Navy Navy Residency in Aerospace Med

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champ94

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Good afternoon all,

Navy HPSP here beginning to explore my GME options. Long story short—I have a lot of interest in working in the operational navy (while I'm young, right?) for my payback time, then getting out to do a civilian residency. I've been thinking about UMO or FS for a while, but recently heard a bit about the Residency in Aerospace Medicine program down at Pensacola. The NAMI website is informative at a basic level, but I've had trouble finding more in-depth information about the program. Are there any RAM alumni around who could speak to the experience? Or does anyone have any unclassified publications they could send my way that might help me to become better informed? A few specific questions I have.
  • Do you have to go through another residency (i.e. FM) before entering the aerospace med residency.
  • Do you have to be qualified and work as a FS before entering?
  • Do you have the option to earn the MPH component of the program at a different school than S. florida (or which ever one it is—the site is down at the moment)?
I'll greatly appreciate any information or insight anyone might have. Thanks in advance!

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Search for Army Aerospace Medicine. The PD of the Army program (which is basically attached to the Navy program) hung around a bit and there is some info in his threads. My two cents is that you should only do the RAM if you want to be career military.
 
You can do RAM as a primary residency, similar to Occupational or Prev Med.

If you are not previously qualified as a flight surgeon, you will complete the course and delay start the residency or it will be built into your rotations.

You do not have the option of other MPH programs. UWF is the school.

I will disagree with Gas in that you can cross board into Occ Med if you like and do that as a civilian. Unless you don't want to do that in which case Gas is right.

Also, the Army has created their own RAM program at Fort Rucker and is no longer associated with Pensacola, or won't be at the end of this academic year.
 
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I think you should consider that you might do your soldiers a disservice if you don't complete an actual residency first. They deserve a fully trained im/fm/em/something doc
 
RAM is an actual residency just like Prev Med or Occ Med.
 
RAM is an actual residency just like Prev Med or Occ Med.
"Actual" was poor phrasing, I meant a traditionally clinical residency first...I like the RAM program and would love to do it someday should the cards align, but I wouldn't apply without a prior residency
 
I think you should consider that you might do your soldiers a disservice if you don't complete an actual residency first. They deserve a fully trained im/fm/em/something doc

A good point, and to further add to it....let your litmus test be the civilian world. If it's difficult to find a civilian job as solely a RAM/prevmed physician (and it is difficult), you might consider doing a traditional residency first, so you have something to fall back on.


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Occ Med jobs are available in the real world. They just don't pretend to be PCPs too. That's the issue with RAM Residency. They believe they can train people to be both in a short period.
 
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"Actual" was poor phrasing, I meant a traditionally clinical residency first...I like the RAM program and would love to do it someday should the cards align, but I wouldn't apply without a prior residency
Agreed. Particularly in the Navy, a RAM will often be the only board certified physician on an Aircraft Carrier. Its a huge disservice for the only board certified physician on a ship that size not to have any real clinical care experience beyond that of the GMOs looking to him for guidance

Also, OP, remember that the RAM usually leads to a leadership position where you'll need to advocate for your Sailors' medical needs. That's a great job for a senior LCDR or a CDR, but if you're an LT or even a junior LCDR you can find yourself losing every battle. The best way to the RAM involves a residency in IM or FP, followed by a utilization tour, and then back to the RAM. That way you get to your leadership position 8-9 years into your Navy career when you have some idea how things work.

RAM: great fellowship (if you like that sort of thing) but a terrible residency.
 
Agreed. Particularly in the Navy, a RAM will often be the only board certified physician on an Aircraft Carrier. Its a huge disservice for the only board certified physician on a ship that size not to have any real clinical care experience beyond that of the GMOs looking to him for guidance

I don't think this is true. I believe all carriers are billeted for a family medicine physician as well as GMOs and the SMO. Then while deployed you will have the surgical team as well.
 
I don't think this is true. I believe all carriers are billeted for a family medicine physician as well as GMOs and the SMO. Then while deployed you will have the surgical team as well.
Interesting. I stand corrected.

I still wouldn't do RAM as my primary residency, though.
 
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Occ Med jobs are available in the real world. They just don't pretend to be PCPs too. That's the issue with RAM Residency. They believe they can train people to be both in a short period.
True. I've worked with several. The pay's not always great (as a solely Bc'd occ med type), but you can find work. Almost every urgent care doc-in-the-box is getting into occupational (work comp) medicine.

One thing you can do: if you train in either RAM, prev med, or occ med, you can challenge the board in the other 2 specialties....thus you can potentially earn 3 board certifications after doing only one residency. If you had all 3 board certs, you'd be way more employable than with just one.

F-that...I want to take care of sick and dying people.
 
Occ Med pay is on par with, or better than, primary care and generally has no nights, weekends, or call.
 
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