AF FP Residency

[A1cfox21]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Well it's been a long while since I've posted... My question is for anyone with Military FP residency experience-mainly Air Force(I'm currently an AD E-4) I was wondering how the residency programs are structured compared to civilian programs? Hours? Call? At what locations-Eglin, Keesler, Lackland, etc.? I'm mainly looking at HPSP because of the TIS I'll accrue while in residency opposed to doing FAP with a civilian residency. Not sure if I'd want to retire as a military physician totally. I've also recently discovered fellowship opportunites that FP's can participate in. Does the military have fellowships like Sports med or would that have to be done at a civilain location? If so, how hard are they to get into and would it require a discharge from AD or would it be a TDY (permissive or non)? Thanks for the help!!!

 

[cdreed]

A1C Fox,

Good luck with your decision. I was discharged this past summer from AD AF to attend med school. It really is a great opportunity. The payback for the HPSP isn't bad... especially since you already know what AD life is like.

Unfortunately, I cannot answer your questions about residency though. I do know, however, that Wilford Hall does not have a FP residency.

Cyndi

 

[tman]

Air Force FP residencies are located at eglin, andrews, offutt, travis and scott afb's. This year there were 3 selectees for the FP sports medicine fellowship 2 at civilian programs and one at the USUHS program.

 

[A1cfox21]

Originally posted by tman
Air Force FP residencies are located at eglin, andrews, offutt, travis and scott afb's. This year there were 3 selectees for the FP sports medicine fellowship 2 at civilian programs and one at the USUHS program.

tman, thanks for that info. I'm glad that there is an avenue to do the Sports med fellowship in the military. Is USUHS the only place for the fellowship? Also, in doing the civilian fellowship, do we stay AD? I thought Keesler had an FP program, must've shutdown. Also, anyone have info on the FP residency program structure in the AF? Thanks!!!

 

[tman]

You would be active duty for that year. Keesler doesn't have an FP residency and never have unless it was prior to 1989 when i was first stationed there. Keesler has residencies in peds, medicine, ob/gyn and surgery so it wouldn't make sense to have an FP residency program there. The hospitals with FP residencies do not have other residencies associated with them with the exception of Travis which is a combined program with UC Davis and doesn't rely solely on the base for it's patient population. Having a FP program where there are opposing residencies is not a good idea since the FP's would be competing with the other residents for patient's and procedures. USU is the only military sports med program for FP's that the AF sends people to.

 

[hidradenitis]

The AF has the five programs stated above. I will be starting at Scott; the only other I have any experience with is Eglin.

My impression is that the AF residencies are on par with civilian programs of comparable locations and size; there is an unpublished thesis paper written by a military faculty development fellow on the subject (don't have the link but look around on the Madigan Fac. Dev. site) which concludes as much.

A couple of the programs (Scott and Offutt) are actually combined with civilian programs and have much if not most rotations at a civilian hospital. Eglin and Scott are the most unopposed programs, although they share inpatient peds with peds programs. Malcolm Grow is also mostly unopposed; I think their only competition is vs. the FP/Psych program ran from there. (Again, can't speak to the specifics as I haven't been there.)

And for what it's worth, the Eglin program has an FP faculty member with military-sponsored OB fellowship training, although apparently this isn't too common.

 

[tman]

Originally posted by hidradenitis
Malcolm Grow is also mostly unopposed; I think their only competition is vs. the FP/Psych program ran from there. (Again, can't speak to the specifics as I haven't been there.)

This is an accurate statement, and congrats on landing a residency at Scott, I hope you have a great experience!

 

[hidradenitis]

Thanks, tman -- we're looking forward to it.

 

[A1cfox21]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware that the FP residencies would be seperate from the IM and other programs. So would that fellowship time be like a TDY? I wonder if being in uniform would be mandatory during that time. It sounds like civilian residents get stuck with Sh*tty tasks and stuff. Is it the same with military residencies or as 0-3's, would will be able to delegate to the AMN and lower ranking nurses? Hehehe... I wonder what it's like taking orders from a higher ranking nurse? I guess I wouldn't mind if this situation didn't directly involve the treatment of a patient. I've been AD for almost 4yrs now, so I know when to shutup and follow orders!!