I have been accepted into an MD school and am looking into 4-year Air Force HPSP. I left AF academy to better my chances of pursuing medicine. Plan was to eventually come back to AF and serve as physician. I am 21, married (wife is nurse and from military family) with a kid on the way. Anyway, if anyone could clarify the whole GME process to me, that would be great. I have searched a few of the forums and gone over the AF GME website (point scoring system and residency programs, etc.). I have a few questions..
Lets say I were to pursue emergency medicine (this looks very appealing now but I understand my interests may change over medical school). I would then apply for the two Air Force emergency medicine residency programs, and if I opted, also to rank being deferred into civilian residency program? If chosen for a residency program I would then begin that 3 year program and payback my four year obligation afterwards.
Correct
I understand that while I also would apply for residency positions, I would apply for 1 year internship programs in the case that I am not selected. If I am not directly selected for an emergency medicine residency then would I have to serve a tour as a flight surgeon after the 1 year internship? Or would I apply again for an emergency medicine residency during the internship?
I believe you have the opportunity to apply again after internship, but the odds are you will have to do a GMO tour to earn more points for the match.
A few other questions:
How many years would I have to serve as a flight surgeon if not chosen to go directly through to residency? I believe the tours are at least 2 years, unless you do a hardship tour unaccompanied for a year in Korea for instance. After flight surgeons serve for a year or two are they usually selected for an emergency medicine residency (if that is their goal) or in the field of their choice? This depends on how many spots are available for that year, it can change year to year depending on the needs of the service, and how many applicants are applying. After a GMO you have a significant advantage or matching ahead of people matching straight out of school, but there is no guarantee. EM seems to be only becoming more competitive.
Are the 1 year internship programs military or civilian?
Both, if you dont match into a military spot you will have to enter the civilian match
Could I apply to two different specialties? Yes If not chosen for the first specialty choice, will the AF often place you into your second choice? (for example lets say the 2nd choice is less competitive field of family or internal medicine?) Yes Is this common? No clue, but why spend 3 years in an FM or IM program if your goal is to do EM.
I wouldn't mind serving as a flight surgeon for a bit, but I just wanted to get a feel for what happens in the (possibly likely?) case that I am not selected to go straight through. Do some people serve as flight surgeons for 3-4 years to pay their obligation back and then pursue a civilian residency? I've been told this is common. Does this work out? There are a lot of threads on this, but if youre not a good applicant for a field as a civiliian (ie abysmal board scores after multiple attempts), 4 years as a GMO isnt going to land you a spot in your dream specialty. I know a Flight Doc who wanted optho, after two GMO tours he still couldnt get a mil spot in optho, his board scores just didnt cut it. He got out and is doing a civ residency in his second choice. Ultimately, I just want to ensure that my doors are not closed and that I can eventually pursue a specialty of my choice (assuming not incredibly competitive fields such as derm, rads, optho, etc.)
Im sure everyone on here will tell you to look into FAP if you want to serve but want to make sure you match into your specialty of choice.
Any help is really appreciated!!
