I'm drifting outside my lane here.

Again, send me a PM. I can put you in touch with the right people in Sacramento. It will likely speed things along.