Joining the National Guard in Residency

[DrMcCoyDO]

Hello all. I’ve been searching the forums but couldn’t find any information specifically related to emergency physicians and the National Guard. I’m a new EM intern, married, living in a fairly high cost of living area, and I’ve been looking into the STRAP program. I’ve been interested in serving in the military in the past, so I thought this might be a good way to give me the opportunity to serve while allowing me to supplement my income in residency. Before I jump into anything, though, I want to know truth and not the fudged information that I know military recruiters give.

Has anybody done something like this? How long do deployments as an EM physician generally last? How often are you generally deployed as an EM physician? And does your status as a National Guard member cause any difficulties in finding a job or potentially doing a fellowship after residency? Thanks in advance for the advice!

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[deleted480308]

Hello all. I’ve been searching the forums but couldn’t find any information specifically related to emergency physicians and the National Guard. I’m a new EM intern, married, living in a fairly high cost of living area, and I’ve been looking into the STRAP program. I’ve been interested in serving in the military in the past, so I thought this might be a good way to give me the opportunity to serve while allowing me to supplement my income in residency. Before I jump into anything, though, I want to know truth and not the fudged information that I know military recruiters give.

Has anybody done something like this? How long do deployments as an EM physician generally last? How often are you generally deployed as an EM physician? And does your status as a National Guard member cause any difficulties in finding a job or potentially doing a fellowship after residency? Thanks in advance for the advice!

There is a military forum here worth scanning through for military life stuff. You are by policy nondeployable as a resident but also by policy required to get through your basic officer training within (2?) years so be prepared for that nuisance. Policy is currently 90day deployments with a month of get ready/get home tacked on....

 

[Dares Dareson]

As far as I know, and of course I got this from a recruiter, you owe them a year for every six months of residency. So for a three year EM residency, you are in the national guard for six years as an attending. During those six years, you train one weekend a month, one month a year, plus the risk of deployments.

I've crunched some numbers and it really isn't worth it for EM, at least not purely for economic reasons. You could probably do extra shifts and/or locums in the time you'd spend training and make more money.

 

[DO3]

The other thing to consider is that you can expect to be working 1/2 the weekends as an attending, so if you do national guard, you probably will have only 1 weekend off a month, if that. Don’t do national guard for the money. Do it because that’s something you really feel led to do. Know someone who did national guard and the day after they graduated residency, they were deployed.

 

[MechEDoc]

I ran the numbers when I was resident. At the time they were offering a total of $250k extra for loan repayment. It still didn't make sense financially. Only join if you want to be in the military.

 

[Darth Doc]

Has anybody done something like this? How long do deployments as an EM physician generally last? How often are you generally deployed as an EM physician? And does your status as a National Guard member cause any difficulties in finding a job or potentially doing a fellowship after residency? Thanks in advance for the advice!

I'm in the program now. Deployments for guard physicians are 90 days "boots on ground" with a couple additional ramp-up days/weeks (making sure you have shots, TCCC course, etc...). How often will depend on the needs of the Guard in your state. In general, be ready for a deployment every 3-4 years because that's the length of the guard deployment cycle, however, I've been in for 8 years and haven't deployed once. Deployment also depends on your job. In addition to being an EM resident, I completed Flight Surgeon training recently, so I'm more needed and expect to be deployed after I complete residency. I can't answer the question about difficulty finding a job - haven't tried that yet.

I joined the Army to pay off my PA student loans and am staying in and taking advantage of the stipends and loan repayments, but I honestly enjoy it. I haven't gone on any deployments but I have been activated for hurricane and flood relief and find it rewarding. Look into the military, but as others have said, you won't think it's worth it unless you actually also enjoy the job.

 

[Dares Dareson]

I ran the numbers when I was resident. At the time they were offering a total of $250k extra for loan repayment. It still didn't make sense financially. Only join if you want to be in the military.

You must be talking about HPSP, i.e. full-time soldiering. I don't think reserves gives anything even close to that.

 

[deleted480308]

You must be talking about HPSP, i.e. full-time soldiering. I don't think reserves gives anything even close to that.

Hplrp is $240k for reserve component docs

 

[MechEDoc]

You must be talking about HPSP, i.e. full-time soldiering. I don't think reserves gives anything even close to that.

About 5 years ago they did. Not sure how long that offer lasted for. One of my classmates did it for the money. He wasn't very good with finances or math.