Reservists & Guardsmen
- Thread starter The Patriot
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Ummm, did you notice that there is a military medicine forum?
I sure did notice that forum. I should have been more specific in what I was actually asking, that is my fault. I asked about deployment for residents who want to serve in a capacity OTHER than medicine, be it enlisted or officer (warfighter). I just wanted to know if it could be done.
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I'm sure there is someone out there who has done it. The better question would be how would you go about fulfilling your reserve commitement of a weekend a month and two weeks a year. It probably wouldn't be too difficulty during first and second year, but it would be tough to make it third and fourth year. Don't know many MS3's and 4's who get a full weekend off and trying to schedule the two weeks might be tough as well.
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I see.
Actually, strangely enough, the biggest obstacle might be keeping military from finding out that you're a physician. If they do and assuming you're licensed, then they'll probably deploy you as a medical corps officer.
Otherwise, what you need is a copy of your residency contract. Because it's a training contract and because of the Medicare dollars that are involved, the normal laws that would prevent you from losing your job during military service might not apply.
If you are serious about this, I would take the relevant documents to an attorney to have them reviewed.
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Unless you were already a medical corps officer or they instituted the draft, I do not believe that this is the case. There are many doctors, lawyers, etc. in the reserves that are not practicing those occupations within the military.
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Interesting.
The lawyers thing makes sense, because the military has an excess of those. I know for the Army, for example, a ridiculously low percentage of active duty officers that finish law school actually get to enter the JAG corps.
For physicians, many specialties are operating below strength, so one might think they'd at least try to get you to transfer to the medical corps. Of course, the military cannot force you to practice medicine, but I'm not 100% clear on what they can force you to do if you clearly intend to practice civilian medicine.
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Two different issues have been raised here: the weekend a month and two week per year commitment, and being deployed (presumably for 12+ months, which seems the standard now).
As for the first, most residency programs would work with you on that. Many reserve units will be flexible with the "weekend per month" -- and if so you can do no weekends on your call blocks and then "make up" the weekends on non call blocks. Unfortunately, that can consume many of your free weekends.
The two weeks a year either have to come out of your vacation, or can be treated like an LOA. In the latter, you'll probably need to make up the time at the end of the year, so you'd end up 4-6 weeks off cycle by the end of training. This is no big deal.
If you get deployed, that causes a big problem. With enough notice it could be integrated with your training, but I expect the military really won't care about that. When you return, I would hope that your program would take you back. However, programs are "capped" at a certain number of residents, and once a new resident is hired to replace you there is no guarantee that a spot will be available. The RRC can allow a program to go over their cap, and then there can be funding issues, etc.
As for the first, most residency programs would work with you on that. Many reserve units will be flexible with the "weekend per month" -- and if so you can do no weekends on your call blocks and then "make up" the weekends on non call blocks. Unfortunately, that can consume many of your free weekends.
The two weeks a year either have to come out of your vacation, or can be treated like an LOA. In the latter, you'll probably need to make up the time at the end of the year, so you'd end up 4-6 weeks off cycle by the end of training. This is no big deal.
If you get deployed, that causes a big problem. With enough notice it could be integrated with your training, but I expect the military really won't care about that. When you return, I would hope that your program would take you back. However, programs are "capped" at a certain number of residents, and once a new resident is hired to replace you there is no guarantee that a spot will be available. The RRC can allow a program to go over their cap, and then there can be funding issues, etc.
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I did ROTC and was continued the NG through med school, and residency.
It was tough at times doing drills during med school, but they really work with you, and you can make up days if needed...
during residency it has been a bit harder... fortunately as an EM resident my schedule is pretty flexible. I can request days off well in advance. It's just the issue with these multi-day missions (we have a 7 day one coming up in january) which there is no way I can make all of it.
As far as the deployment issue, it was looming over my head constantly as a MOS Q'ed combat engineer officer... so I had to change to medical command to keep from being deployed during residency, in exchange for being deployed as an attending. So when I graduate from residency in 09 I fully expect to be deployed to Iraq for 3 months, boots on ground. But I do think it will be a very interesting experience, and while I will not jump up and ask people to pick me, I will definitely be excited to go when I have to.
ttac
It was tough at times doing drills during med school, but they really work with you, and you can make up days if needed...
during residency it has been a bit harder... fortunately as an EM resident my schedule is pretty flexible. I can request days off well in advance. It's just the issue with these multi-day missions (we have a 7 day one coming up in january) which there is no way I can make all of it.
As far as the deployment issue, it was looming over my head constantly as a MOS Q'ed combat engineer officer... so I had to change to medical command to keep from being deployed during residency, in exchange for being deployed as an attending. So when I graduate from residency in 09 I fully expect to be deployed to Iraq for 3 months, boots on ground. But I do think it will be a very interesting experience, and while I will not jump up and ask people to pick me, I will definitely be excited to go when I have to.
ttac