Air force stipends...

[Adrian Cocot]

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When I was doing my PSF a year ago, an officer from the USAF came in to the hospital, served the path residents lunch, and told us all about the wonderful world of air force pathology. From what I recall reading through the brochure, it goes something like this:

You can receive a yearly stipend from the Air Force for any number of years during residency (1-4). This stipend is rougly $30K a year. In return, after you finish residency (or fellowship), you work as an attending on an air force base for a minimum of the number of years you received aid plus one year (so 2-5 years). This will entail all the perks and drawbacks of being an air force physician -- base salary (but no malpractice), free housing on the base (with a housing stipend if you live off base), a rank of captain, and veteran's benefits if you quit. Not to mention the experience of working in a branch of the AFIP.

Seems like you can't lose here.

My question, is if there's anyone here who has any experience with the armed forces, and what drawbacks, if any, there are to signing up for this.

 

[GreatPumpkin]

The answer depends on a few things. How many years are you planning on them paying for you and what your career plans are. If you are planning on private practice the opportunity cost is pretty high for the Airforce route.

Assume you want them to cover all your med school years. So you would owe them 5 years. They would pay your med shool loans off so around ($130,000). So they would pay your military salary for those 5 years ($80,000 x 5 lets say) so around $400,000. So total compensation around $530,000 for those 5 years.

Lets assume you go private practice with a partnership in 3yrs. Starting salary $130,000 for 3 years ($130,000 x 3) so around $390,000. Salary bump at partnership $200,000+, for 2 years ($400,000). Therefore, compensation over the 5 years $790,000.

So they pay off your loans and cost you money in the long run. Especially if after the Airforce you go then go to private practice and now have to wait 3 more years to become partner. That is a lot of lost money.

If money is of no concern to you and/or you plan on doing academics then the Airforce option is not bad.

Except you have to put up with the normal crap that being totally controlled by the government entails.

Please anyone if my numbers are off on the military pay let me know. I know there are opportunities to get more money through bonuses in the military, but these usually involve commitment of even more time (and even larger opportunity cost) so I did not include these.

 

[Adrian Cocot]

First, thanks for the fast response, GP!

Second,
Hmmm. I think the military salary is a little higher than $80K; closer to $120K, but that's still something I've got to double check with the recruiting officer. Furthermore, don't the eventual perks outweigh the difference in salaries? Military experience (I'm assuming) looks good on a resume and there's veteran's benefits for yourself and the family, such as mortgage loans. There's the possibility of working on a base overseas, etc. Not to mention the vanity that comes with wearing a uniform. 😀

Oh, and I'm not referring to the HPSP program during med school. I'm talking about an additional stipend during the residency years. Which, if I want to do my residency in a high cost-of-living area, could *really* be helpful...

 

[Global Disrobal]

Adrian,

I looked at the Armed Forces option extensively in past year and must side with the GP on this one. Although, short term it seems like a great deal with many extra long term benefits, in the long run it does pose several problems.

Do you have a spouse or kid(s)? Are you set on a particular region of the country? Being stationed is one of the bad perks of the job.

In terms of other perks you spoke, housing, loans, and benefits are all well but will you need that down the road on a physician's salary?

The ultimate decision for me came down to family, location, and not wanting to be tied down for 9+ years (residency + post residency commitment). Give it good thought and if you really are in limbo, look at the reserves section of military. Good benefits, military status, but not much commitment.

GD

 

[GreatPumpkin]

----Military experience (I'm assuming) looks good on a resume and there's veteran's benefits for yourself and the family, such as mortgage loans. There's the possibility of working on a base overseas, etc. Not to mention the vanity that comes with wearing a uniform.-----

Military experience does look good, but a cytology fellowship would look better. Go through a decent residency and do a fellowship and the military service would not be that significant in your job search.

Mortgage benefit is nice, but it isn't that nice. It is great when you are relatively poor with not much money for down-payment. I used my mortgage benefit during med school to help me buy a house. (btw I am ex-Navy).

Vet hospital benefit...you don't want to be treated in a VA hospital. I can't believe they have not shut this system down and just given vets lifetime insurance, it would be cheaper and they would get better care.

Base overseas is cool, if you are into that. Getting stationed in Saudi Arabia or some others I can think of may not be all that fun. Though you have some say in where you would like to go the military utimately decides regardless of your feelings on their choice.

Uniform....yeah it is cool. But, with the extra money in private practice you can wear a Porche 911 or two. hehe.

Careful with the recruiter they will and have streched the truth in efforts to get folks in the service. (grumble..grumble.I know) Many of the salaries they quote include bonuses you get by committing for additional years. So if you plan on doing your required time and getting out you do not get these bonuses.

They usually will not guarentee you a pathology residency position right out of med school. Some even require you to do a GMO (General Medical Officer) year, before residency. Sometimes it is possible to do civilian residencies, but they require special permission which as I understand it does not always happen.

You have not said if private practice is your ultimate goal, but if it is keep in mind that if you go military, even when you get out you will get hired by a practice and have to wait around 3 years to become a partner. So that is even more opportunity cost. If private practice is your goal then the military is a definate mistake in my opinion. If you are planning on having a family soon I would say mistake as well.

If you are going to do academics it would probably be fine, though you push the time back on becoming tenured.

If you are young, plan on staying single, don't care about money, etc...have fun Air Force boy hehe. I just hope none of those things change on you for 9 years 😛.

Another thing you should find out is the availability of fellowships. I have no idea on this, but most people figure out they want to do a fellowship and going military may totally mess that up. At least until your commitment is up and then it may be tougher to find one.

Let me add a disclaimer....I was not an officer in the military and I was not in medicine (Nuclear Power). I know what I know only from talking with people and some I do have a little negative bias. Ok maybe more than a little..something about the "yeah join the navy we will train you to be a nuclear engineer"...sure I got some good training, but my job consisted of painting, chipping paint and cleaning more than anything else.

Good luck

 

[Adrian Cocot]

GD and GP,

Thanks again for your opinions.

It seems that both of you are on the working assumption that I'd be committing 9 years of my life to the military (residency + post-residency work). From what I gathered at the meeting with the recruiting officer, was that the military service didn't kick in until you had already finished your residency (or fellowship, if you so chose); it also seemed that the commitment time could be much shorter, down to 2-3 years only. If I'm mistaken, well, that would change everything!

Being that I'm young, dumb and single, (and yes, my ultimate goal is private practice) the difference in wages for me is something I can live with. These are the other points that I'm counting on...

- I won't be required to do a GMO. At least, the Air Force doesn't seem to require it for pathology.

- I am aware that the decision as to where I'll practice isn't ultimately in my hands and can be a win-or-lose situation. Although seeing as I speak four languages (Polish, Danish and Spanish), there might be a place for me somewhere overseas...

- I will be able to finish a civilian residency, and any fellowships I choose.

Be that as it may, your caveats are definitely something to take into consideration. I think I'll have a lenghty conversation with the recruiting officer in a few days to see if I can confirm some of these assumptions.

More news as it develops...

ac