Navy Flight Surgeon lifestyle?

[demh23]

Hi,

What is a typical day like for a flight surgeon? What are their duties / responsibilities and how often do they fly?

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[ftrflyr29]

Hi,

What is a typical day like for a flight surgeon? What are their duties / responsibilities and how often do they fly?

Depends on the squadron, depends on the clinic demands, depends on the deployment schedule. The one thing I will say, is don't go into FS thinking you will come out as a pilot.

 

[ahmede19]

I'm just looking for some one to share their experience as a flight surgeon... i understand it will depend on different variables but even an example is fine

 

[backrow]

Really depends on the billet you get and what clinic you are attached to

1)Claimancy 18/BSO18 (or whatever they call them now) are billets that are directly attached to a clinic and not funded through the Line. You will work 100% clinic time. Have to fight for time off to fly your required 4 hours a month.

2)Squadron Billet: you will have an MOU between the squadrons and the clinic. There is also a CNAF Instruction that guides flight surgeon duties and responsibilities. This states that flight surgeon time should be split 50/50 between clinic and squadron time. If your clinic is short staff or a pain you may get stuck in clinic more. You will also need some of that "squadron" time to work on notes, waivers, etc.

Squadron FS Duties: Medical Readiness, keeping the aircrew flying, flight physicals (and depending on your clinic basically any navy physical). You will also likely act as the Health promotions officer and dental readiness officer for the squadron. Possibly also the suicide prevention. You'll have additional squadron duties as a member of the aviation mishap board, human factors board/council, and probably the safety council.

If you are in a squadron with lots extra room on pretty much every flight (EA-6B, P3/EP3, SH60, VR, etc) you will have lots of opportunity to at least get flight time, not necessarily stick time. If you are in a single seat squadron, UAV, two seat hornet, etc flight time will be a little more difficult to get, but can be done. You need at least four hours a month to retain your flight pay. Some months you'll get more, some you will come close.

Overall it can be quite busy at home station. On deployment it can vary based on if you are with a Marine unit, ground based Navy unit, or tailhook. If on a carrier you will be basically taken over by the SMO and put to work in the carrier medical spaces. If you are with a ground based unit you will basically be 100% squadron and can pretty much set up your hours as you see needed.

 

[Cachupo]

I am currently a Navy flight surgeon. Graduated from a surgery internship in 2006. Went to Pensacola and went through 6 months of training.
Lots of fun. Shipped off to the Pacific and stationed on a little island for 3 years. Responsible for 500 Active duty members, and their dependents. Medical readiness is huge, lots of organization and paperwork. Clinic is busy, see everything from Gyn/Ortho/Derm and primary care. Partake in search and rescues/Medevacs in helicopter. Been hoisted unto foreign ships to stabilize foreign nationals and transport to military hospital. One major mishap since I been here, long grueling investigation....
Have flown in the cockpit of helicopters with controls (Other pilot shadowing my moves in case I make a bonehead decision). When other squadrons swing by, I hop on their aircraft.
Frequent briefs for squadron and pilots. In my free time, I head down to the nearest hospital and work in the emergency room or operating room, keeping my skills sharp.
Work is about 40-50 hours a week. Weekends off unless I'm at the hospital or on call.
life as a flight surgeon varies. I have had colleagues complain and wish they were back in a residency program. But I have loved it. Comraderie with the pilots, time off, the opportunity to experience new things have been incredible. During my time in the pacific i have traveled around and seen SE Asia, Australia, indonesia, japan and a bunch of smaller islands.
Location is key...diving in the pacific is great.

When in fligh surgery school, you and your classmates decide where everyone will go. This is very important. You can get stuck with something crappy like North Carolina/Marines and get deployed twice to Iraq/Afghanistan. Or you can end up somewhere nice.

I will miss being a flight surgeon, heading off to my residency training in Emergency medicine.

 

[ActiveDutyNavy]

I am currently a Navy flight surgeon. Graduated from a surgery internship in 2006. Went to Pensacola and went through 6 months of training.
Lots of fun. Shipped off to the Pacific and stationed on a little island for 3 years. Responsible for 500 Active duty members, and their dependents. Medical readiness is huge, lots of organization and paperwork. Clinic is busy, see everything from Gyn/Ortho/Derm and primary care. Partake in search and rescues/Medevacs in helicopter. Been hoisted unto foreign ships to stabilize foreign nationals and transport to military hospital. One major mishap since I been here, long grueling investigation....
Have flown in the cockpit of helicopters with controls (Other pilot shadowing my moves in case I make a bonehead decision). When other squadrons swing by, I hop on their aircraft.
Frequent briefs for squadron and pilots. In my free time, I head down to the nearest hospital and work in the emergency room or operating room, keeping my skills sharp.
Work is about 40-50 hours a week. Weekends off unless I'm at the hospital or on call.
life as a flight surgeon varies. I have had colleagues complain and wish they were back in a residency program. But I have loved it. Comraderie with the pilots, time off, the opportunity to experience new things have been incredible. During my time in the pacific i have traveled around and seen SE Asia, Australia, indonesia, japan and a bunch of smaller islands.
Location is key...diving in the pacific is great.

When in fligh surgery school, you and your classmates decide where everyone will go. This is very important. You can get stuck with something crappy like North Carolina/Marines and get deployed twice to Iraq/Afghanistan. Or you can end up somewhere nice.

I will miss being a flight surgeon, heading off to my residency training in Emergency medicine.

if you're married or have dependents are you allowed to bring them overseas to your duty station in a FS billet?

Which FS billets typically deploy the most?

 

[Cachupo]

Most billets will allow you to bring your dependents, but it will probably entail 3 year orders rather than the standard 2 years.
The only station I can think of that will not accept dependents is Diego Garcia, out in the middle of the indian ocean. Usually that is just a 1 year order.
If you are stationed with the Marines , you will probably deploy quite a bit. If you are on a Sea Uic, the unit deploys often.
I considered going to the F-18 squadron in South Carolina (can't think of the name). Known to be the tip of the spear, they deploy everywhere, which is great if you are single and want to see the world. I had just gotten married so I elected not to.
I am in a Sea Uic, BUT our squadron is divided into multiple detachments. I am always with the Homeguard, meaning I do not get deployed unless its World war III or a mishap has occured and I have to go and investigate.
If you are assigned to an Aircraft carrier, you will be away for some time. But then again, some of my detachments went off with a Carrier group and got to hang out in Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila, Australia, Japan for weeks and loved it.

 

[ftrflyr29]

the F-18 squadron in South Carolina (can't think of the name).

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, SC--VFA-86--the Sidewinders, if it's Navy......or one of the many if it's Marine Corps

 

[n618ft]

Most billets will allow you to bring your dependents, but it will probably entail 3 year orders rather than the standard 2 years.
The only station I can think of that will not accept dependents is Diego Garcia, out in the middle of the indian ocean. Usually that is just a 1 year order.
If you are stationed with the Marines , you will probably deploy quite a bit. If you are on a Sea Uic, the unit deploys often.
I considered going to the F-18 squadron in South Carolina (can't think of the name). Known to be the tip of the spear, they deploy everywhere, which is great if you are single and want to see the world. I had just gotten married so I elected not to.
I am in a Sea Uic, BUT our squadron is divided into multiple detachments. I am always with the Homeguard, meaning I do not get deployed unless its World war III or a mishap has occured and I have to go and investigate.
If you are assigned to an Aircraft carrier, you will be away for some time. But then again, some of my detachments went off with a Carrier group and got to hang out in Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila, Australia, Japan for weeks and loved it.

How much time have you spent away from your wife?