PRS & Army

[medicinednh09]

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I've always wanted to pursue reconstructive surgery for wounded warriors, and recently i've been looking into joining the reserves when I start residency. My main concern is that when you leave residency, you have the potential to deploy for up to 120 days (and only once every 15-18 mos), or if you don't deploy you may have to go work at an army hospital while those surgeons go abroad (again, 120 days max). If you don't deploy, you can work 2 days a month at a VA in the area. My concern is that coming out of residency if I have these committments, will I be able to get a job? Will an academic department not take me because of the possibility (3 years) that I would deploy for 120 days? What about private practice?

The only incentive to committing now is that if I know I want to do it, I can have the benefit of loan repayment throughout residency and leave residency loan-free.

Any thoughts about how jobs might view this in plastic surgery would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Valadi]

Another option if you want to help treat soldiers is to work for a military hospital as a civilian.

 

[56473938]

I am also interested in the reserves and PRS. I know that as you mention above you can still treat soldiers, but will being in the reserves make it harder to get a civilian job after residency?

 

[MedStar1]

Bump, I'm in the same situation and set to swear in next month. Will this effect my civilian career if I want to do academics?