Battalion vs. Flight Surgeon

[grumbo]

I've seen many discussions on what flight surgeons do and a few discussions on what battalion surgeons do, but I haven't heard any direct comparisions between the two. For those of you who have experience with one or the other, can you explain a little bit about why you chose one over the other. Are they basically the same except one is attached to a aviation unit and the other is simply a line unit? Aside from giving flight physicals, are there substantial differences between the two? Do you paticipate in all of the unit's FTX's or just the major ones (NTC and JRTC)? I would like to do an operational tour following residency and would like some more info, so any input is appreciated.

Please, no one reply with a "military medicine is evil, don't do either" sort of answer.

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[mumiitroll]

I've seen many discussions on what flight surgeons do and a few discussions on what battalion surgeons do, but I haven't heard any direct comparisions between the two. For those of you who have experience with one or the other, can you explain a little bit about why you chose one over the other. Are they basically the same except one is attached to a aviation unit and the other is simply a line unit? Aside from giving flight physicals, are there substantial differences between the two? Do you paticipate in all of the unit's FTX's or just the major ones (NTC and JRTC)? I would like to do an operational tour following residency and would like some more info, so any input is appreciated.

Please, no one reply with a "military medicine is evil, don't do either" sort of answer.

Flight Surgeons are mostly in the navy(they have 6months course and they have ships to take you around the world) and airforce, and neither requires you to do residency. The idea is actually to work as fs after internship and then get out of the military and continue with your civilian training/career. They are primary care doctors.
Army battalion surgeons must have residency, and they can get qualified as flight surgeons(it's a 6wk course), but their job obviously has to do more with whatever they were residency trained in. In another thread they discussed battalion surgeons in detail, search for "battalion surgeon"

 

[usnavdoc]

Flight Surgeons are mostly in the navy(they have 6months course and they have ships to take you around the world) and airforce, and neither requires you to do residency. The idea is actually to work as fs after internship and then get out of the military and continue with your civilian training/career. They are primary care doctors.
Army battalion surgeons must have residency, and they can get qualified as flight surgeons(it's a 6wk course), but their job obviously has to do more with whatever they were residency trained in. In another thread they discussed battalion surgeons in detail, search for "battalion surgeon"

I believe he is talking about Navy Battalion Surgeons. Which are GMOs. Not residency trained FPs. Just search under some of my posts or PGG's posts for info on serving with the Marines.

 

[MedicalCorpse]

Please, no one reply with a "military medicine is evil, don't do either" sort of answer.

Military medicine is evil. Don't do either.

It saddens me to say this. But I was taught by the military,
starting in 1981, to tell the truth. If you can't handle the truth,
then perhaps you should find another career. The first time that
you are ordered to commit malpractice by a nurse, please e-mail
me to say, "Thank you, Rob, for warning me."

I sat in the LRC at USU in 1986 thinking that I would make a
career in military medicine. Why would I leave with 15 years
toward retirement with absolutely NOTHING (except HTN, recrudescence
of asthma, alopecia, and GERD, all caused by the STRESS of trying to
DO the RIGHT thing in the USAF, against insurmountable odds)?

Read my site, then rethink your preconditions.

--
Robert C. Jones, M.D.
Ex-LtCol, USAF, MC
USUHS 1990
Harvard ROTC Det. 365, 1985
Ex-Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, USUHS
Ex-Medical Director of Anesthesia, Travis AFB, CA
Ex-Assistant Chief Anesthesiologist, Andrews AFB, MD
Patriotic American Veteran since 1 July 2005
http://www.medicalcorpse.com
webmaster_AT_medicalcorpse_d0t_com

 

[HumptyDumptyMil]

Military medicine is evil. Don't do either.

It saddens me to say this. But I was taught by the military,
starting in 1981, to tell the truth. If you can't handle the truth,
then perhaps you should find another career. The first time that
you are ordered to commit malpractice by a nurse, please e-mail
me to say, "Thank you, Rob, for warning me."

I sat in the LRC at USU in 1986 thinking that I would make a
career in military medicine. Why would I leave with 15 years
toward retirement with absolutely NOTHING (except HTN, recrudescence
of asthma, alopecia, and GERD, all caused by the STRESS of trying to
DO the RIGHT thing in the USAF, against insurmountable odds?).

Read my site, then rethink your preconditions.

--
Robert C. Jones, M.D.
Ex-LtCol, USAF, MC
USUHS 1990
Harvard ROTC Det. 365, 1985
Ex-Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, USUHS
Ex-Medical Director of Anesthesia, Travis AFB, CA
Ex-Assistant Chief Anesthesiologist, Andrews AFB, MD
Patriotic American Veteran since 1 July 2005
http://www.medicalcorpse.com
webmaster_AT_medicalcorpse_d0t_com

With all due respect, I do not think grumbo cannot handle the truth. I believe he is just tired of being swamped with all this negativity, myself included😴
As stated many times by others who are here to be informed, we do appreciate being able to hear both negative and positive sides of military medicine. However, I do believe that we do not need to be constantly reminded over and over again about how bad OR good military medicine is. I got the point the FIRST TIME, and I am sure others have as well.
Sorry to get off topic grumbo.

 

[deleted6669]

Flight Surgeons are mostly in the navy(they have 6months course and they have ships to take you around the world) and airforce, and neither requires you to do residency. The idea is actually to work as fs after internship and then get out of the military and continue with your civilian training/career. They are primary care doctors.
Army battalion surgeons must have residency, and they can get qualified as flight surgeons(it's a 6wk course), but their job obviously has to do more with whatever they were residency trained in. In another thread they discussed battalion surgeons in detail, search for "battalion surgeon"

I actually know a few pa's (majors) who are army battalion surgeons so one does not need to be an md with a residency.....

 

[pgg]

I would like to do an operational tour following residency and would like some more info, so any input is appreciated.

Which branch of service? Which residency?

However, I do believe that we do not need to be constantly reminded over and over again about how bad OR good military medicine is. I got the point the FIRST TIME, and I am sure others have as well.

I agree. Seems to me that we have a dedicated "cons" thread for a reason.

MedicalCorpse, there is no reason and no justification for hijacking yet another thread - especially one started by a student who is already in the military, already has a 7 year ADSO ahead, and is simply asking for information about future operational tours.

Show some respect for those of us still serving in the armed forces. When someone asks a question here, either answer it or remain silent.

 

[island doc]

Which branch of service? Which residency?


I agree. Seems to me that we have a dedicated "cons" thread for a reason.

MedicalCorpse, there is no reason and no justification for hijacking yet another thread - especially one started by a student who is already in the military, already has a 7 year ADSO ahead, and is simply asking for information about future operational tours.

Show some respect for those of us still serving in the armed forces. When someone asks a question here, either answer it or remain silent.

Question for you: If you were walking blindfolded toward the edge of a cliff, would you want someone to say something or remain silent? You seem to asking that everyone remain silent while you walk off the cliff, is that true?

 

[militarymd]

Question for you: If you were walking blindfolded toward the edge of a cliff, would you want someone to say something or remain silent? You seem to asking that everyone remain silent while you walk off the cliff, is that true?

I think he is saying that he is off the cliff already....

so rather than trying to tell him to stop walking.....

perhaps throw him a parachute,

or prepare a soft landing,

or say a prayer,
























or prepare a funeral.

 

[militarymd]

I've seen many discussions on what flight surgeons do and a few discussions on what battalion surgeons do, but I haven't heard any direct comparisions between the two. For those of you who have experience with one or the other, can you explain a little bit about why you chose one over the other. Are they basically the same except one is attached to a aviation unit and the other is simply a line unit? Aside from giving flight physicals, are there substantial differences between the two? Do you paticipate in all of the unit's FTX's or just the major ones (NTC and JRTC)? I would like to do an operational tour following residency and would like some more info, so any input is appreciated.

Please, no one reply with a "military medicine is evil, don't do either" sort of answer.

Battalion surgeon...same as flight surgeon, but on a grander scale....sort of like the SMO on an aircraft carrier....

Neither of which are really MD jobs.,,,,,more administrator

 

[MedicalCorpse]

Show some respect for those of us still serving in the armed forces. When someone asks a question here, either answer it or remain silent.

Ah, the military mindset. So used to giving orders. So used to blind obedience from subordinates.

"Either answer it or remain silent". Ya right. Next thing, you'll drop me, a civilian, into the front leaning rest for twenty.

Tell you hwut, if you don't like my posts, then ignore them.

There's this magical technological capability built into SDN...it's called the "Ignore List".

Since you are a "senior member", I should not have to explain this to you, but perhaps there are others who might benefit.

To ignore MedicalCorpse, click on my underlined name at the left hand corner of my post (over the tree). View public profile. In the middle of the screen, there's a white link: Add MedicalCorpse to your ignore list. Presto! No more "hijacking"...which is merely milmedspeak for "posts which I don't like".

You cannot censor me. I will not remain silent. The end: getting the message out about the sorry state of U.S. military medicine, justifies the means: repetition of the message.

As my Japanese professor said, Mainichi Nihongo o tsukawanai to, zutto wasurete shimau; if you don't use a foreign language every day, you will forget it.

I will not have my message forgotten. Deal, or not.

--
R
http://www.medicalcorpse.com

 

[pgg]

Question for you: If you were walking blindfolded toward the edge of a cliff, would you want someone to say something or remain silent? You seem to asking that everyone remain silent while you walk off the cliff, is that true?

Are you really, truly, so bitter that you're comparing a MS3 at USUHS to a blind person about to walk off a cliff? Come on, he's asking for information about future assignments.

It's arrogant and condescending to think he needs to be or could be rescued or somehow helped by comments like ...

Military medicine is evil. Don't do either.

... especially after he specifically asked that his thread not be hijacked in that manner.

This isn't the response of a helpful, concerned good samaritan. There is no information in his post that is the slightest bit helpful to the OP. This is someone whose primary incentive is the incitement of conflict. This is a troll.

I think he is saying that he is off the cliff already....

I'm saying it would be polite and helpful to actually answer the OP's question.

Look at this thread: 10 posts now, after the OP asked a simple question about FS vs GMO tours, and here we go again.

 

[militarymd]

I'm saying it would be polite and helpful to actually answer the OP's question.

Look at this thread: 10 posts now, after the OP asked a simple question about FS vs GMO tours, and here we go again.

Uhh, I think the below post does answer his question.

Battalion surgeon...same as flight surgeon, but on a grander scale....sort of like the SMO on an aircraft carrier....

Neither of which are really MD jobs.,,,,,more administrator

 

[pgg]

Ah, the military mindset. So used to giving orders. So used to blind obedience from subordinates.

Sir, you need professional help.

Tell you hwut, if you don't like my posts, then ignore them.

For the record, you've been on my ignore list for quite some time. The only reason I've had to read your drivel today is because

• HumptyDumptyMil quoted you
• I clicked the "view post" link next to your name in this thread because I was posting in it

You, and exactly two other people - a CRNA (SRNA?) troll named nitecap, and some guy named misterioso (can't remember what he did) - are the only three people I've got on my ignore list.

I'm not interested in censorship or silencing anybody. I have not and will not ever ask moderators to intervene. I respect militarymd, Galo, island_doc and the others here. They are not on my ignore list. I don't always agree with them, but they don't display the kind of arrogant, dysfunctional, pathological contempt for this forum that you do.

You cannot censor me.

🙄 Ah, the persecution complex. Someone challenges your behavior, and you shreik censorship.


Just admit it and let's move on: your first post in this thread is absolutely inappropriate and indefensible. It's purpose was not to aid the OP in any way, but rather to provoke him and stir up ****. Well, mission accomplished. Again. Congratulations.

 

[pgg]

Uhh, I think the below post does answer his question.

Battalion surgeon...same as flight surgeon, but on a grander scale....sort of like the SMO on an aircraft carrier....

Neither of which are really MD jobs.,,,,,more administrator

mumiitroll and usnavdoc also had on-topic answers. My point is that it took less than 10 posts to get a thread derailed ... again. I've got no quarrel with you. 🙂

 

[militarymd]

mumiitroll and usnavdoc also had on-topic answers. My point is that it took less than 10 posts to get a thread derailed ... again. I've got no quarrel with you. 🙂

OK

 

[MedicalCorpse]

Sir, you need professional help.

Plonk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plonk

--
R

 

[grumbo]

Wow, I checked this thread yesterday and there were 2 replies, I come back today, and I see a ton. I have to admit, I got a little excited when I thought maybe a battalion surgeon posted and sparked some good discussion. I guess not.

Thank you to those trying to stick up for the integrity of the thread. As a USUHS student, I'm signed up until at least 2018 and telling me the military sucks doesn't help at all. I've read the vast majority of threads on this board starting when I applied for med school, and it seems the most helpful posts are people posting their specific experience (good and bad) or people answering specific questions for less experienced people. Personal editorials are much less helpful.

Thanks MilMD for your specific, but brief answer. As a future operational, Army doc (likely Family Medicine), which position (battalion vs. flight) will allow the most time in clinic doing medicine. I understand my medical skills will atrophy some during the operational tour, and I accept that. I'm just looking for ways to minimize that atrophy while still doing an operational tour. Suggestions would be helpful. I do plan on returning to clinical medicine for the next tour and who knows after that, so I just need to keep my skills adequate until then.

 

[MedicalCorpse]

Thank you to those trying to stick up for the integrity of the thread. As a USUHS student, I'm signed up until at least 2018 and telling me the military sucks doesn't help at all. I've read the vast majority of threads on this board starting when I applied for med school, and it seems the most helpful posts are people posting their specific experience (good and bad) or people answering specific questions for less experienced people. Personal editorials are much less helpful.

I hope that you find integrity in military medicine beyond this internet thread. Best of luck to you in your future career. It would be redundant of me to note that you will need same, so I shall not.

--
R.
USUHS 1990, WHMC 1994, Civilian 2005
Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Veritas Mori
http://www.medicalcorpse.com