MDSSP Student interested in Army Flight Surgeon Course

[ReservistStudent]

Hi everyone, searched the threads, but didn't find any that answered this specific question.

I know the Army's Flight Surgeon course is open to 4th year medical students. There's a 6 week course, or a Reserve Component version that has 2, 3-week courses. I've heard that some students can do the RC course over their 2 electives during 3rd and 4th year.

I'm a 2nd year MDSSP med student looking to set up my schedule for next year. I asked my manager if I could attend either the RC or regular FS course, and he said that students can't attend because I have school (my dean already said that it would be approved as an aerospace medicine rotation). Obviously, some med students can attend, but does anyone know if MDSSP specifically are ineligible for this program? It would be great to do this course now since I'll have even less time during/after residency.

From previous experiences w/ APMC I know that to get what I want I need to do some work on my side. Would it be inappropriate to contact the FS school directly to inquire about this? Or, since my manager doesn't deal with schools, contacting HRC directly?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

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[DeadCactus]

You can attend but many commands are resistant to sending medical students because they are unsure if they will ever see any benefit from it. The army struggles to understand that these sorts of courses and opportunities play a large role in keeping many physicians engaged and that benefits to the army extend beyond filling a billet.

 

[deleted480308]

My local command laughed at my request..... ymmv

 

[SDN]

Hi everyone, searched the threads, but didn't find any that answered this specific question.

I know the Army's Flight Surgeon course is open to 4th year medical students. There's a 6 week course, or a Reserve Component version that has 2, 3-week courses. I've heard that some students can do the RC course over their 2 electives during 3rd and 4th year.

I'm a 2nd year MDSSP med student looking to set up my schedule for next year. I asked my manager if I could attend either the RC or regular FS course, and he said that students can't attend because I have school (my dean already said that it would be approved as an aerospace medicine rotation). Obviously, some med students can attend, but does anyone know if MDSSP specifically are ineligible for this program? It would be great to do this course now since I'll have even less time during/after residency.

From previous experiences w/ APMC I know that to get what I want I need to do some work on my side. Would it be inappropriate to contact the FS school directly to inquire about this? Or, since my manager doesn't deal with schools, contacting HRC directly?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Probably best to wait until you’ve graduated and completed residency before getting too into Reserve stuff.

But since you’re interested... units only have training funds that align with their mission. So if you’re really interested in being a flight surgeon you’ll need to find a reserve unit with rotary wing assets.

I’m not sure what aviation units are in the Reserves as most are found in the National Guard. If you do find an aviation unit that needs a doc, then you’ll need to get released from the APMC in order to join that unit.

FWIW, flight surgeons mostly just do physicals. It’s not like they get to fly helicopters or anything. Medics do the patient care on the helicopters.


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[SDN]

I was a flight surgeon some years back. 400 combat missions, mostly MEDEVAC- many point of injury. Many air assaults on CH 47's as a CASEVAC asset for JSOC. Also got about 30 hours of stick time in the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior.

- ex 61N

That must have been serious excitement. But as you know, JSOC is the exception to the Army norm.

FWIW, OH-58s were retired this year. Best a FS should expect today is to get minimum monthly hours ride-along time in a UH-60 or CH-47.


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