Comparison between each military branch

[Roly Poly]

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Hello folks,

I am currently comparing the different scholarship programs that are offered from the Air Force, Navy, Army and the National Health Service Corps. I need help to clear the difference. HELP!!!!

😕😕😕

 

[Gastrapathy]

Hello folks,

I am currently comparing the different scholarship programs that are offered from the Air Force, Navy, Army and the National Health Service Corps. I need help to clear the difference. HELP!!!!

😕😕😕

Join the Army...go to Iraq
Join the AF...go to Iraq
Join the Navy...go to Iraq
Join the PHS...go to South Dakota

Seriously, there is lots of information here. There are more similarities than differences between the services. The Navy has GMO tours including flight surgery (which means spending 6 mo learning to fly planes rather than the abbreviated AF or Army version) and people think that is a plus or a minus. Location of bases is different. Most Army bases are in the south, although there is a large hospital in Washington State and Hawaii. AF is pretty spread out and has more isolated duty. Navy hospitals tend to be coastal (with some obvious exceptions). Army has a larger presence in Europe. Navy in Japan. I'd stay away from AF medicine at the moment, as I think their programs are in the biggest jeopardy. You haven't joined yet, so spend a long time reading this forum and making sure that joining any service is the right thing for you.

 

[shadowclaws]

Talk to each of the recruiters (AF, Army, Navy) to get each of their opinions. Air force seems to be the most popular as they usually fill most of their HSPS scholarships. Army uses the most doctors and has the most bases (locations). The money you get from the scholarships are the same, so just pick one that best suits you.

 

[Perrotfish]

From what I've read on this site:

Navy: Positives: $20,000 signing bonus Negatives: Good chance of serving a GMO tour you don't want to serve

Army: Positives: Best opportunity to get straight through training in your residency of choice, wide variety of base locations. Negatives: Endless deployments

Air Force: Haven't heard many positive reviews.

You'll get more detailed information reading through other threads.

 

[Boopieness]

Look into the reserves. Specifically, National Guard.
You get much more freedom and bennies then Active Duty.

90 day rotations in country after residency (no year long deployments for docs or dentists in reserves in place since 2003, unless you are commander of your unit. Then, you are there for duration.)

50K Loan repayment after residency (may go up this year)

STRAP stipend while in medical school with no stipulation to go into any specific specialty (non-deployable)

STRAP stipend while in residency for certain specialties (non-deployable)

Flexible Training Program for docs/dentists/med/dent students (show up to drill and study as I have my med students do or speak with commander about your hectic schedule and show up once per quarter.)

Bonus after board certificationif in certain critical wartime shortage specialty

Many National Guard states will grant full/partial tuition waiver (depends on the state) if you attend a public/state medical school.

Reserve GI Bill as an officer
and tuition assistance available every year (same $$ as active duty.)

Paid away elective rotations during 3rd and 4rth year at military installations that count toward med school curriculum and reserve retirement.

$2500 CME every year for CONUS conference (after officer training.)

Opportunity for 2 week humanitarian aid missions overseas.
great way to network with other medical professionals and get letters of recommendation for the Match

Looks good on the resume

Opportunity to take command (still part-time) if you want it as a doc
Opportunity in your career to be the State Surgeon (top doc in your state, still part-time command position)

opportunities for training: (Army)
Combat Casualty Care Course
Flight Surgeon Course
Airborne
Air assault
Captain's career course
EFMB

Direct commission upon acceptance to med school.
Automatic Captain once you graduate.

If you are prior service (Active or Reserve), you get paid more.

If you work for Veterans Administration on the civilian side as a doc they make up the difference in your pay when deployed. VA also supports your service.
VA also has loan repayment for docs. (And get paid higher at VA if you were prior service. also, Veterans preference in hiring.)

Small pension after twenty years for reserves.
Awesome military vacations via MWR facilities (same as AD)
Commissary privileges
PX priviliges
tremendous respect of your civilian colleagues every day for serving
same exact ID card as Active Duty
Same exact uniform as AD
You get paid at the same rate as AD when on Active Duty, despite only part-time service the rest of the year.

You get to choose your own discipline for residency
You get to match into a location you want on your match list.
You can easily switch states if you match in another state.
You choose your own $$civilian practice$$ and can easily interstate transfer if you want after residency.

And no Gastrapathy, I am not a recruiter. 😱
Although, it does amaze me why anyone would want or stay active duty especially, with the way they get treated. (Just randomly read some of their posts)

I am a happy and proud to serve Army National Guard doc and combat veteran.

Anyone in Illinois interested, message me.
Otherwise, you can google everything I have mentioned above to pursue it on your own.

Peace out
B

 

[a1qwerty55]

From what I've read on this site:

Navy: Positives: $20,000 signing bonus Negatives: Good chance of serving a GMO tour you don't want to serve

Army: Positives: Best opportunity to get straight through training in your residency of choice, wide variety of base locations. Negatives: Endless deployments

Air Force: Haven't heard many positive reviews.

You'll get more detailed information reading through other threads.

I'd agree with all of the above. I would however argue that the frequency of deployments is similar for AF, USN and Army but the duration of deployments are far longer in the Army.

 

[Doctor]

Navy: Positives: $20,000 signing bonus Negatives: Good chance of serving a GMO tour you don't want to serve

Even with that $20,000 bonus, the Navy seems a raw deal compared to the other two. The GMO tour pays you the same as a resident, correct? So you are basically giving up a year of being a full-pay military doc @$106,000 for a GMO tour that pays $56,000?

If I'm right about GMO pay, it would seem the Navy is giving you $20,000 and then taking back $50,000. Bringing you to a net loss of $30,000 if you pick Navy instead of Army or Air Force.

 

[DiveMD]

Even with that $20,000 bonus, the Navy seems a raw deal compared to the other two. The GMO tour pays you the same as a resident, correct? So you are basically giving up a year of being a full-pay military doc @$106,000 for a GMO tour that pays $56,000?

If I'm right about GMO pay, it would seem the Navy is giving you $20,000 and then taking back $50,000. Bringing you to a net loss of $30,000 if you pick Navy instead of Army or Air Force.

If you are a single guy/gal; just take the loans and stay away from the military. Read this forum and learn...

 

[rotatores]

The GMO tour pays you the same as a resident, correct? So you are basically giving up a year of being a full-pay military doc @$106,000 for a GMO tour that pays $56,000?

Not correct! While serving a GMO you get paid a 15K per year bonus (3 years equals 45K before taxes). In the end...serving a GMO vs. staying straight through residency come out almost even!

rotatores
PGY-2 Pediatrics

 

[Gastrapathy]

Not correct! While serving a GMO you get paid a 15K per year bonus (3 years equals 45K before taxes). In the end...serving a GMO vs. staying straight through residency come out almost even!

rotatores
PGY-2 Pediatrics

While its true that as a GMO you are eligible for ASP ($15K), you are not eligible for ISP (which ranges from $14-$40+K). So, you definitely lose money by being a GMO.

 

[rotatores]

While its true that as a GMO you are eligible for ASP ($15K), you are not eligible for ISP (which ranges from $14-$40+K). So, you definitely lose money by being a GMO

Well...considering you wouldn't be eligible for ISP as a resident anyways...so NO...you would'nt lose money.

So again...NOT CORRECT!

Do the math people!

rotatores
PGY-2 Pediatrics

 

[Mirror Form]

From what I've read on this site:

Navy: Positives: $20,000 signing bonus Negatives: Good chance of serving a GMO tour you don't want to serve

Army: Positives: Best opportunity to get straight through training in your residency of choice, wide variety of base locations. Negatives: Endless deployments

Air Force: Haven't heard many positive reviews.

You'll get more detailed information reading through other threads.

I agree with everything here except your point about the Army having a "wide variety of base locations." The army may have more locations than AF and Navy, but many of those locations are in places that nobody would ever want to live. So yeah, you'll have a wide selection of bases in the middle of nowhere to choose from.

 

[Gastrapathy]

Well...considering you wouldn't be eligible for ISP as a resident anyways...so NO...you would'nt lose money.

So again...NOT CORRECT!

Do the math people!

rotatores
PGY-2 Pediatrics

You know, if you are going to be this cocky, you should at least be right.

Now its your turn to do the math and I'll even use your residency as an example (which understates the difference for most of us).

HPSP scholarship = 4 year committment.

Straight-through residency: no ASP or ISP
4 year payback with both ASP and ISP.
total ASP and ISP paid over 7 years of service = $116000 (14K+15K x 4 years)

or:

internship: no ASP or ISP
GMO: ASP only x 2 years
residency: no ASP or ISP
2 year paypack: ASP and ISP x 2 years
total ASP and ISP paid over 7 years of service = $88000

88000<116000 (thats me "doing the math")

the difference is the same for usu students, its just spread over 10 years instead of 7.

so a pediatrics trainee who goes straight-through gets $28,000 more in medical bonuses over their period of obligated service. Base pay and other bonuses are equivalent since they are based on time in service.

 

[rotatores]

Last time I checked ISP for pediatrics was 12K!

So you "doing the math" is again incorrect!...should be more like 108K to 84K!

In any case you're right...assuming one doesn't do any moonlighting during GMO...BUT...if you consider the amount of hours you work during GMO compaired with residency then you are making more money per hour with GMO (I'm reaching but correct).

rotatores
PGY-2 Pediatrics

 

[Gastrapathy]

Last time I checked ISP for pediatrics was 12K!

So you "doing the math" is again incorrect!...should be more like 108K to 84K!

In any case you're right...assuming one doesn't do any moonlighting during GMO...BUT...if you consider the amount of hours you work during GMO compaired with residency then you are making more money per hour with GMO (I'm reaching but correct).

rotatores
PGY-2 Pediatrics[/quote}

I assumed that it couldn't be less than the ISP for IM. What can I say, pretty sad. Just as an aside, if you count deployment as working 24/7, GMO time was not less hours than residency was for me. And we were forbidden from moonlighting.

 

[sethco]

Just as an aside, if you count deployment as working 24/7, GMO time was not less hours than residency was for me. And we were forbidden from moonlighting.

Cosign