All Branch Topic (ABT) Advice for a friend

[dingdong28]

Hello everyone,

I'm posting this for a friend/fellow service member. We're both in the reserves and perform the same job. On the civilian side, he's a chiropractor student and is anticipating graduating the summer of 2021. As his supervisor I want to guide him with his decision about re-enlisting or getting out. He's worried about future deployments and what will happen with his practice while he's deployed. I know we don't have a lot of chiropractors on this site but I'm sure we have members that owned their own practices while serving in the reserve/guard. I'd like to present him any information/guidance you all may have to help with his decision.

Thank you everyone,
dd28

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[backrow]

Reserves combined with a solo/private practice is a very difficult combination. If you are the sole income generator of a company that employs people and then you leave for 6-9 months the business earns no money during that time. You still have overhead and payroll to pay which isn’t sustainable if you aren’t generating income. Beyond the monetary aspect you have to essentially abandon your patients during this time and without large group coverage it can be difficult to get patients set up for the care they need while one is away.

Most have suggested that Reserves can work well in an academic setting or a large employee group (not a small partnership).


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[TheEarDoc]

I would say owning your own business as a sole practitioner and any form of Reserves or Guard would be a disaster.

 

[deleted480308]

They should get out if their goal is solo private officer

 

[notdeadyet]

Agree with the rest. I have a part-time solo practice in addition to a VA job. I have concerns about the financial impact deployments will have.

And that’s with the Army’s 90 day boots-on-ground policy (which could be rescinded), no service obligation, and a part-time practice. I would not recommend starting up any kind of solo practice as a reservist.