combat zone

[mupirocin]

are family practice physicians/ residents(serving in the military/Af/navy) sent into combat zones?
is there some sort of army training required for a person willing to join military or naval residencies?
what is a resident required to do while serving his years of active duty? what happen while in reserves?
could someone please explain 😕

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[backrow]

are family practice physicians/ residents(serving in the military/Af/navy) sent into combat zones?
is there some sort of army training required for a person willing to join military or naval residencies?
what is a resident required to do while serving his years of active duty? what happen while in reserves?
could someone please explain 😕

Succinctly:
yes
yes
be a resident.
same thing as active except less often, unless recalled to active

 

[kwiggo]

are family practice physicians/ residents(serving in the military/Af/navy) sent into combat zones?
is there some sort of army training required for a person willing to join military or naval residencies?
what is a resident required to do while serving his years of active duty? what happen while in reserves?
could someone please explain 😕

Judging by your questions, I assume you are a med student (or soon to be med student) who is thinking about signing up for HPSP. I joined Army HPSP this year, in late March of my first year. I only did it after looking into all the different service loan forgiveness programs (there are a lot of them). MAKE SURE you talk to other med students already in the program, as well as military physicians to help you figure out if it is right for you. Don't trust recruiters. They will tell you whatever they think you want to hear and, in my experience, are usually unable to give med students data to back up their statements. From a finiancial point of view, joining the army did not make sense to me. My med school already gave me a half scholarship, plus I would make more money as a civilian surgeon than I ever will in the army. I joined because I am FIRED UP to serve my country as a doctor/officer and to take care of the boys over in the Middle East. I am going to be a great doctor. If I don't take care of them, some inferior person might, and that will mean some poor family doesn't get their son, brother, husband, father, etc. home. If this sounds like you, let's talk more. I'll give you more info in an honest way, because there is definitely a lot of sacrifice in making the commitment.

 

[navysurgeon]

"If I don't take care of them, some inferior person might"...

unfortunately, you're surrounded be incompetant physicians in the military...you might be an island of responsibility and caring, but once you go off duty, your brilliant partners will **** things up for your 'boys'....

stay out of military medicine=stay out of the desert

TNS

 

[usnavdoc]

All military physicians are at "risk" of deploying.(risk being relative to what you want to do) Physicians in a training status do not deploy and their only function is to be a intern/resident/fellow. Some MTFs will require them to have some military admin collateral duties but not most.

Do you have specific questions about deploying? Ive deployed 3 times in the last 3 years with USMC. One more year to go before I get out and get back into residency.

I can say this. I dont regret what I did, but it has been a sacrifice in several ways. And being in combat is not glammorous at all. Dont sign up if money is your only consideration. Not worth it and in the end it doesnt save you all that much. I mostly did it for the money but I also felt obligated "to do my part." Then after 911 everything changed so I did three deployments back to back b/c I wanted to do my part. Now I feel somewhat different.

 

[mupirocin]

Judging by your questions, I assume you are a med student (or soon to be med student) who is thinking about signing up for HPSP. I joined Army HPSP this year, in late March of my first year. I only did it after looking into all the different service loan forgiveness programs (there are a lot of them). MAKE SURE you talk to other med students already in the program, as well as military physicians to help you figure out if it is right for you. Don't trust recruiters. They will tell you whatever they think you want to hear and, in my experience, are usually unable to give med students data to back up their statements. From a finiancial point of view, joining the army did not make sense to me. My med school already gave me a half scholarship, plus I would make more money as a civilian surgeon than I ever will in the army. I joined because I am FIRED UP to serve my country as a doctor/officer and to take care of the boys over in the Middle East. I am going to be a great doctor. If I don't take care of them, some inferior person might, and that will mean some poor family doesn't get their son, brother, husband, father, etc. home. If this sounds like you, let's talk more. I'll give you more info in an honest way, because there is definitely a lot of sacrifice in making the commitment.

yes i do want to serve my country . that is part of the reason i want to join. i was always under the impression that family medicine (thats what i want to do) people would be sent to combat zones(i've been dreaming of it). not that i think its glamorous. no not at all. but it does inspire me. i was told by some people, however, that surgeons had a better chance of being deployed. Now I do find that absurd, but just wanted to make sure i knew exactly what i had in store.
One thing that concerns me about the army is the issue of personal freedom and preferences. could someone please give insight. dont want to regret later. If it means I'd get more choice if i join army after med school,I'd do that.

 

[MoosePilot]

yes i do want to serve my country . that is part of the reason i want to join. i was always under the impression that family medicine (thats what i want to do) people would be sent to combat zones(i've been dreaming of it). not that i think its glamorous. no not at all. but it does inspire me. i was told by some people, however, that surgeons had a better chance of being deployed. Now I do find that absurd, but just wanted to make sure i knew exactly what i had in store.
One thing that concerns me about the army is the issue of personal freedom and preferences. could someone please give insight. dont want to regret later. If it means I'd get more choice if i join army after med school,I'd do that.

Now let me clarify - do you want to go to combat zones?

I have carried numerous doctors into and out of the combat zone. I never carried a surgeon, although one was a GMO with a one year surgical internship. I know I carried a pediatrician who was serving as a general practitioner and I think I recall a gynecologist in the same situation.

If you want to go into theater, you can probably jump in line in front of a bunch of people who don't want to, because they've been already or don't like being away from home. Much easier than avoiding it, probably, although I wouldn't rule out the military refusing to send a volunteer, because it's too close to doing what someone actually wants to do...

 

[navysurgeon]

Mupirocin posted "yes i do want to serve my country"

If that's true Mupirocin, than why not train as a FP in one of the Indian Health Service scholarships, and do REAL primary care for people that truly need it...?


Why waste your skills as a military doc supporting the distorted and ill-conceived foreign policies of our current war-mongering president? You're not helping anyone in in that scenario...

Stay out of the military.

TNS

 

[qqq]

Christ on a cracker! Do you people really think that military medicine is just a way to pay your med school bills!!!! I am absolutely sick of hearing the milk and cookies crowd whining about being a military physician, while those of us with ACTUAL military experience and actual deployments get denied military scholarships. Quit your whining! Go die in Iraq you pansies!!!

At first I thought you said "Go die in Iraq you penises!!!" I was laughing my head off. Then I re-read it and it said "pansies" instead and so I guess it was not funny at all.

 

[GMO2003]

speaking of deploying to the sand...what have you taken with you in your "go to war bag?" just curious

 

[BOHICA-FIGMO]

Christ on a cracker! Do you people really think that military medicine is just a way to pay your med school bills!!!! I am absolutely sick of hearing the milk and cookies crowd whining about being a military physician, while those of us with ACTUAL military experience and actual deployments get denied military scholarships. Quit your whining! Go die in Iraq you pansies!!!

I would like to publically apologize for these remarks as I feel they were misinterpreted. I meant no disrespect to those currently or formerly serving in the military. In fact, I have been active duty Air Force for the past 11 years. I simply meant to convey my frustration at what I percieve to be a some people's motivations for joining the military. I feel that first and foremost, one should join the military for love of country (not simply scholarship money) and every military member (even physicians) should be willing to lay down their life for that cause. Unfortunately, that point did not come across in my emotional state when writing the post. Therefore, I apologize for any perceived insult or injury that my comments may have caused. I will exercise greater restraint in the future.

 

[navysurgeon]

none taken, i think most of us knew what you meant...all except for that really up-tight military guy...no covers in the o-club, tight ass! what's his name?

 

[usnavdoc]

I just think we need to be honest in a forum like this for people to make an educated choice. I agree money should not be the only reason to committ to the military. But at the education level we are talking about we would be fools if we didnt think it is a factor. Believe me the navy knows it is a factor that draws people in. In an ideal world service would be the only factor. But we are far from an ideal world. Comparing the rising cost of education/living with the costs of service is an important conversation for those looking at the HPSP. And service does cost whether you agree with it or not. Whether you are talking about emmotional costs of deployments to austere/combat environments, time away from family/lost relationships/divorces, and everything else. Of course there also untangible benefits to the military...life experience, travel, and of course the chance to serve your country.

As far as politics, I think that has no bearing on anything in this forum. Peoples opinions of the administration should be regarded as what they are... opinions. I dont consider myself republican or democrat but I think we should be above that in a thread like this. If we want to discuss differences of opinions start a new thread. And I am sure with our education we can keep everything civil...right...lol

My personal slant is this. I joined for money as well as a felt obligation due to family history and need to serve the country. After 911 things changed for us all. I deployed the first time to a combat zone out of a sense of duty. Very excited actually to see combat and participate and all. I volunteered the second time because I had friends going with that unit and the doctor going with them was very vocal about not wanting to go so I volunteered because I wanted to be there to take care of my friends if they needed it. Now after a few close calls and a very close one, I feel differently. I in no way want to get shot at again or blown up again. I was lucky to not be injured and pressing that luck is not what I personally desire to do. There are plenty of GMOs who need to carry their weight as well.

This brings up an entirely different point for those considering HPSP. And that is the differences between the branch of services. Many people think the Navy would be one of the safer branches. That is definitely not true at least from the gmo perspective.

 

[edmadison]

--your friendly neighborhood hope Iraq dies down in the next 2 years caveman

You bring the chips, I bring the dip

Ed

 

[leumas614]

I'd like to hear from some people who have combat experience in the medical corps. What's it like? How often? etc.