Obc?????

[bustbones26]

Okay here is my story. I am a three year HPSP scholarhip student. I am now in my third year of medical school. I have one big problem, I have not yet been able to go to OBC and it appears as if I will not be able to go until after I graduate.

Now, from what I understand, if I do this, the OBC that I will go to is 11 weeks long. This means that I could not possible begin my PGY-1 on time. Now this leads me to have a few concerns, and I would like if somebody with more experience than myself can confirm any of my frustrations.

Here is my list:
1) No program will want me if I can't start on time. If I choose to do a residency in a competitive speciatly, I just screwed my chances of getting in.

2) I will do OBC for 11 weeks and spend the rest of that year as a GMO and start PGY-1 one year later, thus adding another year onto my commitment time. Thus if I do anything other than a primary care specialty (most other programs being five years in duration) I end up owing the Army six years of commitment for paying for only three years of medical school. That doesn't sound appealing to me!

3) I could probably get accepted into a civilian residency program and have my army time deferred. But again, I would have to complete the 11 weeks of OBC, start the civilian residency late, and also effect my chances of getting into a competitive program due to the pre-existing condition that I would have to start 11 weeks late.


Anybody, please offer your known facts on people with my situation?

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[Navy Dive Doc]

Originally posted by bustbones26
Okay here is my story. I am a three year HPSP scholarhip student. I am now in my third year of medical school. I have one big problem, I have not yet been able to go to OBC and it appears as if I will not be able to go until after I graduate.

Now, from what I understand, if I do this, the OBC that I will go to is 11 weeks long. This means that I could not possible begin my PGY-1 on time. Now this leads me to have a few concerns, and I would like if somebody with more experience than myself can confirm any of my frustrations.

Here is my list:
1) No program will want me if I can't start on time. If I choose to do a residency in a competitive speciatly, I just screwed my chances of getting in.

The military knows this, and will be sure to get you to the residency in time. At least in the Navy, there were quite a few people in oyur position. There is a 2 week "knife and fork" school that is essentially OBC lite that these folks went to just prior to starting their internship. They showed up on time, no problem.

2) I will do OBC for 11 weeks and spend the rest of that year as a GMO and start PGY-1 one year later, thus adding another year onto my commitment time. Thus if I do anything other than a primary care specialty (most other programs being five years in duration) I end up owing the Army six years of commitment for paying for only three years of medical school. That doesn't sound appealing to me!

You can't be a GMO if you haven't done an internship, so the priority will be to get you to internship, not teach you how to wear a uniform. Also, each year as a GMO means you owe less time, not more.

3) I could probably get accepted into a civilian residency program and have my army time deferred. But again, I would have to complete the 11 weeks of OBC, start the civilian residency late, and also effect my chances of getting into a competitive program due to the pre-existing condition that I would have to start 11 weeks late.

SAme as above, except the military really doesn't screw civilian programs anymore. Apparently, in the past they pulled people from programs to deploy, started late, etc. and a lot of programs stopped accepting military people...obviously, this is bad so the DOD actually did something sensible by honoring civilian contracts and start times. Don't worry, it'll work out. Worst case scenario is that you use on of your AT's to go to OBC, or burn a 4th year elective to go (more likely).
DD


Anybody, please offer your known facts on people with my situation?

 

[edmadison]

Originally posted by bustbones26
Okay here is my story. I am a three year HPSP scholarhip student. I am now in my third year of medical school. I have one big problem, I have not yet been able to go to OBC and it appears as if I will not be able to go until after I graduate.

Now, from what I understand, if I do this, the OBC that I will go to is 11 weeks long. This means that I could not possible begin my PGY-1 on time. Now this leads me to have a few concerns, and I would like if somebody with more experience than myself can confirm any of my frustrations.

Here is my list:
1) No program will want me if I can't start on time. If I choose to do a residency in a competitive speciatly, I just screwed my chances of getting in.

2) I will do OBC for 11 weeks and spend the rest of that year as a GMO and start PGY-1 one year later, thus adding another year onto my commitment time. Thus if I do anything other than a primary care specialty (most other programs being five years in duration) I end up owing the Army six years of commitment for paying for only three years of medical school. That doesn't sound appealing to me!

3) I could probably get accepted into a civilian residency program and have my army time deferred. But again, I would have to complete the 11 weeks of OBC, start the civilian residency late, and also effect my chances of getting into a competitive program due to the pre-existing condition that I would have to start 11 weeks late.


Anybody, please offer your known facts on people with my situation?

In the Army, you would do OBC after you residency and before your first duty station as Staff. There have been several residents at the army hospitals that I have visited that are in this situation. The only down side is that you don't get to wear the little Army Service Ribbon.

BTW: Deferrals are only granted if you do not match in the Army, which is uncommon.

 

[JM.]

Originally posted by edmadison
In the Army, you would do OBC after you residency and before your first duty station as Staff. There have been several residents at the army hospitals that I have visited that are in this situation. The only down side is that you don't get to wear the little Army Service Ribbon.

BTW: Deferrals are only granted if you do not match in the Army, which is uncommon.

I thought that I had read on the website that deferrals to the civilian match can be requested two years in advance. The probability of these deferals being granted was not covered on the site - but I remember reading that.