Would you even consider the Air Guard?

[cmeshy]

Hello all. It's been some time since I've visited this forum (excited and busy enjoying my first year in med school) and must first start off by thanking those voices both positive and critical of MILMED who made me question my direction in undertaking HPSP, which I am satisfied that I turned down at the last moment. While I know I would have made "the best of it," I just could not give up my automony of letting anyone but myself and my actions dictate when, how, what, and where I choose to complete my GME. That was the decider for me.

However, being prior service and becoming friends with some fellow students involved with HPSP, I still am wishing to somehow be involved. I became friends with a current guardsmen in my class and his state (Minnesota) offers near HPSP like benefits. BUT paid back time is as a national guardsman.

I'm not sure if there is anyone here who is familiar with the day-in day-outs of medicine as a guardsman, but any insight would be great as I'm considering it strongly at the moment. I am fully aware of the "payback" and requirments of the package, but what I would like to know is....those who had such an aweful experience or currently getting a raw-deal, would you even consider or recommend the guard for my craving of remaining involved with the service (Air Force preferably).

I do have a few questions now that I think it...i truly am frustrated when a recruiter cannot answer what I would imagine to be a common question and quite valid. Does anyone know
1. during residency, although I do desire to remain midwest, I may end up far from the guard unit. Do they expect me to somehow return to drill with them, or do I just drill with a more locally located unit?
2. when I become boarded in my specialty (ahh so far away) and I again am not residing near the Minnesota guard team, do I switch guard teams to a local unit or do they THEN expect me to make it back to drill with them, after all they were the unit that aided in medical school funding. Does anyone know if that travel would be considered duty and be paid for by the unit or will it be out of my pocket book?
Those are just my greatest concerns at the moment. Please fill me in with any and all information one can think of. This forum was a great help before and I thank you all for any wisdom.
-C

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[Rock Star]

I can only speak to my experiences with ANG.

The ANG has definitely afforded me the flexibility to serve in the military while navigating medical education.

I went to med school in Arizona, so I transferred to the Phoenix Air guard from the air force reserve in so. calif.

Returned to so. cal for my last year of med school and first year of residency, so I transferred to Channel Island ANGB close to my home.

For my final three years of residency(anesthesia) I'm in western Massachusetts, so I transferred to Barnes ANGB , which is twenty minutes from my home.

All the transfers above were initiated by me without any interference. Pure autonomy in the direction of my medical career( see next disclaimer).

I have never been pulled out of medical training for mandatory call up.......yet. In the end, as you know, uncle sam can take you at anytime. I was surprised to find out from my commander, that under current conditions all service in Iraq/afghanistan is voluntary within the ANG medical corp. I'm sure this will change as the war continues.

If you have any more questions regarding the ANG, please feel free to contact me.

Good luck to all in HPSP, hello to everybody on active duty. God bless to all our docs in the AOR.

 

[iatrosB]

I can only speak to my experiences with ANG.

The ANG has definitely afforded me the flexibility to serve in the military while navigating medical education.

I went to med school in Arizona, so I transferred to the Phoenix Air guard from the air force reserve in so. calif.

Returned to so. cal for my last year of med school and first year of residency, so I transferred to Channel Island ANGB close to my home.

For my final three years of residency(anesthesia) I'm in western Massachusetts, so I transferred to Barnes ANGB , which is twenty minutes from my home.

All the transfers above were initiated by me without any interference. Pure autonomy in the direction of my medical career( see next disclaimer).

I have never been pulled out of medical training for mandatory call up.......yet. In the end, as you know, uncle sam can take you at anytime. I was surprised to find out from my commander, that under current conditions all service in Iraq/afghanistan is voluntary within the ANG medical corp. I'm sure this will change as the war continues.

If you have any more questions regarding the ANG, please feel free to contact me.

Good luck to all in HPSP, hello to everybody on active duty. God bless to all our docs in the AOR.

What is your committment during your residency. Surely it's not the one weekend a month, two weeks a year is it? That seems almost un-doable as a resident.