Army PA to MD for US IMG

[PArmy]

Hi, I am a current student in IPAP. I was a physician overseas before I immigrated and joined the Army. Currently I am deciding between applying for the PA specialty program and be a specialty PA or focus on getting into a residency and be a physician. I know that the Army does not take IMG for our PGY1 program and I read here that even for residency, we rarely take anyone outside of our own program. I realize that if I want to do a residency in the civilian program, I have to finish my ADSO and I am afraid by that time, I will be too old and I really want to stay serving the military since it has done so much for me.
Does anyone here have more insight in this situation? Thank you.

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[deleted480308]

Hi, I am a current student in IPAP. I was a physician overseas before I immigrated and joined the Army. Currently I am deciding between applying for the PA specialty program and be a specialty PA or focus on getting into a residency and be a physician. I know that the Army does not take IMG for our PGY1 program and I read here that even for residency, we rarely take anyone outside of our own program. I realize that if I want to do a residency in the civilian program, I have to finish my ADSO and I am afraid by that time, I will be too old and I really want to stay serving the military since it has done so much for me.
Does anyone here have more insight in this situation? Thank you.

I don’t believe military gme will take you but you could serve your adso, then commission reserve/guard after you apply and get accepted to a us residency or school

 

[PArmy]

I don’t believe military gme will take you but you could serve your adso, then commission reserve/guard after you apply and get accepted to a us residency or school

Any other way to just add the ADSO after I finish residency? Will branch release me if I get accepted to a residency program before my ADSO? I’ll be in my fourties when i finish my ADSO after graduating IPAP. I will probably fare better to do either EMPA or psych if it will actually open by the time I graduate.

 

[deleted480308]

Any other way to just add the ADSO after I finish residency? Will branch release me if I get accepted to a residency program before my ADSO? I’ll be in my fourties when i finish my ADSO after graduating IPAP. I will probably fare better to do either EMPA or psych if it will actually open by the time I graduate.

empa and becoming a doctor are different things, you can certainly choose to pursue either

 

[PArmy]

empa and becoming a doctor are different things, you can certainly choose to pursue either

I was thinking about pursuing EM or Psych Residency since I got my ECFMG certificate already vs. EM or Psych PA.

 

[Slevin]

I would say talk to your branch detailer and the the medical Corp branch detailer and get their read of the situation. Doesn’t hurt to ask those in charge

 

[d2305]

Obviously you couldn't get into residency, and being a PA changes nothing. Your training is now too old as the shelf life is short.

 

[jabreal00]

Hi, I am a current student in IPAP. I was a physician overseas before I immigrated and joined the Army. Currently I am deciding between applying for the PA specialty program and be a specialty PA or focus on getting into a residency and be a physician. I know that the Army does not take IMG for our PGY1 program and I read here that even for residency, we rarely take anyone outside of our own program. I realize that if I want to do a residency in the civilian program, I have to finish my ADSO and I am afraid by that time, I will be too old and I really want to stay serving the military since it has done so much for me.
Does anyone here have more insight in this situation? Thank you.

It is possible. You'd have to take and pass all USMLE exams. You'd have to have completed a one year internship and have an unrestricted medical license. In this scenario it has been done before where a FMG entered as a PGY-2 after finishing their obligation as an enlisted soldier and getting their US citizenship. However, this was at the height of OEF/OIF where there was a severe shortage for many residency spots.