GMO Question - What do they do?

[brc1123]

Hey everyone,

I am considering a 1 or 2 year HPSP program and opting to go straight into GMO for 1 or 2 years in my branch and then get out, do my civilian residency, and practice as a specialized civilian physician.

However, I only have a vague idea of what a GMO (general medical officer) is and what they do. I could only find limited information on the internet and don't have anyone I can talk to about it personally.
Therefore, if anyone has been a GMO or has knowledge about GMO duties could they please comment on what it is like? Is it similar to a low level of emergency medicine/internal medicine? Are you ever in the front lines/exposed to active combat or generally stationed in a hospital? WIll you automatically be deployed during your time? Is it relativity safe? etc.

Note: I am currently a first year medical student and most interested in the Air Force but am open to any branch.

Thank you

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[Perrotfish]

I am considering a 1 or 2 year HPSP program and opting to go straight into GMO for 1 or 2 years in my branch and then get out, do my civilian residency, and practice as a specialized civilian physician.

The smallest obligation you can accept from the military through a scholarship program is 3 years of active service (8 years total service, the balance of which is served in the inactive ready reserve). Even 3 year scholarships are rare. Mostly the military wants you to be in for at least 4 years at a time. Usually there is no way to join for just a year or two of active duty. Very rarely, when the military is really short on a certain specialty, they will offer one or two year obligations for residency trained physicians in just that specialty if you join that year. Think trauma surgeons during the worst years of the Iraq war. Mostly, though, if you want to join the military you need to accept you will be on active duty for at least 3 years.

If you want just a year single year of active service your best option would probably be to join the reserves after residency and then to volunteer for a deployment during your obligation to the active reserves.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

If you’re interested in the AF, you can start here:

HPSP Fact Sheet

From that link:

Service Obligation for HPSP

• Serve a minimum 3 year commitment as an active duty staff physician, or 1 year for each year of scholarship participation (whichever is greater).
• 3 year HPSP recipients have a 3 year service obligation.
• 4 year HPSP recipients have a 4 year service obligation.

 

[backrow]

Someone please correct me if this is wrong:

if you take the signing bonus with a 3 year scholarship it is a 4 year payback.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Someone please correct me if this is wrong:

if you take the signing bonus with a 3 year scholarship it is a 4 year payback.

You are correct.

 

[brc1123]

The smallest obligation you can accept from the military through a scholarship program is 3 years of active service (8 years total service, the balance of which is served in the inactive ready reserve). Even 3 year scholarships are rare. Mostly the military wants you to be in for at least 4 years at a time. Usually there is no way to join for just a year or two of active duty. Very rarely, when the military is really short on a certain specialty, they will offer one or two year obligations for residency trained physicians in just that specialty if you join that year. Think trauma surgeons during the worst years of the Iraq war. Mostly, though, if you want to join the military you need to accept you will be on active duty for at least 3 years.

If you want just a year single year of active service your best option would probably be to join the reserves after residency and then to volunteer for a deployment during your obligation to the active reserves.

Ok thank you. I did not know the minimum was 3 years. With the 3 year active minimum would you then have to spend 5 years in reserve (to complete the 8 years you mentioned) or only 3 additional years to balance the 3 years active duty? Do you also know the likelihood of being deployed during the reserve time? It would not be ideal if I was training for a specialty and had to be deployed.

Thanks again for your comments.

 

[brc1123]

If you’re interested in the AF, you can start here:

HPSP Fact Sheet

From that link:

Service Obligation for HPSP

• Serve a minimum 3 year commitment as an active duty staff physician, or 1 year for each year of scholarship participation (whichever is greater).
• 3 year HPSP recipients have a 3 year service obligation.
• 4 year HPSP recipients have a 4 year service obligation.

Do you have to serve in the reserves after too? For how long?
Thanks

 

[HighPriest]

The federal government created GMOs to let Monsanto control your mind.