Academy to Med School

[Flash]

Oddly enough, depending on the specialty, mil docs can make more than civilians. For ex, pediatricians, OBGYNs, general practicioners, etc. They save a crapload on not having malpractice insurance.

The medical college of the armed forces is very well respected, as well. That's coming from some civilian docs I know.

I wouldn't, however, go academy with the intent of being a doc. If you don't get picked up, you're stuck doing whatever else is available, which may or may not suit you. Go to a civilian school and apply to a service's medial program from there.

With bonuses and pretty rapid promotion to O-4 after graduating from Med school (upon grad I think they are commisioned 0-3's), a newer military doc can make close to $100,000 soon after starting out in the military. The only Doc's I have known pretty well are Flight Surgeon's and almost all of them love their jobs. Where else would part of their job require them to fly as part of their job? Our Flight Doc just left for his residency at Duke for Radiology. He is getting paid as an O-4 to do his residency for the next 4 years at a civilian school. A secure job when he gets out, even with the commitment, without the hassle of malpractice is not something to laugh at.

 

[kevin]

well the malpractice thing depends on where you are....if you work for a large hospital (for instance a level one trauma center) much of the overhead is covered by the hospital. in private practice though, all the cost is on you.....however, you also tend to make a lot more, so it typically evens out in the long wrong.

flash- one of the doctors i knew who hated it was an af flight surgeon. he got a lot of time in the back seat of f-15s but said it wasnt worth the hassle of being a doctor everyday in the military, so he got out. and he said he didnt make squat money compared to his classmates who went civilian. im sure as everything else it's a case by case thing, as i've said. kind of like notre dame's football team, really......for one decade you're the cream of the crop, and then the next decade you're a complete embarrassment................really, im not sure if that had anything to do with what we were discussing, or if that analogy made any sense, but i just wanted to rag on nd's football program.

 

[Flash]

The flight doc's in my squadrons had to deal with some pretty stupid stuff day to day. if any of the sailors had mental problems or if they blamed their discipline problems on meds or being sick, they had to get involved. Couple that with guys or gals who abuse the medical system, being a doc in the military can sometimes be a drag. But, like I said before, the doc's I knew loved it.

Doc's in the military make pretty decent money, our flight doc made a little bit more than our CO, but not as good as civilians in certain specialties. Our last flight doc laughed when he talked about how much some of his surgeon buddies were making, a huge amount, with the added benefit of 120 hour a week residency's. It all gets down to one's motivation, if one is motivated by money that's fine, just don't complain too much to me about having to pay the military back for sending you to med school for free.

To use my own analogy, why would someone get into the military and fly when you can go civilian and sometimes make more money?

 

[kevin]

ya, and really if you break down the hourly pay of most surgeons....they don't make much more than any other profession. and if you're talking residents....for those 5-8 years they make less per hour than people flipping burgers at mcdonalds......................................SSWWEEEEAATT. God i love that commercial.

 

[natashadoe]

hey i just thought i'd let you know that every single person i've talked to at the academy has warned against going to the academy if you want to be a doctor. when i went to SS, they pulled everyone who "ever even had a thought about being a doctor" out of the room and flat out said "do not come here." you can make yourself think it's a good idea to go to the academy just because you want to go so badly, but if your goal is to be a doctor...get some opinions from people at the academy (teachers, etc.) b/c it's just not a good idea.