Reserve/National Guard Experiences?

[Para-dox]

A lot of the threads reveal experiences of those on active duty. Can anyone speak to the experiences of being a Reserve/National Guard physician (any branch)? As a medical student, it sounds like a better alternative than active duty since you would be able to apply through the civilian match and sounds like attempts are made not to deploy residents.

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[notdeadyet]

The civilian match is a huge aspect. You have a much wider array of residency programs of higher quality and are much more likely to find a good fit.

You are largely protected from deployment as a resident in the Reserve Corps, but this is also true for active duty. Though Reserve Corps does not have the same GMO problem that the Actice side does.

I have been in the Army National Guard for over six years, which was during part of medical school, all of residency, and beyond. If you have specific questions, feel free to post. I've been happy with my experience overall but recognize the frustrations, drawbacks, and restrictions the service entails.

 

[DeadCactus]

I've been in the Army Guard for multiple years as well though I have no experience with post-residency life in the Guard. I will also add that notdeadyet and I joined under the ASR program which was a ridiculously good deal and is no longer available so while I'm sure we both try to be objective we are going to be positively biased. All the usual caveats of "Should you join the military?" still apply. That being said, barring prior service members close to retirement, I think the Guard or Reserve are by far the best way to go.

Control over your match, control over where you live, a civilian job with civilian pay, and (at least currently) shorter deployments are the major benefits.

The biggest challenge is that you now have two jobs and two bosses. Having to worry about scheduling around drill weekends and annual training can be a pain and it will definitely cost you personal time. I've seen medical students and residents held to standards anywhere from exactly what the non-physicians due to told not to worry about it and focus on school but you have to be ready for the worst (drilling every month and using 2 weeks of your vacation each year for annual training, add-on a deployment every 2 years once done with residency). Post-residency, you'll be limited to jobs that can tolerate your absence for a deployment meaning no small groups or solo practices. The Guard (and probably the Reserve) is far more heterogeneous than active duty army so it is hard to characterize what to expect.

 

[Para-dox]

The civilian match is a huge aspect. You have a much wider array of residency programs of higher quality and are much more likely to find a good fit.

You are largely protected from deployment as a resident in the Reserve Corps, but this is also true for active duty. Though Reserve Corps does not have the same GMO problem that the Actice side does.

I have been in the Army National Guard for over six years, which was during part of medical school, all of residency, and beyond. If you have specific questions, feel free to post. I've been happy with my experience overall but recognize the frustrations, drawbacks, and restrictions the service entails.

I've been in the Army Guard for multiple years as well though I have no experience with post-residency life in the Guard. I will also add that notdeadyet and I joined under the ASR program which was a ridiculously good deal and is no longer available so while I'm sure we both try to be objective we are going to be positively biased. All the usual caveats of "Should you join the military?" still apply. That being said, barring prior service members close to retirement, I think the Guard or Reserve are by far the best way to go.

Control over your match, control over where you live, a civilian job with civilian pay, and (at least currently) shorter deployments are the major benefits.

The biggest challenge is that you now have two jobs and two bosses. Having to worry about scheduling around drill weekends and annual training can be a pain and it will definitely cost you personal time. I've seen medical students and residents held to standards anywhere from exactly what the non-physicians due to told not to worry about it and focus on school but you have to be ready for the worst (drilling every month and using 2 weeks of your vacation each year for annual training, add-on a deployment every 2 years once done with residency). Post-residency, you'll be limited to jobs that can tolerate your absence for a deployment meaning no small groups or solo practices. The Guard (and probably the Reserve) is far more heterogeneous than active duty army so it is hard to characterize what to expect.

A few questions:
If the ASR program didn't exist, would you still have chosen to join the ARNG?
What exactly do you do during drill/annual training (as a med student, resident, or attending)?
Do you plan to continue with the ARNG (post-commitment)?

 

[jonb12997]

I can't really type a full huge response on my phone, but suffice it to say that I'm super happy with my decision to join and stay in. I agree that it very much depends on your unit. Some will require the same commitment as enlisted and line officers, others will be more flexible. It depends on the commander honestly. I've had a very flexible command that has been willing to work with my schedule.

I do however agree with the discussion above to be ready to give up one full weekend a month, and the two weeks of AT each year. A 90 day deployment, although less likely now than it was when OIF and OEF were ramped up, is still a very real possibility and you need to be ready.

For me at this point, the drill pay itself is nothing close to what I can make moonlighting, but once you figure in tricare reserve select benefit, loan repayment, and when I get my 20, tricare for life, and retirement, it makes it worth it to me to stay around.

Bottom line, like any job you have, you have the good things about it, and you have the not so good things about it. Your best option honestly is to go meet not just with the MEDDET commander and state surgeon, but a senior captain or major ranked physician in the unit and find out what life is actually like. That's my best suggestion.

 

[DeadCactus]

1) If the ASR program didn't exist, would you still have chosen to join the ARNG?

Hard to say but I think so. Joining the Guard without any special programs and then doing STRAP + HPLRP in residency is not quite the deal ASR was but still a solid option. FAP would have probably been the other serious consideration.

2) What exactly do you do during drill/annual training (as a med student, resident, or attending)?

Huge spectrum. I personally didn't drill much as a medical student and when I did I mostly stood around feeling awkward and useless with a little teaching for medics here and there. I've seen other medical students who were platoon leaders and had an active role in the unit. As a resident I've done both awkward standing around and had an actual role doing teaching, "sick call", and physicals. I've seen other residents who weren't required to drill at all. AT has ranged from local training where I popped in around work hours as best as I could to using 2 weeks of my vacation to go to some cool places.

3) Do you plan to continue with the ARNG (post-commitment)?

I'd like to. I've had a good experience and get to work with some good people. If I leave it will be because my civilian career or family life becomes incompatible with the possibility of deployment.