Question about programs

[Spineman]

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My question has to do with being in the Nat'l Guard while in residency. I am considering signing up right now for the nat'l guard. All of my hesitations have been put at ease (as much as they can) except for one of them, and I can't really get any help in the military forum on this. I am an OMS-II who will be going into pathology. With the guard I am required to work for them 1 weekend every 3 months in residency and 2 weeks out of the year. My concern is that if I accept this program, when I interview for a residency spot at a program many PD's will look down on me being gone from the program and will rank me lower than I would be ranked otherwise. This is a serious consideration because joining will significantly help out now with my family and my situation, however it is not worth if it I will be at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a spot in a residency. Thanks for the help in advance

Andy

 

[yaah]

There was a guy in my program in the national guard, he had no problems - I suspect with those limitations (which aren't that bad) they could work with you. The two weeks might have to be vacation time though. Each program might handle things differently though. Perhaps other people here have personal experience with it and can post?

 

[MasterThespian]

I'm not in the National Guard or military myself, so I'm of limited use, but I do think that in many cases, your service will be viewed very positively and reflect well on you in interviews. My father was career military and when I was on the pathology interview trail, I interviewed with a few ex-military pathologists who either asked where I'd grown up (response "everywhere- I'm an Army brat") or saw on my CV that I'd had a small Army Dependent's scholarship in college and when they saw that, it was a big plus in my favor and opened the door for conversation. In one interview I had with a program director it somehow came up and a whole conversation cropped up about his father's military service in World War II and besides making for a very interesting conversation, I think he felt that because I'd been raised by a military father, that I'd had instilled in me the values of hard work, duty, and sacrifice, which of course are most desirable in a resident. So, many people will look upon your service commitment as a plus. Good luck!

 

[MasterThespian]

The other thing to remember is that almost everyone has SOMETHING that could be perceived as a negative by some of the people they will interview with. I'm a woman in my (very) late 30's, took a year off after med school because I couldn't decide on a specialty by 3rd year and thought I'd have a baby during my time off, which didn't work out, so instead I did a few months of research, but basically there were lots of potential red flags- why did you come to med school in your 30's in the first place, why did you take a year off, what have you been doing during the year, do you have children, etc. I was just honest about it all if asked. When they asked if I had children, I said no, but that we were hoping to start a family soon. I also asked about maternity leave policies at every interview I went to (I asked residents or female faculty). And I got positive feedback from every program I attended and was asked back for 2nd looks to a few and later got unsolicited "ranked to match" emails or phone calls from a few as well. I figured that any program where my honest answers to the above questions were an issue for them was one that wouldn't be the best fit for me anyway. Granted, I have a solid academic record, but you can see that some people might look askance at a few things. So any program that is so unsupportive of their residents and their country that they wouldn't be flexible enough to allow you 2 weeks to fulfill your National Guard obligation is probably one you wouldn't want to be at anyway. I mean, this is service to your country, man, not Club Med vacation!

 

[cozmopak]

Does anyone have any opinions about UCSF?

 

[pathstudent]

My question has to do with being in the Nat'l Guard while in residency. I am considering signing up right now for the nat'l guard. All of my hesitations have been put at ease (as much as they can) except for one of them, and I can't really get any help in the military forum on this. I am an OMS-II who will be going into pathology. With the guard I am required to work for them 1 weekend every 3 months in residency and 2 weeks out of the year. My concern is that if I accept this program, when I interview for a residency spot at a program many PD's will look down on me being gone from the program and will rank me lower than I would be ranked otherwise. This is a serious consideration because joining will significantly help out now with my family and my situation, however it is not worth if it I will be at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a spot in a residency. Thanks for the help in advance

Andy

Do your two weeks while on blood bank, chemistry, or micro. They will never even know you are gone. That way you won't have to use vacation.