Ophthalmology in the Military

[qwertyuiopsmile]

Hello!

I'm a third year undergraduate planning to attend medical school after graduation. I have been seriously considering doing the military route for this. I have a strong desire to serve and believe it would be a fulfilling experience.

One of my main goals at this point - though I certainly understand it most likely will change by the time I actually make the decision - is to go into ophthalmology. It is a field that I find fascinating and would love to spend my life working on.

To that end, my question is regarding the compatability of working in ophthalmology and having a career in military medicine.
Are there many slots of residencies available for ophthalmology?
Would a GMO tour be likely?
Which branch might be the best?
Would training be up to par and would you see enough / diverse enough cases while practicing to transition well to the civilian world afterwards?
Where would you expect to be stationed in a speciality like this?
Is there a chacne of not getting the speciality you want and being forced to follow a different path?

Any other advice about military medicine in general or how to decide completely if it is the right choice, and any information regarding ophthalmology in particular would be very welcome.

Thank you all for your help!

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[DrMetal]

Hello!

I'm a third year undergraduate planning to attend medical school after graduation. I have been seriously considering doing the military route for this. I have a strong desire to serve and believe it would be a fulfilling experience.

One of my main goals at this point - though I certainly understand it most likely will change by the time I actually make the decision - is to go into ophthalmology. It is a field that I find fascinating and would love to spend my life working on.

To that end, my question is regarding the compatability of working in ophthalmology and having a career in military medicine.
Are there many slots of residencies available for ophthalmology?
Would a GMO tour be likely?
Which branch might be the best?
Would training be up to par and would you see enough / diverse enough cases while practicing to transition well to the civilian world afterwards?
Where would you expect to be stationed in a speciality like this?
Is there a chacne of not getting the speciality you want and being forced to follow a different path?

Any other advice about military medicine in general or how to decide completely if it is the right choice, and any information regarding ophthalmology in particular would be very welcome.

Thank you all for your help!

Then don't join the military. We don't have that many ophtho residency spots, and they're very hard to get.

 

[qwertyuiopsmile]

Then don't join the military. We don't have that many ophtho residency spots, and they're very hard to get.

Would the reserves be something to consider - in your opinion? I would like to serve in the military.

 

[DMBandFan86]

Get your hands on a critical wartime shortage list for reserves. Per Army: https://www.hrc.army.mil/asset/25403

Those are the specialties the army currently wants. Optho isn’t currently on it.

Residency slots are probably few and you likely get better real world experience in civilian residency. I’m not optho so I don’t directly know. I searched google. I imagine most army optho could be managed by optometrists or sent to a civilian provider non-urgently.

Not saying you shouldn’t do it or can’t do it.

 

[qwertyuiopsmile]

Can the military force you to do a different specialty than you want to do? Or would you just end up serving as a GMO, fulfill your obligation, then try your luck on the civilian side if you never match what you wanted in the military?

 

[SirGecko]

They will not make you do a residency that you don’t want to do. If you can’t match your option would be to decide on a different residency or just do you time as a gmo and then try again as a civilian.

 

[DrMetal]

Would the reserves be something to consider - in your opinion? I would like to serve in the military.

Yes, indeed, the reserves is a great way to serve. Go through medical school and ophthalmology residency on your own, then join the reserves.