who's who of SDN military med knowledge?

[atomi]

4 yrs undergrad (public)
4 yrs med school (private, nice, ranked ~15th in country)
internship in Navy, plus 6 mo stash GMO
Flight surgeon training 6 mo
3 yrs served as flight surgeon with P-3 community
deployed twice to Europe

Never got to fly in a pointy-nose, light my hair on fire, and tell the pilot to try to make me sick -- which was one of my goals. Would'a been fun, but no.
Was restricted from interviewing d/t deployments.
Was restricted from seeing my newborn twins for the 1st 5 mo of their lives. Never mind that they were in the ICU for 6 days. It was "against policy" to send officers home for that kind of stuff.

Worst thing about the HPSP: restricted training options, by far. This affected me in a particularly demotivating way, which I believe was instrumental my worst and most embarrassing test performance ever (one test), which is still having its affect on my career 7 years later. Word to all: Don't listen to anyone who tells you Step 3 doesn't matter. Don't take it so sleep deprived that you can't even finish a section and a half of the test within the time allotted. Don't click "Certify" if you know you did poorly -- Get up, walk out, and reschedule. Lastly: no, you can't retake any step of the USMLE if you blow it but with a passing score (You can retake it only if you fail -- I didn't).

Best experience? Trap landing and cat shot off a carrier in a C-2. Got to see lots of flight ops with S-3, F-18, F-14, and EA-6Bs. I think it was even the last deployment ever for F-14s, so I was really lucky there.

Got out, did a year of research, and am now in Nuc Med at a top institution. Loving it, but would recommend Rads over Nuc Med if you are considering either, then do fellowship in Nucs. If you like Nuc therapy, go with Rad Onc.

No, I would not do HPSP again. Would have taken the loans, dealt with the anxiety, and used that fear to kick ass on the tests that mattered to make sure I could pay the loans off. Might have done the FAP after I had already chosen my field. For FAP, still would have chosen Navy.

I think Navy and all armed services need good doctors, but somebody has to pay for them (or make sure they are otherwise well compensated -- benefits, honor, good worklife -- these are all on the decline). Free market.

I think the Navy screws its doctors, while at the same time using them for low-level medical work that could more efficiently be done with a PA or NP.

With regards to flying - you actually had PIC time? The Navy paid for your training? I really want to fly (I have a civilian PPL) and am currently lined up for Air Force HPSP, but having major second thoughts. Some that is due to not being able to do a stint in flight surgery and the fact that air force doesn't appear to let FSs get any flight time. You actually get to fly in the Navy? How often? And the most important question that I still haven't found an answer to, is what kind of medical do you have to get to qualify? My concern is that my eyesight isn't that great (my right eye is only correctable to 20/40-20/50 and I fail the dept perception test). I know I never had a chance at a pilot slot because of my eyes, but I really want to know if I could do FS before signing the dotted line. If I can't do anything with aviation, then the HPSP is no longer attractive to me and I will just take the loans. Even though I want to do FS, my interest is not in primary care at all. I am mostly focused on rads and its subspecialties. So you seem like a good person to ask for advice -- is it worth bailing on the air force HPSP and switching to Navy HPSP or do I have basically no shot at any sort of aviation med service and should just bail and go straight through civilian school and into rads?

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[CBMD]

Although this is an old thread I see someone's updated it recently so I'll jump in as I'm still rather new here.

university medical school
3 year HPSP
Navy Gen Surg internship
4 years as GMO 2 different billets, one brown, one land based but mostly operational, extended one year past my separation date because the mission was too good to pass up
multiple deployments to CENTCOM
countless hours moonlighting at civilian urgent care centers and an emergency room
Currently awaiting civilian match results.

content

 

[narcusprince]

I realized I havent outed myself yet here we go.
2004 University of the Rocky Mountains ( Also was a football player their too)
2008 MD medical school grad Navy HPSP (Somewhere in the middle of nowhere)
2009 Resident deferred in Anesthesia (Still nowhere but the name helps)
I an uniformally pleased with my experiance with the NAVY. LOVED IT.
Disclaimer
Please do not roast me guys. I had to be honest.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

I realized I havent outed myself yet here we go.
2004 University of the Rocky Mountains ( Also was a football player their too)
2008 MD medical school grad Navy HPSP (Somewhere in the middle of nowhere)
2009 Resident deferred in Anesthesia (Still nowhere but the name helps)
I an uniformally pleased with my experiance with the NAVY. LOVED IT.
Disclaimer
Please do not roast me guys. I had to be honest.

So except for ACDUTRA, no active service time yet, right?
I probably felt the same way at that point in my Navy service.

 

[narcusprince]

No active time except for my rotations as a fourth year student. I think that my story is a bit different in that I have been able to get straight through training. No debt, desired career choice, thats all that matters right now.

 

[Mirror Form]

No active time except for my rotations as a fourth year student. I think that my story is a bit different in that I have been able to get straight through training. No debt, desired career choice, thats all that matters right now.

Most HPSP students love the Military, that's the time when you're supposed to love it.

 

[narcusprince]

If the anecdotes I've heard are true, you're going to end up with one crappy billet after you graduate . . .

Good luck.

From what I have heard the anesthesia billets I have seen are actually pretty good gigs. I am sure PGG can back me up on that one. As long as I can moonlight to keep my skills up I am happy. All of the GAS attendings I met were pretty content with where they were in their careers. Tired what residency are you in??

 

[ArmyPRSdoc]

I'm a semi-lurker with just a few posts but here's my deal:
1996 American University
2002 Temple University SChool of Medicine
2002-2007 Civilian Gen Surg residency (joined Army FAP for a gen surg/plastics track my PGY2 year)
2007-present Civilian Plastic Surgery residency
2009 Posted to Walter Reed
Given I haven't been in practice with the Army yet - I've been satisfied with the GME experience and well treated by the consultant and career officer. The local recruiting office calls once a year to check if there's anything I need and have been very helpful with procuring uniforms, DEERS registration, ID's, etc.