Is this a career limiting move?

[champ98]

Can anyone fill me in on their experiences going back to the civilian world after their HPSP or USUHU commitment was up? Were you looked at with skepticism or discriminated against when job hunting? I have seen numerous threads describing the atrophy of skill sets, particularly in surgical specialties and even heard of people trying to moonlight during residency because of the lack of work. This scares the hell out of me, far more than being deployed or having a nurse or a physical therapist as my boss. How much did this affect you practicing physicians out there when returning to the civilian world?

Also, how does one get in touch with an active duty physician?

Thanks, I am not trying to start any trouble, I have found the information provided here to be extremely useful.

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[i want out]

Can anyone fill me in on their experiences going back to the civilian world after their HPSP or USUHU commitment was up? Were you looked at with skepticism or discriminated against when job hunting? I have seen numerous threads describing the atrophy of skill sets, particularly in surgical specialties and even heard of people trying to moonlight during residency because of the lack of work. This scares the hell out of me, far more than being deployed or having a nurse or a physical therapist as my boss. How much did this affect you practicing physicians out there when returning to the civilian world?

Also, how does one get in touch with an active duty physician?

Thanks, I am not trying to start any trouble, I have found the information provided here to be extremely useful.

I wasn't hunting a job exactly, but my hunt for a residency went well.

You may find it interesting that I was accepted at a residency where the director is a prior service guy.

I didn't even meet him, but I am not naive enough to believe that this didn't at least play a part in my selection for the position.

i want out

 

[Galo]

I had a number of places where I interviewed call into question my competency due to the low numbers of cases I was doing. Some even wanted to pay me like if I was just getting out of residency. Others did not see it as an issue once they talked to my references.

Unfortunately as word gets out, especially for surgical specialties, and any other labor intensive ones where you need a large support staff, that is just no longer there in the military, I think it will be harder to get those types of jobs coming out of the military.

 

[NavyFP]

Can anyone fill me in on their experiences going back to the civilian world after their HPSP or USUHU commitment was up? Were you looked at with skepticism or discriminated against when job hunting? I have seen numerous threads describing the atrophy of skill sets, particularly in surgical specialties and even heard of people trying to moonlight during residency because of the lack of work. This scares the hell out of me, far more than being deployed or having a nurse or a physical therapist as my boss. How much did this affect you practicing physicians out there when returning to the civilian world?

Also, how does one get in touch with an active duty physician?

Thanks, I am not trying to start any trouble, I have found the information provided here to be extremely useful.

In the FP community, I have never heard of anyone having difficulty obtaining positions. I have had several offers to get out, but have opted to stay in. I still enjoy being in the Navy and will stay until that changes.

 

[resxn]

I just applied for civilian jobs this last year and will leave AD to start one this summer. I didn't get any questions regarding my competency after serving for the last 3 years, but part of the reason was that I was pretty forthright telling potential employers that I would not likely do significant ear surgery anymore because I haven't done enough in the last 3 years. I can still do bread and butter stuff and even do some big cancer/sinus things, but I'm currently not at the level of capability in either skill or bravado as I was when I left residency. That will certainly have some effect on who I refer out to other providers as a civilian, but hopefully will not be enough to affect my bottom line.

I think it would have been worse if I had a longer commitment. If I had an 8 year commitment, I'd be really worried about my surgical skills being what they needed to be.

 

[runningmom]

I had a number of places where I interviewed call into question my competency due to the low numbers of cases I was doing. Some even wanted to pay me like if I was just getting out of residency. Others did not see it as an issue once they talked to my references.

Unfortunately as word gets out, especially for surgical specialties, and any other labor intensive ones where you need a large support staff, that is just no longer there in the military, I think it will be harder to get those types of jobs coming out of the military.

I just applied for civilian jobs this last year and will leave AD to start one this summer. I didn't get any questions regarding my competency after serving for the last 3 years, but part of the reason was that I was pretty forthright telling potential employers that I would not likely do significant ear surgery anymore because I haven't done enough in the last 3 years. I can still do bread and butter stuff and even do some big cancer/sinus things, but I'm currently not at the level of capability in either skill or bravado as I was when I left residency. That will certainly have some effect on who I refer out to other providers as a civilian, but hopefully will not be enough to affect my bottom line.

Are there some proactive things (not counting NOT going the military route!) to avoid or mitigate this? I know many EM docs moonlight in order to get and keep adequate skills. Is something like that possible for surgical subspecialties? What about fellowships when you return to civilian life?

 

[Galo]

Are there some proactive things (not counting NOT going the military route!) to avoid or mitigate this? I know many EM docs moonlight in order to get and keep adequate skills. Is something like that possible for surgical subspecialties? What about fellowships when you return to civilian life?

Moonlighting for a surgeon is hit and miss, more miss, and heavily dependent of who your boss is and how they are choosing to interpret the rules. Alot of times you will have to take your own leave in order to moonlight. Like I said, its mostly miss. Also you may be stuck in a place where there are no opportunities to moonlight. SO, best options for surgeons, is not to go the military route.