Question about residency choices in the military

[korry1977]

Well here is my story...


A USIMG, currently a civilian with current ECFMG certificate... going to take step 3 in 2 months... My plan was to enter General Surgery Residency, but unfortunately with multiple failures on step 1/step 2 I couldn't scramble in...

Would joining any of the military branches help me get a military residency in general surgery?

thanks for all answers... really frustrated/depressed about not matching/scrambling in...

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[orbitsurgMD]

Well here is my story...


A USIMG, currently a civilian with current ECFMG certificate... going to take step 3 in 2 months... My plan was to enter General Surgery Residency, but unfortunately with multiple failures on step 1/step 2 I couldn't scramble in...

Would joining any of the military branches help me get a military residency in general surgery?

thanks for all answers... really frustrated/depressed about not matching/scrambling in...

You will have to first be commissioned as an officer and then accepted in the medical corps. Placement in military residency is by application, and competition for placement varies by specialty. Acceptance in general surgery beyond PGY1 has historically been competitive, even considering the decline in competitiveness of general surgery as a specialty overall in recent years.

Not knowing anything more than what you have posted, I couldn't guess your chances at a residency in the military, other than to say it probably won't be any better in the military than out of the military.

 

[korry1977]

You will have to first be commissioned as an officer and then accepted in the medical corps. Placement in military residency is by application, and competition for placement varies by specialty. Acceptance in general surgery beyond PGY1 has historically been competitive, even considering the decline in competitiveness of general surgery as a specialty overall in recent years.

Not knowing anything more than what you have posted, I couldn't guess your chances at a residency in the military, other than to say it probably won't be any better in the military than out of the military.

Thanks for the reply... what other info do you need?

Are you suggesting then the military route is probably not a good idea?

 

[GMO2003]

Thanks for the reply... what other info do you need?

Are you suggesting then the military route is probably not a good idea?

I would HIGHLY NOT recommend you joining the military if the only reason for doing so is to possibly obtain the residency of your choice...then again, it's your choice...

 

[orbitsurgMD]

Thanks for the reply... what other info do you need?

Are you suggesting then the military route is probably not a good idea?

I don't think your chances at a general surgery residency slot will be better inside the military. You might have an easier time getting a military internship, but even going in as an IMG might be a problem. You should contact a military medical corps recruiter for that information. In the past, the medical corps accepted IMGs only after they completed their USMLE and had obtained sufficient training to get an unrestricted medical license (with a few scandalous exceptions I won't go into now.)

Keep in mind, even if the military were to accept you as a PGY-1 intern, they would be under no obligation to offer you any training beyond that one year. The cut from typical PGY-1 surgery to PGY-2 is on the order of 8 to 1. So do the math.

 

[korry1977]

I would HIGHLY NOT recommend you joining the military if the only reason for doing so is to possibly obtain the residency of your choice...then again, it's your choice...

thanks for the advice... I read the "pros" of military medicine thread... lol... it was a real "eye-opener"

 

[korry1977]

I don't think your chances at a military general surgery residency slot will be better inside the military. You might have an easier time getting a military internship, but even going in as an IMG might be a problem. You should contact a military medical corps recruiter for that information. In the past, the medical corps accepted IMGs only after they completed their USMLE and had obtained sufficient training to get an unrestricted medical license (with a few scandalous exceptions I won't go into now.)

Keep in mind, even if the military were to accept you as a PGY-1 intern, they would be under no obligation to offer you any training beyond that one year. The cut from typical PGY-1 surgery to PGY-2 is on the order of 8 to 1. So do the math.

ok.. thanks... so my chances in pursuing general surgery is slim to none...

well better now than never to make a change...

 

[korry1977]

could you comment on other specialties such as FP?


and what factors would one consider while making it a career in the military vs just reserves

 

[GMO2003]

In all honesty, if you DO get direct commision into the medical corps and then do a PGY1 you will most likely go out on the fleet, field, or whatever after your FYGME...you would be surprised at the competitiveness of military PGY2 slots...a good example is PMR...it is almost impossible to get PMR in the military unless you spend 1-3 years following internship as a GMO/FS/DMO...compares this to the relative ease at which people match into civilian PMR programs...

nonetheless, I have several of my GMO buddies that have finished their utilization tours and returned to military medcens to do derm, rads, ENT, uro, surgery, PMR, etc...so if you are patient enough...hypothetically you could eventually match into the specialty of your choice...this would come at the cost of spending 1-4 years of your life in a part of the world far, far away from your friends and loved ones

 

[pgg]

nonetheless, I have several of my GMO buddies that have finished their utilization tours and returned to military medcens to do derm, rads, ENT, uro, surgery, PMR, etc...so if you are patient enough...hypothetically you could eventually match into the specialty of your choice...this would come at the cost of spending 1-4 years of your life in a part of the world far, far away from your friends and loved ones

I'd be very cautious about assuming that patience and a willingness to do multiple GMO tours will translate into a competitive residency. The GMO points do get maxed out, and there are plenty of strong applicants s/p GMOx1 who are fighting over those few derm/ENT/ophtho/etc slots. As I understand the GME selection board point system, 2 or 3 or 4 GMO tours will not be scored higher than 1 solid operational tour.

Multiple failures on steps 1 and 2 bode ill for all competitive residencies, in or out of the military.

 

[korry1977]

I'd be very cautious about assuming that patience and a willingness to do multiple GMO tours will translate into a competitive residency. The GMO points do get maxed out, and there are plenty of strong applicants s/p GMOx1 who are fighting over those few derm/ENT/ophtho/etc slots. As I understand the GME selection board point system, 2 or 3 or 4 GMO tours will not be scored higher than 1 solid operational tour.

Multiple failures on steps 1 and 2 bode ill for all competitive residencies, in or out of the military.

Thank you for you honesty... I appreciate it...


well folks... looks like I am up a *certain* creek without a paddle... lol..