Usuhs to gmo and out

[a gray man]

Has anyone ever heard of a usuhs grad doing an internship and then just doing 7 years as a gmo and getting out? I have a colleague that suggested that this goes on but I can't imagine you would have many prospects for civilian residency when it's all said and done.

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[Chonal Atresia]

Has anyone ever heard of a usuhs grad doing an internship and then just doing 7 years as a gmo and getting out? I have a colleague that suggested that this goes on but I can't imagine you would have many prospects for civilian residency when it's all said and done.

Why on earth would somebody do this? 3 or 4-year HPSP, I maybe can understand. But 7 years as a GMO?

 

[pgg]

Has anyone ever heard of a usuhs grad doing an internship and then just doing 7 years as a gmo and getting out? I have a colleague that suggested that this goes on but I can't imagine you would have many prospects for civilian residency when it's all said and done.

It happens. Mainly one of two reasons:

1) They weren't competitive and although they applied year after year, they never got selected for an inservice residency, because of grades, board scores, or psychosis. They served out their 7 year obligation, got out ... and likely found that their civilian prospects for residency weren't any better. Result: career doc-in-a-box or settling for a non-competitive residency in a non-competitive location.

2) They loved being a GMO so much that they kept doing it. Some people like being flight surgeons. Easy work, good hours, rides in jets, etc. Between flying around and goofing off with the pilots, residency kinda looks like a drag to some people, so they put off going back. The sensible ones who like that life suck it up, go grind out a residency, and then head back out to an operational billet to keep living that life. Less sensible ones do 7 years as a GMO and get out.

I think most of us would agree that choosing to spend 7 years in GMO-land is a bad idea for a multitude of reasons, if one ever wants to be a fully grown-up doctor.

 

[a gray man]

It's option # 2 that I have heard of. What sort of disadvantage are these guys putting themselves at when they finally get out and try for that civilian residency? I am guessing primary care not a huge issue but anything else would be a seriously uphill battle?

 

[jabreal00]

I've only really seen this in someone who has tried repeatedly to get a residency year after year but fails to do so because of poor academic records or some other red flag (failed APFT/PRT) etc. I don't see the sense in serving 7 years as a GMO. One leaves a lot of money on the table by not being residency trained (specialty bonus) and board certified (board certification pay) for their pay back.

 

[DrMetal]

Has anyone ever heard of a usuhs grad doing an internship and then just doing 7 years as a gmo and getting out? I have a colleague that suggested that this goes on but I can't imagine you would have many prospects for civilian residency when it's all said and done.

you beg some questions: how old would you be, and what else is going on in your life? If start your GMO-legacy at age 27, could you get out at age 34 and do a civilian residency? Sure: plenty of people in their 30s do training and still have that academic thirst. But what if your were 44 after GMO land, with spouse, 3 kids, a mortgage, and a whiskey habbit...then a residency might be much harder.

 

[MaximusD]

God 7 YEARS as a GMO!? I second that residency hours suck compared to the Mon-Fri-and-long-weekends schedule but if I had to do all the mindless paperwork for 7 years (1) I would surely have complete skill and knowledge atrophy and (2) I would need both an SSRI and a stimulant to get by.

 

[WernickeDO]

I wish I hadn't read this thread before bedtime. The thought of 7 years as a GMO will give me nightmares tonight.