Which is the better medical program Navy or Air Force (Better Reputation)

[Omar-57]

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Hello, I am trying to decide between Navy and Air Force medicine. I would like to gain a residency in something other than FM. And I want to pick the division with the better reputation in medicine. I am interested in research. I want to end up some where that will put a well respected name behind me. I would also be cool having that come through a civilian deferment. What do you guys think would be my better option Navy or Air Force?

Thank you

 

[BigNavyPedsGuy]

I am interested in research.

Armed forces don't really provide very many research opportunities (at least no in my limited experience).

 

[Croooz]

I've been in Navy research for 11 years. The truth is there is little respect for military researchers. Civilian companies and academic institutions want the money from Homeland Security and DOD and only deal with military researchers because it's a necessary evil.

If research is what you're after pretty soon....very soon everyone is going to fall under the Army umbrella. If there is a career you do not want to join the military for is research. The politics in mil. research are worse than mil. med. A PhD in microbiology as the CO of a piss clinic at the rank of O3 is common......then you have your choice of Jakarta or Peru as the XO.....then come back to Silver Spring and work as a staff scientist alongside military scientist you were in charge of overseas.

 

[resxn]

Hello, I am trying to decide between Navy and Air Force medicine. I want to end up some where that will put a well respected name behind me. What do you guys think would be my better option Navy or Air Force?

There is little if no respected research left in the military--at least with a national reputation for continuing quality production. There are isolated cases of very well done studies in the literature in my specialty from AF docs from Lackland but universally these are not common and are of a clinical nature, not basic science.

If you are definitely going the military route (think hard and long about that one) and you want to do research, even a deferment to a program that offers a year of research is ridiculously hard to get into. The military doesn't need or want bodies who can do research, they need and want bodies who can quickly evaluate and treat and get their soldiers back in the field. That is all. (When, after having been promised by the AF that they would cover my board certification expenses, they backed out and didn't cover 30%, my commander said, "Sorry, son, the AF doesn't need board certified docs, we just need docs).

Unfortunately, if you do go the research route, you will have a hard time getting into a practice situation in the military where you can spend a significant amount of time doing research, particularly if it is basic science stuff. Anyone in any practice can put together clinical trials. Heck, I'm doing one on balloon sinuplasty on fliers right now, but that's not what someone would consider hardcore science/research.

 

[Omar-57]

Thanks for the responses.

If you were serving GMO time overseas or state side what would daily life be like Hr/week? Would you be able to collaborate with civilian or military investigators on a small study? If you were serving on a ship would there be time to work on a review; would you have nice internet connections to collect resourses?

Also following up on my initial question, I see the Navy being a stronger medical program outside of FM than the Air Force because its major hospitals. Is it fair to say that Navy Medicine beats the Air Force in terms of cutting edge treatment and technology?

 

[resxn]

Is it fair to say that Navy Medicine beats the Air Force in terms of cutting edge treatment and technology?

I think that simply depends on whose who in the service at the time. An aggressive attending who wants to do cutting edge treatment or use brand new technology will find a way. I was the first active duty physician in the DoD (any branch) to perform balloon sinuplasty--at the time I started there were only 40 people (all civilian) in the country trained to do it. Now there are over 250 and a handful in all the branches. Another example is that one of only 4 physicians in the country doing implantable middle ear hearing aids is at Lackland AFB in TX.

So can you say that the AF has more cutting edge technology than the Navy for sinus surgery or middle ear hearing aid surgery? Maybe just for a while because we were aggressive about getting the technology for our patients, but it really all just depends on who is doing what at any given moment in any particular branch. Someone in the Navy might be using the Da Vinci robot, someone in the Army might have access to combo PET/MRI for neurology. It is very dependent and constantly fluctuating.

As far as hospitals go and their size and access to equipment, I don't have any experience with branches outside of the AF so I can't say. Someone would have to have been involved in multiple branch MTF's within a very short period of time to be able to accurately compare. And then again, it very often will depend on the specific department in that hospital. Bethesda may have great Internal Medicine, but suck compared to Walter Reed for surgery. (that's just a hypothetical example, I have no idea whose department is strong where except in my specialty).

 

[Omar-57]

I have been seeing some talk of the AF requiring a GMO tour for all those who do not match in the military.

I have also heard that the Navy is now getting rid of the GMO tour for graduating medical students.

Has anyone heard this to be true of the Navy?

I would also like to probe some more on a couple of previous questions. Which would have better programs for IM subspecialties (cardiology, oncology) Navy or AF? And how does placement into these programs work in the military?

My thoughts are that stateside Navy hospitals are on a higher level than those of the AF. Is this accurate, I do not know much of the AF San Antonio and Ohio hospitals.

Thank you

 

[Croooz]

I have been seeing some talk of the AF requiring a GMO tour for all those who do not match in the military.

I have also heard that the Navy is now getting rid of the GMO tour for graduating medical students.

Has anyone heard this to be true of the Navy?

No. GMO's are alive and well. Who else are they going to send with the Marines? You'll either go as before residency or after but you will go on a GMO tour in the Navy.

My thoughts are that stateside Navy hospitals are on a higher level than those of the AF. Is this accurate, I do not know much of the AF San Antonio and Ohio hospitals.

Higher level? Ya know what that little white speck on top of chicken **** is?

 

[The White Coat Investor]

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[Omar-57]

Thanks for the imput,

I can see that military medicine is not static. However, it is important to look ahead to make the best choice. I really do not understand why military medicine has fallen from the top. I have always heard that the Bethesda hospital is the best in the world and there are many who still believe that it is.

So what is to come? Has it fallen because we are spending so much on war? Or have the military people just lost interest in science and medicine?

I think that the Navy medicine will be stronger than the AF in the comming years and is today.

I am surprised that I cannot get a debate set up as to which is the stronger medical program.

Thanks

 

[orbitsurgMD]

Thanks for the imput,
. . . .
I am surprised that I cannot get a debate set up as to which is the stronger medical program.

Thanks

Then you aren't really asking a question; you're trolling.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

]

 

[Omar-57]

Well everything changes and we always look ahead. And I don't think you can accurately speak for everyone.

Thanks for you imput.

 

[resxn]

Thanks for the imput,

I can see that military medicine is not static. However, it is important to look ahead to make the best choice. I really do not understand why military medicine has fallen from the top. I have always heard that the Bethesda hospital is the best in the world and there are many who still believe that it is.

So what is to come? Has it fallen because we are spending so much on war? Or have the military people just lost interest in science and medicine?

I think that the Navy medicine will be stronger than the AF in the comming years and is today.

I am surprised that I cannot get a debate set up as to which is the stronger medical program.

Thanks

To get a better understanding of where you're coming from, it would be interesting to know your background. You've used "imput" twice now instead of "input" so it seems to be less likely than just a typo. Also, you seem to dismiss the advice of some very experienced people (Desperado in particular) who have offered solid information to you.

You are not getting good information if you've heard that Bethesda is the best in the world. Maybe once upon a time it could have competed, and it remains a great hospital, but best in the world? Hardly.

I will say this one more time. You cannot presume one branch of the military is better than the other across the board in its medical care. It would be as irresponsible as saying that Johns Hopkins is hands down a better hospital than Mass General or Duke is better than Baylor, etc. It's a fool's argument and makes no sense.

You are trolling, and I'd recommend this thread gets closed by our friendly neighborhood anti-troll caveman.

 

[Omar-57]

Ok your right. I have had some good advice on here - from you. Thanks for the input.

This is a tough decision for me. Picking the med school is easy. I pick the best one for me from my choices. I feel comfortable there.

The Bethesda hospital has a big name. That is my point.

And I still do not understand why there is not anyone here to pump his or her program. This may be a bad sign for mil med overall. So the des advice is heard.

Thanks again,

 

[backrow]

And I still do not understand why there is not anyone here to pump his or her program.

Start Arnold voice

"We are here to pump you up"

/arnold voice