A buddy of mine is a trained fighter pilot and looking to get into medical school. what does he have to do to ensure that he can come back as a pilot physician? All he owes is 2.5 years on a pcs, thanks in advance.
If you are talking about flight surgery (Navy?), he would only have to do an internship year (doing whatever) and apply for it as a GMO and/or apply for the aerospace medicine residency.
- Jul 23, 2004
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I think he's talking about the pilot physician program, where you spend your time both as pilot and physician.
Do they still have that kind of program? It sounds like a job on TV shows like JAG where they are pilots/doctors/specops/lawyers or like on House where everyone is an internist/neurosurgeon/lab tec/nurse.
OP, Here is an old thread on the subject.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=251887
The progam does still exist, but pilots rarely join it, even after completing residency. As one of the threads mentioned a few years ago, there are probably less than 10 pilot-physicians in the Air Force. And there is no way to guarantee selection to this program. I think you have to join after residency.