emergency medicine careers in the armed forces

[lawj]

Does anybody know what type of careers are available for an Emergency Medicine Physician in any of the armed forces? Would being an EM doctor automatically get you sent out to work in the field or are there jobs at military bases? Is this a specialty that you can make a long term career out of in the military (any branch). Your input would be greatly appreciated.

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[edmadison]

Does anybody know what type of careers are available for an Emergency Medicine Physician in any of the armed forces? Would being an EM doctor automatically get you sent out to work in the field or are there jobs at military bases? Is this a specialty that you can make a long term career out of in the military (any branch). Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Yes you can. In the Army (I don't know about the other services) EM is a much needed and hot topic. You certainly could make a career out of it, the question is would you want to? EM is the most deployed specialty, so count on going. Further, EM pays better in the civilian sector so there is that alure as well.

Ed

 

[Informer]

I haven't met a single EM doc stay after their committment. They hated being deployed all the time, low pay vs civilian, usually working on holidays cause that's the only dept open on a military hospital, loss of skill, etc

 

[Zoomer]

I am an emergency medicine doc in the military. You will be deployed to forward combat locations every 16 months. Stay away from the military. See my post "STAY AWAY FROM THE MILITARY"

 

[lawj]

Thanks for the input and candid responses. I do believe I'll stay away from the military for now. I think this is a great forum to listen to all sides (which is much more than you hear from recruiters) and make an educated decision.

 

[USSFPA]

Thanks for the input and candid responses. I do believe I'll stay away from the military for now. I think this is a great forum to listen to all sides (which is much more than you hear from recruiters) and make an educated decision.

You aren't hearing all sides friend...I too work in Emergency medicine, but as a PA in the Army. The majority of the negativity on these boards seem to be from the USAF folks with a couple of Navy tossed in for measure.

At Fort Lewis, WA, the ER residency program scored the highest in the Nation 4 of the last 5 years. We have a tremendous senior staff of attendings in the ED-ALL of which have stayed on past their committments and talk the talk of loving their job. We have a tremendous class of ER interns and residents on board right now including 4 interns and 3 R2's from the University of Washington Medical School program.

These boards have a paucity of folks chirping raves for the military...I have asked some of the interns and residents in our program if they know of the site...they do-but choose not to "waste their time" when they could be doing other things.

You were referred to another thread earlier about "avoid the military" where it shoudl probably be more aptly named "avoid Air Force Medicine"...I would invite you to check one more thread...
"Military Medicine-it is what you make it"

We need good folks in the military, our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines DESERVE good practitioners. These men and women are laying it all out-every day-to protect the freedoms and ideals we all enjoy. A few short years not bringing in a half a million dollars, and sucking up a little hardship here and there, is a small price to pay in the big picture of an adult lifetime.

So many of these dissatisfied posters bring up " I could be makeing 3 times as much"; "I could have paid off my loans 3 times over"; "I could have bought my boat and vacationed here or there"...

If it's coin you are motivated by...and you need it right now-> the military is not your place. But if medicine, and the thought of doing something bigger with your skills and ability than just serving your bank account are in your wish list. Consider the military (or at least the Army program), there are few patients more deserving right now than the ones who are protecting your rights to make your choice.

respectfully-
PA

 

[mrpankration]

USSFPA, you are right on when you say that there are no patients more deserving of quality care than those currently serving overseas. Does anybody know if docs can elect to serve in the field versus at a base?

 

[militarymd]

USSFPA, you are right on when you say that there are no patients more deserving of quality care than those currently serving overseas. Does anybody know if docs can elect to serve in the field versus at a base?

You've just opened a whole can of worms.....Detailers....you know they're lying when their mouths are moving.

You can ask for anything, but they will detail in a meaningless, wasteful manner.

 

[lawj]

I am an emergency medicine doc in the military. You will be deployed to forward combat locations every 16 months. Stay away from the military. See my post "STAY AWAY FROM THE MILITARY"

Can you describe your experience, both at home and deployed? Are there any positives? Are you able to keep your skills up?

 

[aletham]

So its been sometime that I've decided to be an ER doc. I worked in a ER for two years during undergrad and loved it every bit. Of course if I went to the military I would go career and would go Army, but are there any posters that are active duty right now in the army that could tell me a little bit of what they think of being an ER doc in the army?

Thanks alot.

 

[mitchconnie]

You aren't hearing all sides friend...I too work in Emergency medicine, but as a PA in the Army. The majority of the negativity on these boards seem to be from the USAF folks with a couple of Navy tossed in for measure.

At Fort Lewis, WA, the ER residency program scored the highest in the Nation 4 of the last 5 years. We have a tremendous senior staff of attendings in the ED-ALL of which have stayed on past their committments and talk the talk of loving their job. We have a tremendous class of ER interns and residents on board right now including 4 interns and 3 R2's from the University of Washington Medical School program.

These boards have a paucity of folks chirping raves for the military...I have asked some of the interns and residents in our program if they know of the site...they do-but choose not to "waste their time" when they could be doing other things.

You were referred to another thread earlier about "avoid the military" where it shoudl probably be more aptly named "avoid Air Force Medicine"...I would invite you to check one more thread...
"Military Medicine-it is what you make it"

We need good folks in the military, our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines DESERVE good practitioners. These men and women are laying it all out-every day-to protect the freedoms and ideals we all enjoy. A few short years not bringing in a half a million dollars, and sucking up a little hardship here and there, is a small price to pay in the big picture of an adult lifetime.

So many of these dissatisfied posters bring up " I could be makeing 3 times as much"; "I could have paid off my loans 3 times over"; "I could have bought my boat and vacationed here or there"...

If it's coin you are motivated by...and you need it right now-> the military is not your place. But if medicine, and the thought of doing something bigger with your skills and ability than just serving your bank account are in your wish list. Consider the military (or at least the Army program), there are few patients more deserving right now than the ones who are protecting your rights to make your choice.

respectfully-
PA

I have really liked just about every PA I have ever worked with. In fact, my clinic would never survive without my current PA, who is better at dealing with outpatient surgical issues than any physician I have ever seen. But I would never ask her for career advice. The training, job description, career path, and outlook on healthcare delivery are very, very different for physicians and paraprofessionals—PA’s and nurse practitioners.

My impression is that most PA’s in the military love their work. Maybe it’s because most are prior service. Maybe it’s because they get more responsibility because of a lack of physicians. Maybe the reimbursement is better. But the fact is, I have no idea what makes a great work environment for a PA. It would never occur to me, a physician, to go onto a website for PA’s and give them career advice.

It may be that Madigan AMC is truly a haven of wonderful military medical care, and perhaps their training programs stand alongside the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins. But for those trying to assess a PHYSICIAN’s training and practice environment in the US Military…I would not seek out the opinions of PA’s, nurse practitioners, or any of the paraprofessional support staff.

Just a thought.

Respectfully,
MD