What do flight surgeons do after serving?!

[HopefulSlav]

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I know this may be straightforward, but what do former flight surgeons do after serving in the military? Is the title "surgeon" accurate? All I see when I research it is clinic and paperwork.

 

[Doctor Bob]

I know this may be straightforward, but what do former flight surgeons do after serving in the military? Is the title "surgeon" accurate? All I see when I research it is clinic and paperwork.

Clinic and paperwork is pretty accurate.
They are not "surgeons" in the operating room sense unless they have done a surgical residency.

What do they do afterwards? Well if they've spent 4 years as a flight doc then get out, usually they go back and complete a residency if they had not done so before. If they've spent 20 years as an administrator, then... well they keep doing that.

 

[ProwlerturnGas]

Anesthesiology

 

[HighPriest]

The term surgeon is used in the traditional, military sense referring to a guy that follows an Army around and treats soldiers. It is not used in the traditional sense in that you aren't cutting of limbs and whatnot. Maybe you'll drain an abscess if you're exceptionally adventurous.

There are also Brigade Surgeons who are usually not surgeons in the modern sense.

 

[d2305]

They can't fly alone either.

 

[MaximusD]

They do whatever they want. Usually flight docs don't leave the service until they have their next gig set up. Typically the next big thing is going back and doing residency. A typical Flight Surgeon is a General Medical Officer (GMO) who has only completed his or her internship. Flight docs may also elect to re-enter the military residency selection process -- they typically have a "leg up" when doing so for many specialties (not all). A small subset of flight surgeons may choose to make aerospace medicine their career -- those docs may choose a second or third tour as a GMO FS and/or they may opt to complete the Residency in Aerospace Medicine (RAM). This opens up many leadership opportunities...

 

[pgg]

I know this may be straightforward, but what do former flight surgeons do after serving in the military? Is the title "surgeon" accurate? All I see when I research it is clinic and paperwork.

They do a residency. Or they don't practice medicine (mostly).

These days, there isn't much room in the United States for physicians with just an internship behind them to be doctors. Many states won't even license them. For the states that do license after one year of GME, there's not much to do beyond doc-in-the-box'ing at an urgent care clinic. There certainly isn't an enviable career in it.

So they do a residency.


The phrase "flight surgeon" is just a title, like "battalion surgeon" or "brigade surgeon" ... it doesn't even always mean "doctor" ... the Surgeon General of the Army is a nurse.

 

[MaximusD]

They do a residency. Or they don't practice medicine (mostly).

These days, there isn't much room in the United States for physicians with just an internship behind them to be doctors. Many states won't even license them. For the states that do license after one year of GME, there's not much to do beyond doc-in-the-box'ing at an urgent care clinic. There certainly isn't an enviable career in it.

So they do a residency.


The phrase "flight surgeon" is just a title, like "battalion surgeon" or "brigade surgeon" ... it doesn't even always mean "doctor" ... the Surgeon General of the Army is a nurse.

You're kidding, right? That seems highly inappropriate.

Great points about internship and licensure. Many states now require two years of post-graduate education for unrestricted licensure. Without board certification on the outside, your employment options are not great in the clinical setting. Licensure may open up some consulting opportunities, but they won't be diverse.

Residency is a "must" for any self-respecting young physician. They say opinions are like a$$holes, but this concept is compatible with marketplace expectations.

 

[HighPriest]

You're kidding, right? That seems highly inappropriate.

Great points about internship and licensure. Many states now require two years of post-graduate education for unrestricted licensure. Without board certification on the outside, your employment options are not great in the clinical setting. Licensure may open up some consulting opportunities, but they won't be diverse.

Residency is a "must" for any self-respecting young physician. They say opinions are like a$$holes, but this concept is compatible with marketplace expectations.

Not kidding. It is tragically hilarious, but not a joke.

 

[HopefulSlav]

Interesting. So what is a pro besides getting special insignia?

 

[idq1i]

Interesting. So what is a pro besides getting special insignia?

quick availability for world-wide deployment... you know, join the army and see the (mostly sandy) world.

 

[Qurmish]

Interesting. So what is a pro besides getting special insignia?

Are you suggesting that a special insignia is not enough?

You may be pursuing the wrong line of work if fancy badges and pretty ribbons are not sufficient to keep you placated

 

[deuist]

You may be pursuing the wrong line of work of fancy badges and pretty ribbons are not sufficient to keep you placated

It's kind of like the drone pilots who wanted their own ribbon, the "Nintendo Ribbon" as it was called. Is it not enough to have wings?

 

[Kilgoretrout 65]

Maybe some of us can become Drone Pilot Flight Surgeons like Buster Bluth.

 

[notdeadyet]

Maybe some of us can become Drone Pilot Flight Surgeons like Buster Bluth.

Awesome. For flight time, would you be able to login remotely, or would you have to be in the "cockpit."?

 

[ArmyTiger]

Awesome. For flight time, would you be able to login remotely, or would you have to be in the "cockpit."?

The "cockpit" for drones is a TDY trip to Las Vegas, so sign me up for that option.

 

[pgg]

Are you suggesting that a special insignia is not enough?

I know a doctor who got a tattoo of his warfare device. That there is motivation and commitment.

 

[Qurmish]

The only legitimate reason to join milmed is being able to insist that people call you by your official title: "Doctor Captain"

 

[backrow]

The only legitimate reason to join milmed is being able to insist that people call you by your official title: "Doctor Captain"

Semantics, but your official title does not include Doctor. It does include your rank, name, corps, service.

But nobody cares except in certain situations.

 

[Qurmish]

Semantics, but your official title does not include Doctor. It does include your rank, name, corps, service.

But nobody cares except in certain situations.

Dang, I guess I'm out.

 

[HopefulSlav]

Are you suggesting that a special insignia is not enough?

You may be pursuing the wrong line of work if fancy badges and pretty ribbons are not sufficient to keep you placated

I was just asking!

 

[Qurmish]

I was just asking!

It was a joke about how ridiculous the military is about using decorations to try fix big problems.

The military likes to resolve morale/job satisfaction related issues by giving out badges, making absurd uniform changes, forcing some people to wear berets that don't want to wear berets, etc.