Derm Residency after 4 year GMO tour (HPSP)

[expat11]

I apologize if this has already been answered in another thread. I've been perusing this forum for a few hours and haven't stumbled upon the answer so hopefully someone can help enlighten me. I have just recently been accepted into medical school and I have been considering the HPSP scholarship. I have done extensive research on it and I realize the pros and cons of taking the scholarship, so if you are replying just to discourage me from doing it, please leave your comments elsewhere. I am primarily considering doing a 4-year GMO tour (if I were to take the scholarship) in order to pay back my time and then doing a civilian residency. However, my major goal is to do a derm residency. Again, I realize the difficulties in achieving this and I don't need to be discouraged. My major question is would it make it more difficult to get into a derm residency after doing the GMO tour or would it be looked on favorably? I know a lot of members have reported that it was actually a benefit when considering specialties such as EM or ENT, as well as family practice, but I haven't seen many comments towards how it affects derm residency. If you have any experience or knowledge regarding this, please let me know. Thank you in advance!

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[MrBigglesworth]

If you had a military career prior to med school, I think that would help.

After doing a GMO tour, I doubt it will make a difference with civilian residencies.

Scores, grades, and research still matter the most.

 

[Navy1234]

I did exactly what you are looking at doing. 4yr HPSP and then 4 yrs of payback as a UMO. I had good steps, AOA and what-not from med school that I’m sure got me past all the filters, but having that experience seemed to be the icing on the cake for my application. I believe I got numerous interviews based on that experience alone. I am a pgy4 now. Would I do 4 years of GMO “just” to top off my derm application? That seems crazy given there are plenty of other ways to make your application better that don’t take numerous years. I didn’t do it on purpose and I got really lucky along the way. BUT, does having served in the military as a GMO help your application? Sure. Feel free to pm me with further questions.

 

[Armyhealth]

Why not military residency for Derm? There are three military Dermatology residencies (Army, Navy, Air Force). These are located in Washington DC (Army, Navy), San Diego (Navy), and San Antonio (Army, Air Force). Here are the websites for the Army programs. Unless you just are really interested in doing GMO.

https://www.bamc.amedd.army.mil/saushec/gme/residency/dermatology/

https://www.wrnmmc.capmed.mil/ResearchEducation/GME/SitePages/Dermatology/Residency.aspx