I've tried wrestling w/ the same issue. After soliciting advice and thinking about it the conclusion I came to was I needed to make up my mind what specialty I wanted to go into, and go for it. From what I understand, getting LORs and completing the application process for two specialties is a nightmare. Even if you were able to do that, the AF isn't going to hold off the Path board from meeting until you compete in the civilian match for Rads. Here's the way I think it would work out: If you don't match to Rads and the AF is considering you for deferment, they'll look at your 3rd choice (Path) and see how the AF numbers are looking in that field. If the AF has enough applicants (because the needs of the military come first), then they'd let you get deferred for Rads. If the Path numbers are not looking so good and the AF needs some, you'd probably match to Path. If you rank an AF residency after your #2 deferment choice, I think you're opening yourself up to matching at choice #3. The chances of you being forced into a specialty you don't have on your ROL is slim...you can just go be a flight doc if all else fails. So, it depends on what you value more highly......do you want to match to the CAREER FIELD vs. do want a MILITARY RESIDENCY vs. what LOCATION do you want vs. etc....... If you want the CAREER FIELD, your ROL would look like:
1) Rads (AF--Lackland)
2) Rads (AF--Travis)
3) Deferment (Rads-civilian)
If you want a MILITARY RESIDENCY, your ROL would look like:
1) Rads (AF--Lackland)
2) Rads (AF--Travis)
3) Path (AF--Lackland)
Personally, I want to match to the CAREER FIELD. Since I have prior service, I definitely want an AF residency so those years count toward retirement. BUT matching to the specialty is MOST IMPORTANT to me, so I'll apply to every civilian rads residency possible so I can match somewhere...anywhere...if I don't get the military residency. So, ribcrackindoc, what do you value most highly?
