USAF residency apps question

[tomplatz]

Hello All,

I'm a 3rd year Air Force HPSP'er and need some guidance. Am planning on going into surgery, and I REALLY want to go to Lackland. I'm doing rotations there and at Keesler in senior surgery. Do I need to hit all 4 bases that offer surgical residencies, either for ADT's or even for interviews?

How about civilian programs? I really don't want to end up civilian-deferred, but should I interview at a few as backup?

My stats: Step 1 - 243; Class rank - 2nd quarter in a good state school in Texas. A dozen publications for wet bench research.

Any knowledgeable advice would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

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[ismb314]

You need to find out where the "program director" for surgery for the Air Force is (what base he/she is at) and do an ADT there about 2-3 months before the board meets. Working with that person closely and expressing your interest in a military residency at a certain location will virtually guarantee you your desired choice.

 

[radspouse]

Originally posted by ismb314
You need to find out where the "program director" for surgery for the Air Force is (what base he/she is at) and do an ADT there about 2-3 months before the board meets. Working with that person closely and expressing your interest in a military residency at a certain location will virtually guarantee you your desired choice.

I thought that graduates of the military medical school and those with a higher "rank" or active duty experience got first-dibs on military residency slots? Which means that nothing is guaranteed if someone "higher up" wants YOUR spot. In that way I was under the assumption that the military match is very different from the civilian match.

 

[Homunculus]

Originally posted by radspouse
I thought that graduates of the military medical school and those with a higher "rank" or active duty experience got first-dibs on military residency slots? Which means that nothing is guaranteed if someone "higher up" wants YOUR spot. In that way I was under the assumption that the military match is very different from the civilian match.

having prior service and being a USUHS student are a plus, but are not the trump card that it sounds like you may think it is. while there *is* a point system in place that will give credit for that kind of thing, there are still enough points the PD's can assign to bump people up if they like them.

all USUHS graduates are guaranteed a military FYGME slot, not necessarily the residency of their choice. personally, i think it is better for the HPSP cropwd because we can get a civilian residency if we don't match while USUHS people get stuck in transitional year internships.

either way, getting in good with the program directors can only be beneficial to your app.