Possibility of "short stint" in military medicine

[jhrugger]

What is the minimum amount of time that one could sign with the Army (or other branch) in the capacity of a military physician? I would ask a health care recruiter but am wary of their heavily biased answers. I am interested in service, but not as a career. Is it possible to do National Guard medicine? Reserves Medicine? Or maybe active duty for the minumum contract time?

Thanks, any information you may have regarding minumum contracted times with the military would be very much appreciated,

jhrugger

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[texdrake]

What is the minimum amount of time that one could sign with the Army (or other branch) in the capacity of a military physician? I would ask a health care recruiter but am wary of their heavily biased answers. I am interested in service, but not as a career. Is it possible to do National Guard medicine? Reserves Medicine? Or maybe active duty for the minumum contract time?

Thanks, any information you may have regarding minumum contracted times with the military would be very much appreciated,

jhrugger

2 years I believe. You should look into joining the national health service corps, you serve, but get much more freedom doing so. Also look into working at a VA (of course they pay for ****)

 

[FliteSurgn]

Also look into working at a VA (of course they pay for ****)

Actually, the VA physician pay schedule got revamped recently. It isn't that bad. A general surgeon, for example, starts at about $200k. That's pretty much in line with civlian starting salaries, but the possiblity for making more greater favors the civilian practice.

 

[Croatalus_atrox]

2 years I believe. You should look into joining the national health service corps, you serve, but get much more freedom doing so. Also look into working at a VA (of course they pay for ****)

Just to be a bit more clear, the minimum Active Duty service commitment is two years. Every entry into US military service incurs an eight-year total commitment, to be fulfilled by any combination of active duty and/or reserve service (drilling or non-drilling). At any point during that eight year commitment, you can be called to active duty. The likelihood of recall is miniscule, but it's not strictly true that you would be done with the military after only two years of service.

 

[RichL025]

Assuming you are not looking for the military to pay for / support any part of your education, I'm sure the National Guard would salivate at the chance of you joining up - the same caveats about the 8 year term apply, but you would do 2-4 or whatever years in the National Guard.

 

[jhrugger]

Thanks for the info everyone