General Residency Question

[GAdoc]

I know this subject has been discussed thoroughly. However, I'm still having trouble finding solid answers. I interviewed at USUHS last Thursday. I loved it and am convinced that I would be a good fit for the school. I even understand that the Navy is the only branch that really still could require a GMO tour (something I was concerned about since I want to go straight through residency).

On the branch preference, I listed Air Force first, then Army, but I put that if I were offered either branch I would DEFINATELY accept. I know the army has many more residency opportunities. I'm not concerned about them. But were I to get Air Force, what are the current residencies available? Would I be limited to FP or IM? I need some no b.s. answers about it. Thanks

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[Mirror Form]

I even understand that the Navy is the only branch that really still could require a GMO tour (something I was concerned about since I want to go straight through residency).

I'm not sure where you're getting your information, but that's not true. You could easily get stuck doing a GMO tour in the Air Force. You're less likely to do one in the Army, but it's still a significant possibility.

On the branch preference, I listed Air Force first, then Army, but I put that if I were offered either branch I would DEFINATELY accept. I know the army has many more residency opportunities. I'm not concerned about them. But were I to get Air Force, what are the current residencies available? Would I be limited to FP or IM? I need some no b.s. answers about it. Thanks

No, you wouldn't be limited to just FP or IM. However, if you're not concerned about residency opportunities now, I guarantee that you will be later.

 

[GAdoc]

I'm not sure where you're getting your information, but that's not true. You could easily get stuck doing a GMO tour in the Air Force. You're less likely to do one in the Army, but it's still a significant possibility.


No, you wouldn't be limited to just FP or IM. However, if you're not concerned about residency opportunities now, I guarantee that you will be later.

At my interview I was told the Army almost never required GMO tours, and that the Air Force was quickly phasing them out. They also acted like a lot of students didn't consider the tours negative and actually enjoyed the experience of general medicine and the possibility of travel. Of course, I don't want this. It's not that I mind going wherever I'm sent...once I finish residency....I just don't want to have to split up my residency. Maybe I should call USUHS and request that Army be listed as my top choice (Even though Army and Air Force are both rated the same on my preference list). And, I am concerned about residency opportunities. In fact, residency issues will drive my decision to go/not to go more than anything else. What's the point in having school paid for if you can't become the kind of doctor you want?

But the concensus around the school was that most residencies (especially the surgeries) are fairly easy to obtain (at least in the Army). In fact, I was told that general surgery didn't even fill last year. Now, I'm not an idiot who believes everything he's told, but they would have had to standardize the stories of a lot of students for them all to say basically the same thing (and who knows, maybe that's what OIS does to you). Any more thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[jtriplet]

At my interview I was told the Army almost never required GMO tours, and that the Air Force was quickly phasing them out. They also acted like a lot of students didn't consider the tours negative and actually enjoyed the experience of general medicine and the possibility of travel. Of course, I don't want this. It's not that I mind going wherever I'm sent...once I finish residency....I just don't want to have to split up my residency. Maybe I should call USUHS and request that Army be listed as my top choice (Even though Army and Air Force are both rated the same on my preference list). And, I am concerned about residency opportunities. In fact, residency issues will drive my decision to go/not to go more than anything else. What's the point in having school paid for if you can't become the kind of doctor you want?

But the concensus around the school was that most residencies (especially the surgeries) are fairly easy to obtain (at least in the Army). In fact, I was told that general surgery didn't even fill last year. Now, I'm not an idiot who believes everything he's told, but they would have had to standardize the stories of a lot of students for them all to say basically the same thing (and who knows, maybe that's what OIS does to you). Any more thoughts would be appreciated.

As far as rank ordering your preferences is concerned, your top choice is the list you are on. What that means is, as it stands right now, they will only offer you an air force slot. So if they are all filled up, you will be on the waitlist for air force, despite the fact that there may still be open Army spots. They will not offer you the Army spot until there are no other individuals left on the Army waitlist. If you search my posts from last year, I found all this info out by talking to the Admissions office (very nice folks by the way).
Another thing to consider, you seem very intent on being able to go straight through residency. While that is understandable, realize that you are not in the driver's seat. The needs of the military will always come first. You must keep the mindset that as long as you are a military physician (notice, I did not say a physician in the military) most decisions about where and how you get to practice will be made by someone else. If you can live with that, great...this may be the place for you. Hopefully, I'll see you on campus next year.
If you have any questions regarding the rank list, I'll be more than happy to tell you what I learned last year. Feel free to PM me. Good luck with everything.
(by the way, I'm really enjoying my time here so far )

 

[Galo]

In fact, residency issues will drive my decision to go/not to go more than anything else. What's the point in having school paid for if you can't become the kind of doctor you want?

This is a very important comment you made here. If you embark with a military obligation now, there is a chance, that no matter what branch you are in, you will not be able to do a residency of your choice. I have also personally known a surgical resident that was pulled out of his surgical residency in his third year to be a GMO!! Not often but it happens.


Jtriplet gives you some good advice here:

Another thing to consider, you seem very intent on being able to go straight through residency. While that is understandable, realize that you are not in the driver's seat. The needs of the military will always come first. You must keep the mindset that as long as you are a military physician (notice, I did not say a physician in the military) most decisions about where and how you get to practice will be made by someone else. If you can live with that, great...this may be the place for you.

You have to realize that you are giving up some control over important life decisions. You may end up incurring more time to do the residency that you want, as their numbers of phycisian dwindle, they will have to fill their residencies first, and the likelyhood that you will get defered to do an outside residency will be less. I think you should carefully read the pro and con posts, and make sure this is what you want. With all that information, if you still choose to go, then you know what to expect, and it may work out for you.

Galo

 

[Mirror Form]

At my interview I was told the Army almost never required GMO tours, and that the Air Force was quickly phasing them out. They also acted like a lot of students didn't consider the tours negative and actually enjoyed the experience of general medicine and the possibility of travel.

Remember that when you get to the interview stage (for all med schools), the interviewers will try and paint a good picture of their institution. They're not a neutral source of information.

But the concensus around the school was that most residencies (especially the surgeries) are fairly easy to obtain (at least in the Army). In fact, I was told that general surgery didn't even fill last year. Now, I'm not an idiot who believes everything he's told, but they would have had to standardize the stories of a lot of students for them all to say basically the same thing (and who knows, maybe that's what OIS does to you). Any more thoughts would be appreciated.

I don't know about the class of '06's match. However, in the class of '05, I know two decent applicants that didn't get Army categorical gen surg slots, and have been forced to do GMO tours as a result.

 

[RichL025]

For class of 2006 USUHS - all army applicants who wanted GS got it, just not always choice of location. As far as USN/USAF applicants, I _think_ this holds true also but I'm not sure - I don't know for sure that I knew everyone who applied to GS.

To the OP, here is a list of GME possibilities for the army:
https://apps.mods.army.mil/MedEd/GME/Grids/ResidencyGrid.asp?ViewFromPublic=1

Keep in mind that this is always subject to change, and like othe rposters have pointed out, while the army probably has the lowest percentage of GMOs, it's still a possibility, espescially if the student is only so-so academically and is only applying to more competitive programs.

No army programs "require" a GMO tour like many of the Navy does.