The Decline of Navy Medicine?

[MedicalMonkey]

Hey everyone,
I've been a long time reader of your treads and posts and ultimately have been unable to form a coherent opinion and thought process on whether I wish to obtain a military scholarship. It seems to me that the negative posts on this forum tend to be from Airforce members, or ex-members, who had trouble with adequate case-loads. The majority of times these individuals tend to be surgeons. I, on the other hand, am not interested in Air force Surgery, but am more interested in Navy Emergency Medicine/ Anesthesiology/ Radiology (The so called life-style friendly specialties, I do want time with my family.) I was just hoping to get some opinions from those who are involved with the path that I am looking to travel down. GMO tour's actually sound very interesting to me, I like adventure, and I really don't mind a few years of now making hundreds of thousands of dollars (I'm actually worried about making that much money lol). If any have comments about how they feel Air force Medicine and Navy Medicine will be similiar those will also be very much appreciated. I really hope that this thread does not turn into another straight up military medicine bash (Although i recognize there may be very good reasons for that). Thank you,

Medical Monkey

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[MedicalMonkey]

Also, is it still more difficult to obtain an EM/ Anesthesiology/ Radiology residency after a GMO tour in comparison to matching straight into a civilian program? I have not yet seen this topic debate on this forum.

Thank you,
Medical Monkey

Also, a major reason for me choosing Navy is base location. I've lived in Michigan my entire life and would like to travel and live on the Ocean. I love being close to the Ocean...

 

[rotatores]

Hey everyone,
I've been a long time reader of your treads and posts

I wouldn't call a little over a year a "long time"...but in any case, you have to consider that in the more "lifestyle friendly" specialties you will be getting a substantial amount less than your civilian partners. In my opinion, these are the physicians who are much more prone to being unhappy and will eventually get out as soon as possible.

"Also, a major reason for me choosing Navy is base location. I've lived in Michigan my entire life and would like to travel and live on the Ocean. I love being close to the Ocean..."

Please tell me there is more substance for your reason to join the Navy? My advice keep reading and really think about this decision.

Rotatores

 

[notdeadyet]

I, on the other hand, am not interested in Air force Surgery, but am more interested in Navy Emergency Medicine/ Anesthesiology/ Radiology (The so called life-style friendly specialties, I do want time with my family.)

You might want to do more research on "lifestyle specialties". Radiologists and especially anesthesiologists work a lot more hours per week (on average) than most people think.

Emergency Medicine is still pretty sweet, hours-wise (if you can deal with shift work). Psych is close to king for lifestyle.

 

[BOHICA-FIGMO]

To the OP:

Are you sure you would be happy in military medicine with these specialty choices? Anesthesiologists fresh out of residency are getting offers of ~$400-500k /yr with 8-12 weeks of vacation. One senior radiologist at a hospital where I've worked flat out told a bunch of us he has received offers in the ~$800-900k/ yr range (not sure what starting salaries are in rads). ER docs are usually somewhere in the ~$200-300k per year range and work only 15-17shifts/month at 10-12 hrs/shift. If you are dead set on military medicine, fantastic! But realize (as others have eloquently shown in other threads) for specialties outside of primary care (e.g, FM, general IM, Peds, Psych, and OB) it will not benefit you financially.

 

[MedicalMonkey]

Thanks to all those who replied.
Furthermore, I would like to join the military for many reasons, but one fairly large reason for my choice with regard to the Navy is base location. I just like their locations. Also, the main point of my post was to see if the troubles that tend to trouble Air Force docs were persistent throughout the rest of the military branches, in my case the Navy. I have read only a few opinions from people in the Navy. Is Navy medicine really no different than Air Force medicine?

 

[MedicalMonkey]

troubles that tend to trouble........ I like redundancy, what can i say.

 

[i want out]

Thanks to all those who replied.
Furthermore, I would like to join the military for many reasons, but one fairly large reason for my choice with regard to the Navy is base location. I just like their locations. Also, the main point of my post was to see if the troubles that tend to trouble Air Force docs were persistent throughout the rest of the military branches, in my case the Navy. I have read only a few opinions from people in the Navy. Is Navy medicine really no different than Air Force medicine?

If you plan to stay in the Navy and make a career out of it, then base location might make some difference.

You need to understand, that your very likely going to spend a significant amount of time in Portsmouth, VA(Hampton Roads area), San Diego, or Bethesda .

Yes, the Navy has bases in Hawaii, Rota etc. but your chances of going there as a brand new GMO fresh out of internship is not high.

I spent 4 years as a Navy GMO and I wouldn't suggest anybody join Navy Medicine right now. But your experience may be completely different from mine.

If you want to know more about how I feel about Navy Medicine, search my posts.

good luck
i want out (of IRR)