Getting a deferment?

[masteropuppets]

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I am an HPSP and applying in Anesthesiology and so far I have received GREAT interview requests. These programs are frankly better than the Army...is there a way of getting a deferment, since I am SURE that I will be picked by th Army in Dec? I would not mind doing an Army residency, BUT!!

I know it sounds selfish, but can anyone help?

JH

 

[Mirror Form]

I am an HPSP and applying in Anesthesiology and so far I have received GREAT interview requests...Hopkins, 'Bama, Utah, etc. These programs are frankly better than the Army...is there a way of getting a deferment, since I am SURE that I will be picked by th Army in Dec? I would not mind doing an Army residency, but HOPKINS!?!

I know it sounds selfish, but can anyone help?

JD

Unfortunately, you're unlikely to get a deferrment. You can take a risk by not interviewing at any of the army programs. If there are a lot of anesthesia applicants, then you won't be picked up and *probably* will get a deferrment. However, if you there are aren't tons of applicants, you'll get stuck with the least competitive slot.

Also, there's always the risk that you might not automatically get a deferrment to a civilian program (policies change).

 

[militarymd]

I am an HPSP and applying in Anesthesiology and so far I have received GREAT interview requests...Hopkins, 'Bama, Utah, etc. These programs are frankly better than the Army...is there a way of getting a deferment, since I am SURE that I will be picked by th Army in Dec? I would not mind doing an Army residency, but HOPKINS!?!

I know it sounds selfish, but can anyone help?

JD

What if you get a deferment but then don't match??? 😱

 

[IgD]

You might get a deferment for PGY1 but then what?

 

[bogatyr]

If you don't interview at either BAMC or Reed you will not be selected for anesthesia training in the Army. There are more applicants this year than spots (judging by the number of MS 4s who have rotated already). My understanding is that you will then be granted a full deferral for training, unlike the AF where you have to compete for a deferral. Also, they are offering gov't sponsored deferrals this year in anesthesia, if you want to sign your life away. I was in the same shoes as you last year, and thought, since I joined HPSP for the money (before this forum), I better take an Army residency for the extra $15K a year. After seeing a few programs I came to decide that residencies are more alike than they are different, except that on the civilian side I could have landed a spot with less call. Who knows, after you interview you may not be so ga-ga over Hopkins, most of my buddies weren't. Just be sure when you come back on active duty you remind us constantly how much better you residency was.

 

[militarymd]

Yeah, we had a guy who would always say "At Mayo, we'd do it this way...."

Finally, I said "Well, at GITMO Naval hospital, we do it the other way...."

 

[Mirror Form]

I'm here at BAMC now, with an interview scheduled for Monday...should I skip it? Honestly, only two of the attendings here at BAMC are good, the rest are arrogant and poor teachers. I won't interview at WRAMC when I'm there...so what if I then put my rank order list as 1. WRAMC, 2. MAMC, 3. EAMC, 4. TAMC, 5. BAMC, 6. WBAMC...do you think that'll allow me to move on to the NRMP?

Again, it has more to do with the fact that I don't really like these attendings, and the only good ones are leaving in 3 years when I'll be a CA-1?!?

HELP!

So you're rotating at BAMC now? In that case in might be too late to make sure nobody selects you since you're already a known entity.

 

[bobbyseal]

What if you get a deferment but then don't match??? 😱

Not match in anesthesia... Ha! Anesthesia is like the statue of liberty -

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

 

[bustbones26]

I'm here at BAMC now, with an interview scheduled for Monday...should I skip it? Honestly, only two of the attendings here at BAMC are good, the rest are arrogant and poor teachers. I won't interview at WRAMC when I'm there...so what if I then put my rank order list as 1. WRAMC, 2. MAMC, 3. EAMC, 4. TAMC, 5. BAMC, 6. WBAMC...do you think that'll allow me to move on to the NRMP?

Again, it has more to do with the fact that I don't really like these attendings, and the only good ones are leaving in 3 years when I'll be a CA-1?!?

HELP!

So you think you have a chance to go to Hopkins? Well that is great and I am happy for you but heed my advise, whatever you do, do not, I repeat, do not burn your bridges with the Army! Don't skip this interview, don't pi$$ off your attendings, no matter how arrogant they are (I am sure you won't find any resdient or staff that are arrogant at hopkins ).

But just keep in mind, no matter where you train for the next years of your life, the army owns you when you are done! You will be an attending at an army hospital (or theater) in the future and you won't get out of it (unless you get medical discharge or happen to have lots of money lying around so you can buy out your scholarship).

And of course, you already know all of this, so why am I reminding you of this? Because as an gasman in the military you are going to cross paths with people from your past on a regular basis. The army community of physicians is small. So don't pi$$ them off!! If you make yourself known as a person who is to good for them, skips interviews, etc. Then AMEDD will remember this when you are all finished with residency and your first slot as an attending will likely be a crappy one.

So go to your interview, be happy, if you want deferrment, then by all means go for it, but in the mean time, don't burn your bridges with the army, they can make your life miserable if you do so.

Now if you want deferment, this is my advice, and this advise comes right from attendings I know that are on selection committees.

AT your interviews, express you interest in gas, but also let them know, in a very non-arrogant fashion, that BAMC is not for you. Let them know that you'd prefer a civ deferment for (insert reason) but any reason besides that the army sucks. If the attendings sense that you would be unhappy at BAMC, despite your academic record compared to other applicants, they are likely to not rank you

 

[bogatyr]

I agree with busty. Go to your interview. Just tell Drs. Malchow and Longenecker that you would rather go civilian and don't want to be at BAMC. I guarantee you they don't want anyone that doesn't want to be there. There is also some way to submit a letter with your application packet pleading your case for a deferment, you could ask the GME folks how to do this.

 

[masteropuppets]

OK, OK, let me say that I NEVER had any intention of skipping my interview, I have WAY to much respect and fear of Malchow & Longenecker; I was only asking hypotheticals. Only 2-3 of the staff are arrogant (one is a civilian contractor), the rest are fantastic teachers. BAMC is a terrific program, and I would love to match there, but my #1 reason to match civilian is to be closer to family in another part of the country. Hopkins was just an example and a pleasant surprise that I received an interview request; I was just being very neurotic about ANY chance at a deferment. I've decided that it would be an honor to perform my residency with the Army; and they have better pay and perks while I'm a resident anyway. So thanks for the advice and we can let this one die.

 

[FliteSurgn]

OK, OK, let me say that I NEVER had any intention of skipping my interview, I have WAY to much respect and fear of Malchow & Longenecker; I was only asking hypotheticals. Only 2-3 of the staff are arrogant (one is a civilian contractor), the rest are fantastic teachers. BAMC is a terrific program, and I would love to match there, but my #1 reason to match civilian is to be closer to family in another part of the country. Hopkins was just an example and a pleasant surprise that I received an interview request; I was just being very neurotic about ANY chance at a deferment. I've decided that it would be an honor to perform my residency with the Army; and they have better pay and perks while I'm a resident anyway. So thanks for the advice and we can let this one die.

Judging from your edits and deleted post, I'll bet you wish that you'd never started this thread! Open mouth, insert foot.