I am wanting to go into military medicine. And I just got an interview to USUHS. However, I am also wanting to go into neurosurgery. I was wondering if I would be limited to going into neurosurgery if I were to be a military phyisician that went to USUHS. Just wondering if anyone has experience with this. Thanks
USUHS and Residency limitations???
- Thread starter spursss
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If you are even considering Neurosurgery I would STRONGLY advise you to seek an education that does not involve the military. No USUHS. No HPSP. I am currently a 4th year AF HPSP student doing and Active Duty Tour at Travis Air Force Base in neurosurg. We have two procedures scheduled this month. Two. Not only is the service ridiculously light, there were only 2 AF spots available for Neurosurgery this year. I can only assume that the other services are in a similar situation. I am pursuing neurology, FYI.
I would not recommend allowing yourself to get into a military commitment unless you are certain you want to practice Family or Flight Medicine. There are a lot of other posters here who have much more time in the system than my 6 weeks. Read the other threads or better yet, contact some military physicians in the fields you are considering and I think you'll soon realize that there are a lot of ways to serve w/o getting leaving yourself optionless later down the road.
I would not recommend allowing yourself to get into a military commitment unless you are certain you want to practice Family or Flight Medicine. There are a lot of other posters here who have much more time in the system than my 6 weeks. Read the other threads or better yet, contact some military physicians in the fields you are considering and I think you'll soon realize that there are a lot of ways to serve w/o getting leaving yourself optionless later down the road.
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Excellent advice from a fellow student. You are way to early in your career to know what's going to happen 4 years from now. But like the advice given to you, any surgical subspecialty, especially something as complex as neurosurgery forget it. Not only because you will be severely limited in your ability to practice, be told where to live, (most likely only Texas now), deployments, loss of civil rights, and if you think its important, phone calls from recuriters offering you 6-700,000.00 salaries on the outside. Some of the neurosurgeons I know, can't even sit for boards because they cannot get their required case load!!!
Unless you really want to be inthe military, and plan on doing not necessarily what you really want to, then look into it further. Otherwise, read this forum much closer, and as always, make some phone calls to active duty bases. Call up Wilford Hall and talk to Dr. McCafferty. See what he tells you!!
Good luck, but best advice, with your desires, is cancel that interview.
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I too wanted to become a neurosurgeon, and would have done so, had participation in HPSP and subsequent "needs of the military" not prevented that from happening. If you are serious about NS, I suggest that you not join the military.
If USUHS is the only medical school to which you are accepted, then you obviously have no other choice, but I would think that if you are accepted at USUHS you would have acceptances elsewhere also.
If you are really serious about NS, you should attend a medical school with a strong neurosurgical department, such as the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Virginia, Johns Hopkins, etc. Then ally yourself with that department as much as possible while a student. You will need to be a superb medical student. Become AOA. Do research, etc. Eat, sleep and drink NS.
I can tell you from personal experience that there is no greater orgasm on earth than putting your finger(s) into a human brain.
There are a number of potential pitfalls in your question. I will make the assumption that you will get into med school to start.
Many people enter med school with a specialty in mind and change it one or more times as they go through med school. I changed a couple of times. But as many will tell you keeping your options open is a good one. I have a couple of friends who are neurosurgeons and both have had good and bad experiences in the Navy. Both stayed beyond their original commitments. (but for full disclosure they are now out, but one is still an active reservist)
If you really want to be in the military, you could go HPSP or wait and go FAP after you graduate from med school, both might give you greater flexibility in the future. Additionally you could always start med school and take a 2 or 3 year HPSP if your circumstances and desires change.
