I've looked around on these forums and wasn't about to quite tease out the differences in role between a Brigade Surgeon and a Battalion Surgeon. For background, I'm a pretty new internship trained GMO currently working in a TMC, waiting to be assigned to a more permanent role to complete my GMO assignment and apply for GME. Talking with the assignment officer, he wants to put me into a slot as a Brigade surgeon, which is typically an O4 position. I'm concerned about this, especially given my lack of leadership experience and relative lack of medical experience. Thoughts?
Difference in role of BDE and BN Surgeon
- Thread starter ahowardmd
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I'm curently brigade surgeon for an airborne brigade, previously a battalion surgeon with a deployed cavalry battalion. Trained as derm with subspecialty fellowship.
Bottom line- battalion surgeons see patients, brigade surgeons go to meetings. Depends somewhat on your brigade, but as a very junior O3, no one is going to listen to your opinion at those meetings, and the majors on your brigade staff will bury you alive with tasks, then publicly burn you for any failures or incomplete tasks. That's just the way it goes. You will be ineffectual as an O3 brigade surgeon, that's why the army has made dramatic steps (such as assigning a 1/1 O4 derm subspecialist) to make sure majors are the only ones filling these billets.
You need to tell your battalion commander to tell the brigade commander what is happening. Tell them what skill you have seeing patients will be lost with the admin role of a brigade surgeon, which you do not have the institutional knowledge or experience to succeed at.
Bottom line- battalion surgeons see patients, brigade surgeons go to meetings. Depends somewhat on your brigade, but as a very junior O3, no one is going to listen to your opinion at those meetings, and the majors on your brigade staff will bury you alive with tasks, then publicly burn you for any failures or incomplete tasks. That's just the way it goes. You will be ineffectual as an O3 brigade surgeon, that's why the army has made dramatic steps (such as assigning a 1/1 O4 derm subspecialist) to make sure majors are the only ones filling these billets.
You need to tell your battalion commander to tell the brigade commander what is happening. Tell them what skill you have seeing patients will be lost with the admin role of a brigade surgeon, which you do not have the institutional knowledge or experience to succeed at.
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Have you ever explained why a derm subspecialist as a brigade surgeon is a pretty good example of fraud, waste, and abuse?
6
68PGunner
This is pretty much on points when it comes to the real Army.
I find it hard to believe that your assignment officer would consider a non-residency trained junior CPT as a Brigade Surgeon. A Battalion Surgeon is more appropriate. Turkish is right that you will be buried not only from the line brigade staff who will out rank you but also senior PAs with more rank. In the Brigade especially in an operational setting, rank matters. It will not be pretty.
I've also worked as a Battalion Surgeon (CAV unit, Fort Hood) and Brigade Surgeon (MI Brigade, Fort Lewis). I would echo what Turkish said as he is spot on. As an O3 and a GMO you should stay away from a Brigade Surgon job.
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I was BDE Surgeon in Korea for 2 years. As BDE surgeon you worked as special staff officer to provide medical information to include medical readiness info to the commander so that he can make a good decision. I strongly advise to get hold of outgoing BDE surgeon to understand expectations and sit with BDE commander and his DCO to go over expectation.
You also supervise Battalion surgeon to accomplish mission. I saw patients and went to meetings. Meetings do not take place every day so it does not make sense if you do not see patients. Although I was junior O-3.... staff officers (O-4/O-5) respected me. I do not think you spending additional time as O-3 working as physician in the hospital will necessary prepare to become a good BDE surgeon. I went to BDE surgeon course and I felt that this was waste of time. This position requires to work learn as much as possible ( things you did not learn in medical school/residency) and if you have MSC officer (I didn't) you should closely work with him/her to get job done.
I actually enjoyed working as BDE surgeon.
You also supervise Battalion surgeon to accomplish mission. I saw patients and went to meetings. Meetings do not take place every day so it does not make sense if you do not see patients. Although I was junior O-3.... staff officers (O-4/O-5) respected me. I do not think you spending additional time as O-3 working as physician in the hospital will necessary prepare to become a good BDE surgeon. I went to BDE surgeon course and I felt that this was waste of time. This position requires to work learn as much as possible ( things you did not learn in medical school/residency) and if you have MSC officer (I didn't) you should closely work with him/her to get job done.
I actually enjoyed working as BDE surgeon.
