Air Force Surgery Residencies

[mitchconnie]

It has recently come to my attention that the reconstituted general surgery residency at Keesler AFB on the Katrina-devastated gulf coast failed its preliminary Residency Review Committee (RRC) site visit, and thus will not be approved to train surgical residents. At the December selection board, four students matched into this program, which was not RRC approved at the time of the military match and now will most likely never re-start.

This illustrates the vast disconnect between military and civilian program directors as to what constitutes an appropriate facility for resident training. The AF anticipated training 4 categorical surgery residents per year, a fairly large surgery program, at the relatively tiny Keesler hospital (with U of MS affiliation). Anyone with knowledge of the situation knows that maintaining surgical GME at a facility the size of the current Keesler AFB is laughable, which is why the RRC did not buy it. I feel sorry for the folks who matched there—and if they were not told the truth about the situation when they interviewed, there is serious deception on the part of the AF.

There is a similar situation at the reorganized Wilford Hall/BAMC program, where the RRC only approved four categorical residents per year, while the military expected to train 6-7. Within the Army, Ft. Bragg also attempted to start a surgical residency, but was shot down by the RRC. Most military hospitals just don’t have the operative case variety/volume any more, and this is increasingly recognized by the RRC. Those who are considering general surgery training within the AF need to be aware of the rapidly deteriorating situation. Students from USUHS are in the worst shape since they typically are not eligible for civilian deferment.

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[Galo]

You know, after seeing a post like that, it just amazes me that people would still want to go into military medicine. What people need to realize is that as residents, without surgery, they are missing a vital part of their training be it Family practice, ER, OB, ANYTHING. SO clearly evident that military GME is done for, yet you still have a large number of people with good intentions, but incredibly naive, and trusting only to get shafted out of a proper education.

Truly sad!!

 

[g293]

This so doesn't surprise me. The AF is sending everyone and their brother to Keesler right now. We are losing several of our RT's to Keesler, nurses are being forced down there by the dozens, yet the hospital will likely not be that busy for quite some time.

I feel sorry for the residents the AF matched there. I wonder if any HPSP students matched and if they will be granted deferrments to scramble into some civilian program?? If they are USUHS grads I guess they will have to find a miliatary internship somewhere. Only the AF would match people into a program that doesn't officially exist. I wonder if they have the staff down there already who figured they'd have residents and will now be pulling at that primary call by themselves!

 

[West Side]

Ugh. Reading this leaves me with a sick feeling. I cannot imagine the nausea of "are you f'ing kidding me?" these folks must feel when hearing the news.

It would be too late to scramble, no?

 

[kzjonez]

Reading this makes me feel ashamed that I am part of an institution that would ruin a medical career like that!!!! I cannot begin to imagine that after sooo much sacrifice , so much happinesss that you matched in your residency of choice!! The next thing you hear is opps we screwed up sorry!!! go do an internship or a GMO tour somewhere , see you next year or in three after a flight "surgeon" stint, it 's Freaking Pathetic!!!

 

[BigNavyPedsGuy]

This so doesn't surprise me. The AF is sending everyone and their brother to Keesler right now. We are losing several of our RT's to Keesler, nurses are being forced down there by the dozens, yet the hospital will likely not be that busy for quite some time.

I feel sorry for the residents the AF matched there. I wonder if any HPSP students matched and if they will be granted deferrments to scramble into some civilian program?? If they are USUHS grads I guess they will have to find a miliatary internship somewhere. Only the AF would match people into a program that doesn't officially exist. I wonder if they have the staff down there already who figured they'd have residents and will now be pulling at that primary call by themselves!

A classmate of mine (also HPSP) matched into Peds at Keesler and was told that she wouldn't know until the first week of april if it was RRC accreditted. If it's not, then she will go to U.Miss (4 hours away). I feel terrible for her, it was her last choice.

 

[g293]

anyone know what happened to the students who matched at Keesler??

 

[mitchconnie]

I have recently heard that Keesler peds and OB/GYN residencies also failed initial RRC site visits. Peds will go to U. of MS, which is probably better for the students in the long run, but it's surprising that a university can just absorb an entire residency class. Apparently when the RRC visited, there were no subspecialists at all, and minimal case volume--not surprising they failed. Who is running the show down there?

 

[Mirror Form]

I don't think any AF med students actually ranked Keesler highly. They all were praying not to go there b/c they knew something like this would happen. Almost every resident sent there probably ranked it dead last (or didn't rank it at all). I feel sorry for them! As a current military resident, these kinds of stories are definitely scary.

 

[Gastrapathy]

I've also heard through the grapevine that they may make the Keesler/Katrina refugees (residents scattered to other MTF's across all 3 services) return to Keesler if they have at least a year left in their training. That way they have senior residents for those bankrupt programs.

 

[resxn]

milmed = stupid admin making stupid decisions ruining the lives people willing to serve.

 

[trattoria]

Does anyone know the final status of surgery RRC accreditation for Keesler? I heard that IM down there is now accredited.