Many are wondering about the Air Force and how the AF medical corps trends are developing. This will address the current trends.
This is not an opinion but just pointing out some of the decisions AF has implemented. I am basing my critique on 14 years in the military and having worked with all 3 branches at the national level.
AF is currently having funding issues. Because the AF is no longer able to depend on the DOD for the maintenance of their air craft, they are trying to figure out how to decrease expenses. They are being forced to follow the same rules that the Army is governed by. The following are the results of this budget deficit.
1) AF is cutting the total number of personnel in the Force. This means fewer people to care for and means that many of the specialties will/already have been cut from their ranks. In other words, they will stop offering residencies in a lot of the specialties. PM&R and Orthopedics are two examples.
The air force will adopt/continue a trend of making medical school graduates enter flight surgery or a primary care specialty. As evidence by their match rate around 50% and the fact that nearly 50% opted for flight medicine.
2) AF is now seeing fewer dollars dedicated to housing and bases. The playing field is leveled and the army and navy are now providing comparable housing and benefits to their doctors. (this is not true of a general airman vs soldier).
3) Air Force does still allow deferment into a civilian residency. In Fact, they still maintain the most deferment training slot in the military. However, they only allow certain specialties. This means that you still have to match in that specialty and then match civilian. Keep in mind that only when the military slots are filled that the air force allows deferments to happen.
4) your chances of interacting with the boys and girls fighting on the ground are severely diminished. The Air Force has removed itself from a rehab or long term care role of the heroes that fight in the wars. We only have a triage and flight role. Once the people are stable we pass them to the Army for care. This is seen by the lack of PM&R in the AF. The only chance you get to help those heroes is to go into orthopedic surgery. So don't be disillusioned into thinking you are going to help the people injured. You are only making them stable enough to go to an army facility for long term care.
5) End of the day. You still get to help people and the trauma experience is still the greatest in the world. The AF is good as long as you don't want to specialize.
This is not an opinion but just pointing out some of the decisions AF has implemented. I am basing my critique on 14 years in the military and having worked with all 3 branches at the national level.
AF is currently having funding issues. Because the AF is no longer able to depend on the DOD for the maintenance of their air craft, they are trying to figure out how to decrease expenses. They are being forced to follow the same rules that the Army is governed by. The following are the results of this budget deficit.
1) AF is cutting the total number of personnel in the Force. This means fewer people to care for and means that many of the specialties will/already have been cut from their ranks. In other words, they will stop offering residencies in a lot of the specialties. PM&R and Orthopedics are two examples.
The air force will adopt/continue a trend of making medical school graduates enter flight surgery or a primary care specialty. As evidence by their match rate around 50% and the fact that nearly 50% opted for flight medicine.
2) AF is now seeing fewer dollars dedicated to housing and bases. The playing field is leveled and the army and navy are now providing comparable housing and benefits to their doctors. (this is not true of a general airman vs soldier).
3) Air Force does still allow deferment into a civilian residency. In Fact, they still maintain the most deferment training slot in the military. However, they only allow certain specialties. This means that you still have to match in that specialty and then match civilian. Keep in mind that only when the military slots are filled that the air force allows deferments to happen.
4) your chances of interacting with the boys and girls fighting on the ground are severely diminished. The Air Force has removed itself from a rehab or long term care role of the heroes that fight in the wars. We only have a triage and flight role. Once the people are stable we pass them to the Army for care. This is seen by the lack of PM&R in the AF. The only chance you get to help those heroes is to go into orthopedic surgery. So don't be disillusioned into thinking you are going to help the people injured. You are only making them stable enough to go to an army facility for long term care.
5) End of the day. You still get to help people and the trauma experience is still the greatest in the world. The AF is good as long as you don't want to specialize.