2020-2021 Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences

[bmmd]

Can anyone speak to supposed “skill atrophy” in procedural fields in the military? I have heard this from a few people/seen it online but from speaking to surgeons they don’t seem to complain.

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[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Can anyone speak to supposed “skill atrophy” in procedural fields in the military? I have heard this from a few people/seen it online but from speaking to surgeons they don’t seem to complain.

It’s real but it’s not total. I’m on surgery right now. On the general surgery service, we do a lot of hernias, breast, bariatrics (on hold right now for covid), anorectal stuff, colons, gallbladders, and appys. Some thyroids. And then lumps and bumps. You’ll meet your numbers for sure for all the services. But when you go places other than the major hospitals, you probably won’t be doing all that stuff. So you’ll lose some skills. You can definitely get them back by doing a stint back at a bigger facility.

The surgeons I’ve talked to on my rotation have said it’s real but you can get the skills back.

 

[bmmd]

It’s real but it’s not total. I’m on surgery right now. On the general surgery service, we do a lot of hernias, breast, bariatrics (on hold right now for covid), anorectal stuff, colons, gallbladders, and appys. Some thyroids. And then lumps and bumps. You’ll meet your numbers for sure for all the services. But when you go places other than the major hospitals, you probably won’t be doing all that stuff. So you’ll lose some skills. You can definitely get them back by doing a stint back at a bigger facility.

The surgeons I’ve talked to on my rotation have said it’s real but you can get the skills back.

Thanks for your reply! Do you know how much it effects sub specialists? CT/Nsx/ENT etc. I am really interested in a few fields but am nervous of the transition post 20 years to private practice or even academics.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Thanks for your reply! Do you know how much it effects sub specialists? CT/Nsx/ENT etc. I am really interested in a few fields but am nervous of the transition post 20 years to private practice or even academics.

Anyone who is in a field where you need lots of volume to keep up your skills, it will affect. But you also need to be flexible in medical school and the military. You are very likely to not want the same things you think you want now, and the military might decide they don’t need any of what you want (certain things are basically immune to that, but some aren’t).

 

[bmmd]

Anyone who is in a field where you need lots of volume to keep up your skills, it will affect. But you also need to be flexible in medical school and the military. You are very likely to not want the same things you think you want now, and the military might decide they don’t need any of what you want (certain things are basically immune to that, but some aren’t).

Very good point. I am not married to anything but just wondering. I know fellowships can be kind of give and take, but has their been any complete residency shuffle recently? As in no longer offering certain residencies?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Very good point. I am not married to anything but just wondering. I know fellowships can be kind of give and take, but has their been any complete residency shuffle recently? As in no longer offering certain residencies?

Numbers vary. And there are also things not advertised that are possible. But for example there are only like 3 urology spots in the navy. That’s not very many. There are like 10 times that number of general surgery spots.

 

[KWBB1234]

Just got my waitlist spot and now just need a spot to open up.

 

[Bep]

Anyone who is in a field where you need lots of volume to keep up your skills, it will affect. But you also need to be flexible in medical school and the military. You are very likely to not want the same things you think you want now, and the military might decide they don’t need any of what you want (certain things are basically immune to that, but some aren’t).

Which fields would you say are more "immune" to the shuffle? That is, which specialties do you think will remain in high demand? I'd be interested in how best to structure summers and electives so as to maximize flexibility in case residency programs change dramatically upon graduating (if I get in )

For reference:
Waitlist February 25.
Navy is my top choice but I'd be happy to serve anywhere.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Which fields would you say are more "immune" to the shuffle? That is, which specialties do you think will remain in high demand? I'd be interested in how best to structure summers and electives so as to maximize flexibility in case residency programs change dramatically upon graduating (if I get in )

For reference:
Waitlist February 25.
Navy is my top choice but I'd be happy to serve anywhere.

You don’t really get any summers at USUHS. You have about 2 weeks off and that’s it. But you have plenty of time and opportunity for research and stuff.

This is just my opinion, but anything that is considered a critically short wartime specialty will always be there. Gen surg, ortho, EM, gas, IM, FM, crit care, and some others. Also rads seems to always be around, and from what I’ve heard there will be more rads fellowships opening up soon as the subspecialists retire.

 

[Bep]

You don’t really get any summers at USUHS. You have about 2 weeks off and that’s it. But you have plenty of time and opportunity for research and stuff.

This is just my opinion, but anything that is considered a critically short wartime specialty will always be there. Gen surg, ortho, EM, gas, IM, FM, crit care, and some others. Also rads seems to always be around, and from what I’ve heard there will be more rads fellowships opening up soon as the subspecialists retire.

Thanks for the reply! I have a better handle on what I DON'T want to specialize in, so this sounds like a good list to keep in mind when selecting clerkships.

Also when I said summers I suppose I meant to say clerkships (core and advanced) as well as other opportunities like mountain medicine, dive medicine, etc.

I've heard for example that surgeons are glad to have a radiology rotation since they will be consulting radiologists frequently and can benefit from fully understanding each study.

Thanks again!

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Thanks for the reply! I have a better handle on what I DON'T want to specialize in, so this sounds like a good list to keep in mind when selecting clerkships.

Also when I said summers I suppose I meant to say clerkships (core and advanced) as well as other opportunities like mountain medicine, dive medicine, etc.

I've heard for example that surgeons are glad to have a radiology rotation since they will be consulting radiologists frequently and can benefit from fully understanding each study.

Thanks again!

Ah. Yeah it doesn’t really matter what order you do things in for clerkship year. You have to do specific rotations, and you get one selective which you can use to explore something or do one of the other required rotations (neuro or gas) to get them out of the way. The summer operational experiences really have almost nothing to do with specialty choice and are just fun things to see some form of operational medicine.

A lot of people do a rads rotation because it’s super chill lol.

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

Hello folks, I posted this as a standalone thread in the milmed forum but it looks a bit dead over there. Would love some answers from people further into the process than me!

What sort of interesting/unique opportunities are available to physicians in each branch? For example, CCATTs, CAAs, or GSTs/SOSTs in the Air Force. Also would love to hear about non-operational opportunities like courses or any other interesting things one can do as a commissioned physician. I'm mostly looking at AF/Navy but would love to hear about the Army as well.

 

[deleted1041819]

Hello folks, I posted this as a standalone thread in the milmed forum but it looks a bit dead over there. Would love some answers from people further into the process than me!

What sort of interesting/unique opportunities are available to physicians in each branch? For example, CCATTs, CAAs, or GSTs/SOSTs in the Air Force. Also would love to hear about non-operational opportunities like courses or any other interesting things one can do as a commissioned physician. I'm mostly looking at AF/Navy but would love to hear about the Army as well.

Here's a hoo-ah Army thing that I'm interested in! Army upgrades frontline surgical teams

 

[pdiddy18]

Fingers crossed for some waitlist movement soon! 🤞🏻

 

[Incognito32]

Thank you for this - the technician responded and told me to write up a comprehensive statement about my situation, sign and date it in pen, and scan/upload it as a PDF. To this date, my primary care physician has yet to respond to my calls and her office remains closed.

I was honest with my medical questionnaire and answered "yes" to "history of hypertension" though my BP has been pretty normal in the past year and a half.

Just an update in case anyone else runs into this issue:

The technician recommended that I submit the statement with my signature, which I did. DoDMERB got back to me and basically said "this is insufficient" so I contacted [email protected]. He reviewed my case and forwarded it to a provider for processing but believes I will likely be disqualified (so I'll need to apply for a waiver).

In other news, it turns out that my primary care physician stopped practicing before this whole pandemic and I never received a notification about this so feelsbadman.jpg

 

[deleted615211]

Just an update in case anyone else runs into this issue:

The technician recommended that I submit the statement with my signature, which I did. DoDMERB got back to me and basically said "this is insufficient" so I contacted [email protected]. He reviewed my case and forwarded it to a provider for processing but believes I will likely be disqualified (so I'll need to apply for a waiver).

In other news, it turns out that my primary care physician stopped practicing before this whole pandemic and I never received a notification about this so feelsbadman.jpg

Hey! In this case I would contact a physician that would see you and get a written statement from that physician that you do not have hypertension. I would get on this ASAP.

Although I haven't had any issues with DODMERB (They waived everything pretty easily), I did have an issue at MEPS (MEPS from my experience was far more strict with a much more in depth examination, this is for HPSP) with the vision waiver which eventually went through. I basically got every piece of medical history I could get my hands on with regard to my vision, got an updated optometrist exam verifying everything was still true. Got everything supporting the case that my vision is fully correctible to 20/20. This helped push my waiver through but it did take quite sometime.

With regards to what was required of me they sent me a form mentioning these specific tests:
Please provide a current Ophthalmology evaluation to include a dilated retinal exam with topography. Please comment on keratoconus, lattice degeneration and any eye pathology.

I provided that along with historical vision exams dating back 5 years.

Goodluck!

 

[DarkRoomPlease]

Army MS4 here- just wanted to say congrats to everyone who has been accepted thus far! For those still waiting, don't worry- my acceptance didn't come until June 5th 😂 Pretty sure I was the LAST person to get an offer my year!

 

[deleted1041819]

This is all feeling very real now... Got my DCC course assignment.

 

[MDAK]

Post-II hold to WL this morning!

 

[anguria]

Waitlisted today! Interviewed week of 1/18

 

[Back to Cali]

Army MS4 here- just wanted to say congrats to everyone who has been accepted thus far! For those still waiting, don't worry- my acceptance didn't come until June 5th 😂 Pretty sure I was the LAST person to get an offer my year!

With an acceptance in June did they have you delay officer training until later? Or did they just ~boom~ accept you and ship you off to training?

I'm another curious waitlister trying to predict the future.

 

[mulligan04]

With an acceptance in June did they have you delay officer training until later? Or did they just ~boom~ accept you and ship you off to training?

I'm another curious waitlister trying to predict the future.

Typically later acceptances will have to attend officer training at a later date during medical school...usually between MS3 and MS4 years

 

[DarkRoomPlease]

With an acceptance in June did they have you delay officer training until later? Or did they just ~boom~ accept you and ship you off to training?

I'm another curious waitlister trying to predict the future.

I was ROTC and thus DCC was not a requirement for me! Academy graduates and ROTC are exempt from that introductory training. Funny enough prior enlisted WERE expected to go (even though they often know more than the people running the course)!

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

With an acceptance in June did they have you delay officer training until later? Or did they just ~boom~ accept you and ship you off to training?

I'm another curious waitlister trying to predict the future.

If you get accepted in June, you will almost certainly go between M3 and M4.

 

[LoverOfPie]

Army MS4 here- just wanted to say congrats to everyone who has been accepted thus far! For those still waiting, don't worry- my acceptance didn't come until June 5th 😂 Pretty sure I was the LAST person to get an offer my year!

Congratulations on almost finishing medical school! Do you know of anyone that was accepted off the alternate list for your class?

 

[DarkRoomPlease]

Congratulations on almost finishing medical school! Do you know of anyone that was accepted off the alternate list for your class?

Yes, I was one of them 😂 but I was told by the previous dean of admissions that "we take very few people from our hold and alternate lists" so make of that what you will. That was a while ago now, I imagine things change year to year.

 

[LoverOfPie]

Yes, I was one of them 😂 but I was told by the previous dean of admissions that "we take very few people from our hold and alternate lists" so make of that what you will. That was a while ago now, I imagine things change year to year.

 

[toyotaman2020]

This is all feeling very real now... Got my DCC course assignment.

Congratulations! Did you receive the email from your commissioning coordinator with official orders already? I received the email that states that DCC will be at Ft. Sill in June-July, is that what you mean by course assignment?

 

[LittleBrother]

If you get accepted in June, you will almost certainly go between M3 and M4.

Not M2 and M3?

I'm sitting on the WL but am not super keen on going to ODS this summer (cuts into my road tripping time). I've heard that officer training is really backed up because of Covid. Do you think it might end up getting pushed back? How often are people coming from the WL sent to later courses?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Not M2 and M3?

I'm sitting on the WL but am not super keen on going to ODS this summer (cuts into my road tripping time). I've heard that officer training is really backed up because of Covid. Do you think it might end up getting pushed back? How often are people coming from the WL sent to later courses?

Not sure what’s happening with covid. I went to ODS with someone who got accepted in mid may.

 

[deleted1041819]

Congratulations! Did you receive the email from your commissioning coordinator with official orders already? I received the email that states that DCC will be at Ft. Sill in June-July, is that what you mean by course assignment?

In late Feb I was emailed by a training coordinator with a ton of paperwork and I completed it in ~ 48 hrs. About four weeks later I received an automated email from sender "ahelp" with my assigned date/course #.

 

[toyotaman2020]

In late Feb I was emailed by a training coordinator with a ton of paperwork and I completed it in ~ 48 hrs. About four weeks later I received an automated email from sender "ahelp" with my assigned date/course #.

Thanks for the info. I am anxiously waiting for the commissioning coordinator to reach out to me also with orders. While I’m tempted to email them to ask them the status on mine, my acceptance letter states specifically to contact them only if I haven’t heard back by May 1st, 2021.

 

[RatWitDaToolie]

If you get accepted in June, you will almost certainly go between M3 and M4.

How does that work if they're on active duty throughout school but don't go to DCC/ODS/OTS until after M3?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

How does that work if they're on active duty throughout school but don't go to DCC/ODS/OTS until after M3?

How does what work? You commission before you go to those schools anyway. You just have to go at some point before you finish med school.

 

[stanfordhereiam]

hello all,

for the physical when signing up what did you guys choose for Service: army, navy, USAF, USMC, USCG, other. And then for Component what did you choose: regular, reserve, national guard. And lastly what about purpose of examination: commission, U.S. service academy, ROTC, or medical board?

I do not have prior military experience.

thanks in advance!

 

[mulligan04]

hello all,

for the physical when signing up what did you guys choose for Service: army, navy, USAF, USMC, USCG, other. And then for Component what did you choose: regular, reserve, national guard. And lastly what about purpose of examination: commission, U.S. service academy, ROTC, or medical board?

I do not have prior military experience.

thanks in advance!

Your only choices are USAF, USN, and USA...you’ll pick regular and the purpose is commission

 

[Incognito32]

hello all,

for the physical when signing up what did you guys choose for Service: army, navy, USAF, USMC, USCG, other. And then for Component what did you choose: regular, reserve, national guard. And lastly what about purpose of examination: commission, U.S. service academy, ROTC, or medical board?

I do not have prior military experience.

thanks in advance!

For service, I checked off army, navy, and air force. For Component, I chose regular. For purpose, I chose "commission". I also chose "other" and wrote "USUHS". All of my paperwork went through in a timely manner. I don't have prior military experience either.

 

[RatWitDaToolie]

How does what work? You commission before you go to those schools anyway. You just have to go at some point before you finish med school.

I was just confused with that timeline, I always thought you'd need to go through some actual military training before starting at USUHS. Is that not necessary before starting med school?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I was just confused with that timeline, I always thought you'd need to go through some actual military training before starting at USUHS. Is that not necessary before starting med school?

lol not at all. USUHS is basically med school in a uniform. If you know how to dress yourself, shave (for men), and be where you’re supposed to be on time, you know enough.

 

[effervescentseaotter]

Just got off the waitlist for navy! Pretty cool that they call you lol Interviewed in Nov

 

[JiHoonie]

A call this morning for army!
1/25 interview

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Just got off the waitlist! Pretty cool that they call you lol Interviewed in Nov, haven't gotten an email about which branch yet though

If they didn’t say anything, probably safe to assume it was your first choice (unless you checked that you don’t care).

 

[KWBB1234]

That's awesome to see movement from WL to acceptance. I've been sitting on WL but getting nervous because I have a remedial AMI from DODMERB to get done before I can even be considered for acceptance at this point. Quick question, have any of you been having difficulty being seen at a MTF? I have been trying to be seen at a MTF because DODMET doesn't have the required specialist in the area for me and will take more than a month to contract one and then who knows how long to get an appointment and then complete everything to be sent back to DODMERB for review. No one at the MTF (an AF MTF) knows what DODMERB even is and are not accepting the the consult referral even though I have the DOD reference stating they need to see me (below) which the DODMERB reviewer provided me. If any of you had this issue, how did you get it solved? I'm currently a reservist (prior active duty) so base access isn't an issue.

DOD INSTRUCTION 1215.08
SENIOR RESERVE OFFICERS’ TRAINING CORPS (ROTC) PROGRAMS

DoDI 1215.08, January 19, 2017
3.10. MEDICAL EXAMINATION.

d. All military medical treatment facilities will provide initial exams, specialty consults, medical tests, or any other commissioning evaluations to all accession applicants designated by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board. A medical treatment facility will not be required to provide service for a capability it does not possess. The particular Service affiliation of the applicant will have no bearing on the selection of the medical treatment facility at which the applicant will be seen. The fact that these applicants may not have any association with the DoD or may not be enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System will not preclude them from being seen at a medical treatment facility. Applicant exams, consults, tests, and other commissioning evaluations will be treated as mission-related priorities with the scheduling precedence associated with active duty Service members.

 

[medhopeful0330]

I interviewed 1/25 and was wait-listed AF.
I just found out that medically disqualified due to a developmental dyslexia diagnosis that I have outgrown.
I applied for a medical waiver but was wondering if others have done this and know how long it takes and my chances of getting a waiver for dyslexia?
Will this also affect my Wait List priority and chances?
Any feedback would be great!

 

[KWBB1234]

I interviewed 1/25 and was wait-listed AF.
I just found out that medically disqualified due to a developmental dyslexia diagnosis that I have outgrown.
I applied for a medical waiver but was wondering if others have done this and know how long it takes and my chances of getting a waiver for dyslexia?
Will this also affect my Wait List priority and chances?
Any feedback would be great!

I'm in the same boat with a prior history of cancer over 12 years ago with less than a 1% chance of recurrence this far out. The process varies based on whether you are in a place where DODMETs has a contracted specialist in your region. It is just how long it takes you to get an appt and if any additional tests are required. You have the option to go to a military treatment facility but it is a little difficult to get in based on what base your trying to get on and if they even know what DODMERB is (See my post above).
As for your spot, I heard you retain your priority on the WL but until you become qualified they just keep skipping over you and accepting the next person that is fully qualified. Once you get the green light, the next open position should go to you if you are at the top. If I misunderstood please someone correct me but that was what I remember hearing during one of the zoom sessions.

 

[washhyyy]

Do students start getting paid upon commissioning or when we start school? Just trying to figure out my budget for the next few months since I’ll have a gap in employment... thanks!

 

[deleted1041819]

Also sorry if it's been asked before but what is expected of us between the completion of our respective commissioning courses and the start of classes? Army DCCers should have about a month in between.

 

[mulligan04]

Do students start getting paid upon commissioning or when we start school? Just trying to figure out my budget for the next few months since I’ll have a gap in employment... thanks!

You start getting paid the day you commission as an officer...how close or far that date is from the start of school varies by the individual

 

[mulligan04]

Also sorry if it's been asked before but what is expected of us between the completion of our respective commissioning courses and the start of classes? Army DCCers should have about a month in between.

You’ll spend that time in-processing and getting settled...if all that is complete, then you’ll be tasked to help other areas at the school such as the anatomical teaching lab

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Do students start getting paid upon commissioning or when we start school? Just trying to figure out my budget for the next few months since I’ll have a gap in employment... thanks!

Save money. Our class had significant pay issues for months. Some people were still not getting paid halfway through M1. You can also take out a career starter loan from USAA. It’s a $25k loan with like a 1% APR. You can take it any time within a year of commissioning, and a lot of people took it to help cover their expenses while waiting for pay to get fixed.