just residency?

[nargilamonster]

there's a lot of talk in this thread about various military services and medicine. I want to be an orthopedic surgeon, and I think that the military would be a great way to experience interesting cases I might not otherwise get to see. Paying for med school isn't much of an issue to me, but seeing great patients (with interesting cases) is, and there's also a twinge of patriotism despite my Marxist parents' upbringing...

Questions:
1. What are residencies like in the military?
2. Will I actually get to see a lot of patients as a resident?
3. How often (and where) will I be deployed?
4. How do I sign up only for the residency?
5. Are ortho residencies in the military even more competitive than in civilian hospitals?
6. What's the bureaucracy situation like?
6. Is it generally a good experience?


thanks from a curious pre-med!

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[The White Coat Investor]

there's a lot of talk in this thread about various military services and medicine. I want to be an orthopedic surgeon, and I think that the military would be a great way to experience interesting cases I might not otherwise get to see. Paying for med school isn't much of an issue to me, but seeing great patients (with interesting cases) is, and there's also a twinge of patriotism despite my Marxist parents' upbringing...

Questions:
1. What are residencies like in the military?
2. Will I actually get to see a lot of patients as a resident?
3. How often (and where) will I be deployed?
4. How do I sign up only for the residency?
5. Are ortho residencies in the military even more competitive than in civilian hospitals?
6. What's the bureaucracy situation like?
6. Is it generally a good experience?


thanks from a curious pre-med!

I'm no orthopod, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

1) Additional bureaucracy, lower acuity, nice population, low case load for surgeons.
2) Yes, but it might be more sports medicine and fewer operative cases than you would like.
3) You won't be deployed as a resident.
4) Sorry, no can do.
5) Depends on the year and service. I'd have to say yes since many have to do a GMO tour first.
6) Really bad.
7) No.

Good luck with your decision. Make sure you talk to CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS before signing anything.