Best Navy GMO (operational Medicine) advice or experience?

[rbr]

Hello

I am currently going through the Navy HPSP and would like to hear from anyone with experience going through similar situations. I understand the ins and outs of GMO circumstances, I am interested in learning more from personal experiences including Flight Surgeons, UMOs, and the different GMO billets in particular. What GMO billets do you think are the best (Marines, etc.). Also, what opportunities are out there for someone to get additional training (jump school etc.) and what unique positions are available for those Family Medicine post-residency ? Thanks.

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[sheepae]

Former UMO and EM doc now. Do UMO. Best 4 years of my life. I'm currently with the Marines as an EM doc, and I hate my job right now - the way the green-side works sucks. In UMO school, you pick your billet based on your class rank, so get in really good shape beforehand, both swimming and running, and study during it. There are definitely opportunities for advanced training, it totally depends on who your commanding officer is though.

 

[Atlas Shrugged]

Why does green side suck?

- Army medical student who considered Navy green side.

 

[sheepae]

Why does green side suck?

- Army medical student who considered Navy green side.

Several reasons. (as a preface, I've not experienced the green-side as a GMO, UMO, or FS, only as a residency trained doc) The Marines bought a bunch of Navy doctor billets (EM, anesthesia, surgery), because they wanted to be more expeditionary, and have more control over their docs. Whilst in garrison, you basically sit around and do nothing, and because they are flush with these billets and have no money, you have no office or space, no computer, and generally nothing to do all day. I am literally begging LCpls to check my email.

Also, the Marines do not reward innovation, and take a perverse pleasure in making things painful. Example - we ordered a safe for our narcotics, costs maybe $300+, nothing in real terms, but after submitting reams of paperwork through several different chains of command, we might actually see it...after our next deployment. It's been almost a year.

Finally, you are the OIC of that platoon, so that means you're in charge of the admin and supply of it. When it comes to an absolutely enormous AMAL like a shock trauma platoon or heaven-forbid a FRSS, you are down at Medical logistics command literally counting out individual IV tubing bags to make sure they're not screwing you out of inventory or money. I'm an EM doc, I don't want to have responsibility for our supplies or admin, nor am I good at it.

 

[Gastrapathy]

Lots of folks disagree about UMO. Some jobs are better than others but they aren't all with recon or NSW. Pretty sure the class rank for billets thing went away too. Senior operational billets all suck. I didn't hate the green side. The 2 year GMO has some advantages.