Australian Specialist Reserves... anyone know anything?

[woopedazz]

Hello,

I'm a junior doctor (Australian) with an interest in joining the Australian Specialist Reserves (Air Force).

I'm trying to source some information re: entry pathways for anaesthesia registrars. Currently, I am of the understanding that one must be a consultant (attending) prior to getting an interview, and you need to know people.

Is there anyone on this forum who can field some questions regarding entry pathways and other general queries? I am aware most/all of you are USA military.

The ADF seemed very confused by my questions and tried to get me to sign up as a Rifleman... The supervisor eventually told me it's done "in-house" and to become an attending first.

Kind Regards

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[d2305]

I don't think Australia has GMOs. I consulted with a British RN MD, and he may have been a GMO. I know you all have similar regulations. I pulled into Fremantle, nice place.

 

[woopedazz]

All three branches of our defence force have MOs. The difference in Australia is that if you enter the military as a MO you have minimal (approaching 0) options to subspecialise once signed up. Our armed forces are too small to require specialists at bases, but they are always in need of General Practitioners (GPs); therefore the military MOs are GP trained.

This makes military medicine a particularly uninviting career path for many Australian doctors as your one career path appears to be a GP without the perks of being a GP, and with the detractor of having to frequently relocate.

Given the relative scarcity of military doctors in Australia, and the minimal amount of non-GP trained military MOs we need to outsource most specialised scenarios to civilian hospitals in peace-time and reservists at times of need.

The disaster response, humanitarian crises, and general fun stuff often gets shared between the enlisted MOs and the Specialist Reserves. The specialist reserves is a part-time reserve force made up of specialists who are deployed in times of need. These doctors get to have their cake and eat it too; working as civilians for much of the year with occasional postings to bases or areas of need when called upon. These doctors responded to the Bali bombings, the Boxing Day tsunami, the East Timor conflict and also deploy in combat zones when required; including the middle east.

Entering the armed forces as a specialist and as a reservist is very competitive. Hopefully one day I will make the cut.

 

[usma05]

Hi,

American anesthesiologist here...was colocated with a good group of Aussies in 2015 in Kabul. They were General Medical officers....but maybe they can point you in the right direction? PM and I can give you their contact info...

 

[woopedazz]

Thank you very much for your help.