Civilian to Military -> Motivations and Logistics

[MSTP_To_MilMed]

Hi, everyone. I've been reading this forum on-and-off for quite some time now and have been researching military medicine. This forum has been incredibly helpful. Now that I am reaching a decision point, I was wondering if I could get some input about my motivations and plans.

A bit about me: I am nearly 30 and am completing my MD/PhD. I am considering military medicine because, for various personal reasons relating to my background, I feel a recurring sense of wanting to serve in the military and serve the country. It's an experience that I want, a feeling, that I don't think I can satisfy in any way - for all the reasons why professionally joining the military is an unorthodox decision, emotionally and psychologically it does make sense for me. Whenever I imagine *not* joining, I feel like it a decision I will always regret even if going through my normal academic training path is the more orthodox, straightforward decision.

Someone on this forum once said that the camaraderie of the military is the one thing that made all the other negatives worth it. Reading that made me very happy - it's that camaraderie that I'm looking for, that's the experience that I feel like I will always regret not taking a chance on and seeking out by serving. I hope this doesn't sound too ridiculous.

That being said, my first question is really this - for those of you in the military, is this a motivation that you believe makes sense? Will whatever idealism/naivete driving this decision be sufficient? I ask because this forum has so many threads about how difficult military medicine is as a training place - I realize this may be overly negative, but it has scared me a bit.

My second question is this: it is *technically* possible for a civilian to go from medical school to a military residency, and I am going to speak to my local recruiting persons about this path. In your opinion, is it simply better to join after residency as a direct commission or through FAP?

Thank you for your input!

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[MusicDOc124]

I served in the enlisted ranks, so I can't speak from any other perspective, but I'm glad I did it, and I got a lot out of it - in life, in experience, in friends/family, you name it. I'm considering coming back in if possible when I am finished with med school.

You have a few options depending on branch, which it seems you've already looked into. Yes, you can apply for the military match as a civilian, but chances are very low at matching that way.

As for FAP vs direct commission, and to which is better, that depends on you and what you want/need. Each has pros and cons. For instance, pay is low in residency, so with FAP, you'll receive a nice chunk of change and commission sooner, earning both time in grade and time in service This route leads to reserve service. As for direct after residency, you could go active or reserve, and you could receive a bonus that may or may not be less, the same, or larger than the amount you'd get in total from FAP. Depending on when exactly you join after residency, you could get credit for your experience and come in as an O-4, or if you have more extensive experience and/or fellowship, as an O-5. Mind you, if you go FAP as an O-3, you will be promoted over time at roughly the same rate as the time taken by working first and coming in later as an O-4/O-5. These are just a couple of the financial things - I'm assuming you have low/no debt, though, if you're in an MD/PhD. If you have/planning on having a family, you'll also earn the GI Bill if you go active duty or have enough active time from the reserves, which can be transferred to family later on after a certain amount of time in service.

If you want to serve, and it's for the right reasons, which it seems, go for it. The only unhappy people I've met during my time in service were people who did it for money or the GI Bill as opposed to having a true desire to serve.

 

[HighPriest]

I think your heart is in the right place. However, I personally don't feel any more camaraderie towards my fellow service members than I do for anyone I've worked with at any job. that being said, I also haven't deployed, nor did I serve enlisted or even as a line officer. I imagine (and believe) that those are very different experiences when compared with my own. I don't think you can compare time in the medical corps to time as an enlisted soldier with that regard.

I do feel very good about taking care of soldiers - especially when I'm taking care of soldiers who aren't just interested in avoiding work. However, you could get that same experience working at a VA or as a contractor.

I would caution you that there isn't, in my opinion, a real place for an MD/PhD in the military - certainly not in the Army. Your PhD would essentially go to waste during your service time.

And I have met many, many unhappy people in the Army, regardless of their initial reasons for joining - MEDCOM wears you down. The happy people I have met, for the most part, are either oblivious or so focused on a retirement package that nothing else matters as much to them (including their patients). But these were almost entirely docs. Most of the enlisted guys I've met, who joined for the right reasons, seem fairly happy.

 

[WernickeDO]

Having a desire to serve is, some would say, the only reason worth joining. At the end of the day, if you don't have this desire you will be disappointed.

If you wish to serve as a doc, you would be best off attempting to join after residency, with FAP. Or, I know there are other ways that board certified docs can come in on active duty, I will allow others to fill you in on that.

Personally, camaraderie is not enough for me to get sent to the middle of nowhere to see skinned knees or rot away in the newest Suckistan. But then again, maybe I am just a jerk and no one likes me. My usual advice is that if your medical career is more important than your military one, then you should avoid the military. But if you have a desire to serve, nothing will satisfy that save service. Good luck.

 

[HighPriest]

My usual advice is that if your medical career is more important than your military one, then you should avoid the military. But if you have a desire to serve, nothing will satisfy that save service. Good luck.

Agree here. If you want to be an officer who is a physician, then you'll be ok. If you want to be a physician who is in the military, you're going to have a bad time.

 

[Homunculus]

I would caution you that there isn't, in my opinion, a real place for an MD/PhD in the military - certainly not in the Army. Your PhD would essentially go to waste during your service time.

something to take to heart. similar for MD/MBA or the like. usually MD/PhDs are academically slanted, which as you can see in other threads is a difficult path to stay in for a career. but not impossible-- if you have a PhD in statistics, for example, you may be able to squirm in to a research department. but if you value that part of your title you should think about your quality of life if you never utilized it.

--your friendly neighborhood non parametric caveman

 

[MSTP_To_MilMed]

Hello, everyone - my sincere apologies for the late reply! I've read everything and thank you for your input.

I have taken it to heart that there is no place for an MD/PhD in the military, so I have made my peace with the fact that my PhD will likely be put to waste during whatever time I spend in the army.

I have been weighing the pros and cons of applying to residency, going through FAP, or doing direct commission after residency (thank you for the details on that, MusicDOc124).

My heart is set on residency, as I feel the urge to join soon. Additionally, there are only a couple of army hospitals that have the residency I am applying for and they are the major ones (Walter Reed, etc), so if I am lucky enough to be accepted, I know I will be at one of the army's major hospitals. This has been a concern of mine, as it is clear on this forum that there are some places that are perhaps not as desirable for training as others.

My current plan is to meet with the recruiters at the nearest army office soon - there is one nearby that apparently has expertise in the medical corps.

I am going to ask them the logistics of how one applies, what the odds of being accepted are, how FAP/direct commission work, etc. Once I have a better picture of the details and logistics, I will let you guys know what I'm thinking so I can get your further feedback!

Thank you again!
-Aspiring army physician!

 

[sonofva]

Make sure you get constructive credit for your PHD. I have a buddy with and MD/PHD who commissioned in as a MAJ.


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