Research for competitive Army residencies

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bleeker10

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I am a first year Army HPSP student and am interested in some competitive surgery residencies such as ortho and ent. On the civilian side, research is highly recommended. Is research in a field necessary to match in the competitive residencies or do the PD's understand that a large majority of us have to do OBLC in the summer of our first year and don't have time to do research? I am trying to get some clinical research through my school and the local hospitals but I'm not sure if it's gonna pan out. Would taking a research elective in 3rd year be a good idea? I know it's early but in less than a year I wil be picking rotations so I'd like to get a good idea of what I should be doing besides doing well in classes.
 
Don't mean to sound harsh but it's HIGHLY unlikely that you'll get ENT as a DO. I am an AD army ENT and I can tell you that there is a definite bias against DOs whether you agree with it or not. I know for a fact that a DO hasn't been selected for an ENT residency in the army in 9 years. Can't speak for ortho but I would assume it's the same way.
 
Hmm, too bad. At the Naval MedCen I trained at there were multiple D.O.s in ENT and Ortho. I wonder why the Army's different (no arguing, I really have no clue the whats or whys of the Army on this issue).
 
All of that may be true about DOs and ENT but don't let that discourage you. Kick ass, and see what happens. Worked with an Army neurosurgeon who was a DO, and I am sure he was told the same stuff. To answer your question yes research is helpful. If you get 2 peer reviewed publications you will max out the points awarded for research/publications. That can mean 2 case reports in no name journals. You probably don't have to be first author, but that would certainly help. So set your sites on 2 peer reviewed pubs.
 
Don't mean to sound harsh but it's HIGHLY unlikely that you'll get ENT as a DO. I am an AD army ENT and I can tell you that there is a definite bias against DOs whether you agree with it or not. I know for a fact that a DO hasn't been selected for an ENT residency in the army in 9 years. Can't speak for ortho but I would assume it's the same way.


Just want to dispell this rumor... I just recently worked with a DO ENT who was within that timeframe. So it is definately possible. However I guess it is possible that there is still bias against DOs, though.
 
You're wrong - the last DO to be selected for an ARMY ENT residency was in 2001 (graduating in '06). NONE HAVE BEEN SELECTED SINCE. I have the roster of all ENTs in the army sitting in my office so I think I know what I'm talking about. But, by all means, I would apply and give it a go. My only point is that there is a huge stigma attached to DOs when it comes to competitive residencies.
 
My only point is that there is a huge stigma attached to DOs when it comes to competitive residencies.

Does this include General Surgery and Emergency Medicine ? These are the fields I am most interested in currently. Thanks.
 
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