I want to serve in the military for my internship/residency please advise!!!

[JasonGom]

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I know I am still young to talk about this at my age, as I am a high school senior, but I always wanted to be a soldier and a surgeon. I thought why not combine the two by being an ARMY SURGEON, for a limited time of course. I always wanted to receive my doctor training in foreign countries, where aid is direly needed, I always wanted to go out in the forefront of war, I always wanted to the UNUSUAL!!! Please give me advice in serving as Medical intern in the military (any branch) instead of serving as a regular civilian intern.

Here are some basic questions:
1. Will I be able to attend the Medical school of my choice?
2. Can I be shipped over seas maybe to wars or other countries to serve as an intern?
3. Will i still be able to serve in any specialty after the army?
4. Can i serve my internship in the army?
5. Is it the same as serving as a civilian internship?
6. How many years does it take to become a doctor in the military versus the civilian time needed to become a MD?

Please tell me all the things associated with being an Army Surgeon/PHysician/Medical intern!!!

Please lead me to accomplish my dreams!!!

Thank You!!!

 

[the duck]

I'd try reading and searching a bit more before you post.

First off, you need to focus on getting into medical school.

But I'll answer a few of your questions to humor you.

You can attend any US medical school, and serve in the military. It will take the same amount of time to become a doc in the army as it does as a civilian. Someone you actually knows something about the military correct me if I'm wrong, but you won't be going overseas as a resident. You will complete you training in VA hospitals, and then serve as an attending at a combination of VA hospitals, and foreign location.

 

[JasonGom]

I'd try reading and searching a bit more before you post.

First off, you need to focus on getting into medical school.

But I'll answer a few of your questions to humor you.

You can attend any US medical school, and serve in the military. It will take the same amount of time to become a doc in the army as it does as a civilian. Someone you actually knows something about the military correct me if I'm wrong, but you won't be going overseas as a resident. You will complete you training in VA hospitals, and then serve as an attending at a combination of VA hospitals, and foreign location.

Well I did read several of the stickies and some of the posts in this forum. They used so many abbreviations that i couldnt understand most of what they were saying...yeah sorry.

But thanks for answering some of my questions. So i wont be able to go overseas or be a combat surgeon while im an intern or resident? Dang that sucks....

When do you sign up to do this program? Before med school or after?

Also i read that one would have to serve longer as an intern or resident in the army than in civilian hospitals...is this true? I dont mind as long its not TOO long...

 

[Apollyon]

I'd try reading and searching a bit more before you post.

First off, you need to focus on getting into medical school.

But I'll answer a few of your questions to humor you.

You can attend any US medical school, and serve in the military. It will take the same amount of time to become a doc in the army as it does as a civilian. Someone you actually knows something about the military correct me if I'm wrong, but you won't be going overseas as a resident. You will complete you training in VA hospitals, and then serve as an attending at a combination of VA hospitals, and foreign location.

No, no training at VA hospitals (unless completing a civilian residency, wherein your program may be affiliated with the VA), unless the VA is attached to a military hospital (like the Matsunaga VA attached to Tripler Army Medical Center). Likewise, as an active duty military medical officer, you won't staff the VA unless it is attached to an active duty medical facility.

The question of going overseas or onto Active Duty while a resident is a variable and evolving question; namely, that is the "GMO" tour - "General Medical Officer". The GMO has been someone who has had one sole year of training (an intern year), then is sent to a location to work as the doctor - the "surgeon" (even if one is not a "surgeon", per se). Not all services use them, and, by the time you get there, possibly none will.

I shall stop there, because I am not a military doc.

 

[DeadCactus]

I know I am still young to talk about this at my age, as I am a high school senior, but I always wanted to be a soldier and a surgeon.

It's always good to think about what you want to do with your life, but keep an open mind for the next few years. People change a lot in the years following high school. Work hard, keep the medical school door open, and avoid pigeon holing yourself into a career by defining yourself by one possible career.

I thought why not combine the two by being an ARMY SURGEON, for a limited time of course.

Because being both is not a cumulative sum of the two. It's an average. Just because either option sounds great doesn't mean the combined career will be satisfactory. I'm not saying you won't find it satisfactory; it's just important to make the distinction between being an Army surgeon and the largely fictional position of being a front-line soldier AND a surgeon.

I always wanted to receive my doctor training in foreign countries, where aid is direly needed (This makes no sense. Those countries aren't in-need because of their amazing medical training. Volunteering abroad and training abroad are two completely different things.), I always wanted to go out in the forefront of war (Never met a high school kid who didn't. The military's not going to send their physicians to kick in doors. If you want to be on the front-line, you're looking at being a medic.), I always wanted to the UNUSUAL!!! Please give me advice in serving as Medical intern in the military (any branch) instead of serving as a regular civilian intern.

I'm not certain you understand what an intern is.

Here are some basic questions:
1. Will I be able to attend the Medical school of my choice?
2. Can I be shipped over seas maybe to wars or other countries to serve as an intern? For the most part, no. You're useless as an intern.
3. Will i still be able to serve in any specialty after the army? It depends. For the most part, yes IF you are patient enough.
4. Can i serve my internship in the army? Yes.
5. Is it the same as serving as a civilian internship? For the most part, yes.
6. How many years does it take to become a doctor in the military versus the civilian time needed to become a MD? Same time.

Please tell me all the things associated with being an Army Surgeon/PHysician/Medical intern!!!

Worry about medical school first. And learn the training pipeline for physicians.

Medical Student -> Intern -> Resident -> Attending

Internship and residency training are often, but not always, the same program with the internship being the first year in the residency program. Life as a military intern or resident is not going to be significantly different from the civilian counterparts in terms of where you work and what you do there.

The differences arise once you're a fully trained attending or if you do a tour as a General Medical Officer (GMO) between internship and residency.

Also note that there are programs to become a military physician at each step of the above training pipeline. Each has its pros and cons. Worrying about them before you're applying to medical school is asinine, they could be completely different by then.

Please lead me to accomplish my dreams!!!

Thank You!!!
Please stop using triple punctuations.

Responses bolded above.

 

[notdeadyet]

So i wont be able to go overseas or be a combat surgeon while im an intern or resident? Dang that sucks....

Not for your patients. Being a "combat surgeon" who hasn't done a surgical residency would be a lot of fun for some newly minted doctors, but would be a bad bad thing for anyone going under the knife.

 

[JasonGom]

Responses bolded above.

Thank you awesome response!! (i didnt use three!!)

So here is what i know about civilian internship/residency

Usually:
1 year intern
3-4yrs resident
=Full Doctor

If you want a specialty
than a specialty of your choosing (whatever the years required)

This is what i think i know about military internship/residency +GMO

Usually:
1 year intern
3-4yrs resident
+GMO (is this voluntary?)
= Full Doctor

Is this correct?

Also im really interested in GMOs do you sign up for that after residency?
How many years do you serve as GMO?
Does GMO count as residency years or does it suspend the number of years (or the skill level) that is required to become a full physician?

Sorry for all the questions but im SUPER interested in this...not only do i get to serve my country but i get to accomplish my dreams...
Dont care about the money...

P.S. also when do you "sign up" to train as a military intern/resident? After med school? after college and acceptance to a med program?

P.S.S. I dont want to be in the military medical school program...I want to go to a medical school of my choice (Which im thinking i can by the evidence given me here) and then get my post-medical school training in the military...

 

[JasonGom]

Not for your patients. Being a "combat surgeon" who hasn't done a surgical residency would be a lot of fun for some newly minted doctors, but would be a bad bad thing for anyone going under the knife.

Yeah i see where your coming from lol...
But i cant wait to serve in the frontlines...of course with scapels and bandages of course hehehe...

Also i heard that military trauma training is really rigorous and much better than civilian trauma program...is this true?

 

[Arekusu]

Ok, here it is. The closest thing you could be to being a "combat surgeon" would be a Pararescue man in the USAF. Though they are not Doctors, or even nurses.. they are really high speed. They are EMT's on steroids. I have worked with these guys, (well kick them out of the aircraft) and they do things from parachute, (static and HALO), go to scuba school/ combat diver, EMT school, mountaineering etc. They are USAF special forces. I know most people don't equate the Air Force and special forces together in the same thought but we do exist. So if you want to go do some seriously crazy stuff and get shot at doing it. That's your ticket. You will be deployed, not see your family, possibly die and have no one around. You will get shot at more than most Army guys. You will take lives and save them as well (save the life of the guy you just shot). So make sure you know what you're getting into. They have a website for training programs and how indoc is run. The school is about 2 years long and is a hard road. And then you have upgrade training which is about 2 more years long if I'm correct on that. Hope that helps if your're more leaning towards doing something crazy. I myself am about done pulling the crazy "bad ass hollywood" way of life (just happy I figured it out early). It gets old.. and then you're left with your training and ... that's about it. Then it's time to figure out what you want to be when you grow up (haha) , and finish your degree. So hopefully this will help you make an informed decision. Later.

Alex

 

[deuist]

Yeah i see where your coming from lol...
But i cant wait to serve in the frontlines...of course with scapels and bandages of course hehehe...

Also i heard that military trauma training is really rigorous and much better than civilian trauma program...is this true?

Sorry to bust your dream, but you will NOT serve on the front line with a scalpel or bandages or anything else as a physician. The military pays big bucks for doctors and doesn't want to give up such a precious commodity by putting them in harm's way. You'll stay put at a hospital on base while the real commandos get to fight on the front line. If you're gung-ho about seeing war, enlist in the military now. You can always come back to medical school later.

The timeline:
* Med school: 4 years
* Residency and fellowship (first year as internship): 3-8 years depending on specialty, and must be in the United States
* Attending

In certain circumstances, you can become a general medical officer or a flight doc after only one year of residency. This is not the route you or your patients want.

As far as trauma training, I'm not sure where you heard that. The Air Force at least sends its surgeons out to the civilian world for fellowship. I'm not sure if the Army supports its own trauma program.

 

[amedeesse]

No, no training at VA hospitals (unless completing a civilian residency, wherein your program may be affiliated with the VA), unless the VA is attached to a military hospital (like the Matsunaga VA attached to Tripler Army Medical Center). Likewise, as an active duty military medical officer, you won't staff the VA unless it is attached to an active duty medical facility.

The question of going overseas or onto Active Duty while a resident is a variable and evolving question; namely, that is the "GMO" tour - "General Medical Officer". The GMO has been someone who has had one sole year of training (an intern year), then is sent to a location to work as the doctor - the "surgeon" (even if one is not a "surgeon", per se). Not all services use them, and, by the time you get there, possibly none will.

I shall stop there, because I am not a military doc.

Backing up your residency statement. One of the residencies listed for my city is actually the Naval hospital.

My only real question is on if you have to go through boot camp. Screw all the time and front line combat, do you have to go through boot camp still even if you're in med school?!

 

[deuist]

My only real question is on if you have to go through boot camp. Screw all the time and front line combat, do you have to go through boot camp still even if you're in med school?!

Yes, you have to go through officer training, with pushups and everything.

 

[Greenbeany]

Ok, here it is. The closest thing you could be to being a "combat surgeon" would be a Pararescue man in the USAF. Though they are not Doctors, or even nurses.. they are really high speed. They are EMT's on steroids. I have worked with these guys, (well kick them out of the aircraft) and they do things from parachute, (static and HALO), go to scuba school/ combat diver, EMT school, mountaineering etc. They are USAF special forces. I know most people don't equate the Air Force and special forces together in the same thought but we do exist. So if you want to go do some seriously crazy stuff and get shot at doing it. That's your ticket. You will be deployed, not see your family, possibly die and have no one around. You will get shot at more than most Army guys. You will take lives and save them as well (save the life of the guy you just shot). So make sure you know what you're getting into. They have a website for training programs and how indoc is run. The school is about 2 years long and is a hard road. And then you have upgrade training which is about 2 more years long if I'm correct on that. Hope that helps if your're more leaning towards doing something crazy. I myself am about done pulling the crazy "bad ass hollywood" way of life (just happy I figured it out early). It gets old.. and then you're left with your training and ... that's about it. Then it's time to figure out what you want to be when you grow up (haha) , and finish your degree. So hopefully this will help you make an informed decision. Later.

Alex

This is interesting...