Military Residency Deferments

[The Engineer]

Does anyone know how difficult it is to get a full residency deferment? I am looking into the Army and the Navy HPSP and from what I was told by the recruiters, it is easier to get one if you go Navy. The reason I ask is that I want to do an Internal med/pediatrics combination residency (preferably at Univ. of UT) and to the best of my knowledge, the military doesn’t have this kind of residency.

Any and all feedback is greatly appriciated

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[Neuronix]

The Army HPSP Handbook specifically prohibits deferrments for all dual-licensing residencies and specifically mentions med/peds as not permitted. I don't know how it is for Navy, but my guess is that it's similarly impossible. Remember, the military's stated goal is to crank out physicians as quickly as possible, and that doesn't mean letting you take an extra year for dual-specialization, research, etc. Rule #1 of HPSP: don't believe your recruiters.

 

[bobbyseal]

Does anyone know how difficult it is to get a full residency deferment? I am looking into the Army and the Navy HPSP and from what I was told by the recruiters, it is easier to get one if you go Navy. The reason I ask is that I want to do an Internal med/pediatrics combination residency (preferably at Univ. of UT) and to the best of my knowledge, the military doesn’t have this kind of residency.

Any and all feedback is greatly appriciated

The Navy won't let you do combined residency like Med/Peds or Peds/Psych/Child Psych, etc. The navy will only give out deferments for specialties that are critically manned. Right now, that's been gen surg and surg subspecialties(ortho, ent, uro, neuro, etc), radiology, anesthesia, and pathology.

 

[Homunculus]

Does anyone know how difficult it is to get a full residency deferment? I am looking into the Army and the Navy HPSP and from what I was told by the recruiters, it is easier to get one if you go Navy. The reason I ask is that I want to do an Internal med/pediatrics combination residency (preferably at Univ. of UT) and to the best of my knowledge, the military doesn’t have this kind of residency.

Any and all feedback is greatly appriciated

neuronix is correct. dual licensing programs are not approved. the only dual programs i'm aware of in the army are the med/psych programs at Walter Reed and Tripler. There are definitely no med/peds or peds/anything that i'm aware of.

i'm not sure exactly why this is so-- it would make more sense to me for the military to *want* dual certified docs because it's almost a 2 for 1. But i guess for med/peds they already have a cheaper version that does a bit more-- FP.

--your friendly neighborhood single licence earning caveman

 

[dyk33]

i know a person in the air force doing med/peds.

 

[RichL025]

i'm not sure exactly why this is so-- it would make more sense to me for the military to *want* dual certified docs because it's almost a 2 for 1.

Ah, but that's the problem - it's not 2-for-1. It's actually just 1 that they have to wait longer for.

Had a chance to talk to a few people in the WRAMC med/psych program, and also heard about the experience of 3-4 med/psych graduates in the desert. The concencus was, that the military used them as either med (most common) or psych, but couldn't really find any billets that took advantage of both specialties.

I think this is just an example of square pegs not fitting within the military's neatly ordered conception of how things work. And if they're not going to reap any benefit, why would they want to wait longer to get their mitts on you ?

Disclaimer : all second-hand info. YMMV!

 

[denali]

One of our behavioral science small group instructors is wrapping up her med/psych residency at WRAMC. I was interested in how the Army accounts for her, as a psychiatrist or internist. She said MOS-wise they are coded as pscyhiatrists first; she indicated it has to do with who gave up the slots to the residency program.

 

[RichL025]

Last name begins with "B"?

 

[echou]

I'm a MS3 Navy HPSP gearing up for fourth year ATs and the match(es). Currently, my choices of residencies are ophthalmology and obstetrics/gynecology. Any advice on applying for deferment? What are my chances of actually getting a full deferment?

Appreciate your input.