All Branch Topic (ABT) Langley AFB

[CDTcorp]

Just want to see if anyone has any information on Langley AFB. Just got word that’s likely where I will be heading after I finish up fellowship training in MIS/Bariatric surgery.

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[DrMetal]

Just want to see if anyone has any information on Langley AFB. Just got word that’s likely where I will be heading after I finish up fellowship training in MIS/Bariatric surgery.

Langley has fellowships? Sweet Jesus. Last time I dealt with that hospital, their ER was a glorified urgent care and the hospital barely took admissions (transferred most things out).

 

[CDTcorp]

Langley has fellowships? Sweet Jesus. Last time I dealt with that hospital, their ER was a glorified urgent care and the hospital barely took admissions (transferred most things out).

I am completing a civilian fellowship. So I will be fellowship trained prior to starting there.

 

[DrMetal]

I am completing a civilian fellowship. So I will be fellowship trained prior to starting there.

Ahh, that makes more sense. Well, get your Virginia license and prepare to moonlight, b/c your caseload is about to drop dramatically.

 

[Onefellswoop87]

They sent a lot of surgical transfers to Portsmouth (when I was at Portsmouth, doubt much has changed in the last handful of years)
And even though some of the dependent population could benefit from bariatric surgery, I doubt Langley has the other services that a person needs pre and/or post surgery for success and for you to be fully utilized. Be prepared to take call as a general surgeon too (my assumption, anesthesiologist here not surgeon, but if they aren’t utilizing your fellowship training then they’ll utilize your residency training)

So, concur with above. Virginia license and moonlighting

 

[Volatile]

Last I heard langley was slowly being eroded although I wasn’t stationed there so it is a little bit of hearsay. I know last year it was strictly an ambulatory surgical center. I was told they do not do complicated cases as there is no ability to admit, no OB, no OR call team. It’s a bummer you are being sent there after being fellowship trained but can’t say I’m surprised given the military’s track record. Maybe they would let you operate at Portsmouth, I would push for that. Definitely get a full civilian license so you can moonlight otherwise your skill set will deteriorate. Good luck, hopefully it’s not as low volume as described 🤞

 

[Gastrapathy]

Hope you like hemorrhoids and (maybe?) hernias.

 

[Correlate Clinically]

I'd second (or third) the moonlighting recommendation. Langley all but turned into an ambulatory/outpatient only clinic.

The direction of the prevailing breeze of AF medical planning may have changed lately; I heard in passing that they are trying to regain some lost services. As a guess, that may be why they are sending you there but I'd be skeptical about how much business you'd actually have. They might have civ partnership agreements to somewhat offset low volume but that's speculation and those types of agreements seem to be hit or miss.

 

[flightdoc09]

NMCP Does a reasonable amount of bariatric surgeries. Would definitely trying to get credentialed there. I know several surgeons already do this.

 

[j4pac]

Fortunately the VA license is pretty painless

 

[Correlate Clinically]

Thinking about it, the Tidewater market is supposedly fairly integrated. The AF may be sending you to Langley and anticipating you'll spend a decent amount of time over with the Navy.

I'd ask for contact info for current surgeons out there, they can probably tell you more accurately what the lay of the land is. Your consultant should be able to put you in touch with someone.

 

[DrMetal]

NMCP Does a reasonable amount of bariatric surgeries. Would definitely trying to get credentialed there. I know several surgeons already do this.

Thinking about it, the Tidewater market it supposedly fairly integrated. The AF may be sending you to Langley and anticipating you'll spend a decent amount of time over with the Navy.

It's been a few years, but when I left Portsmouth, it was deader than a doornail. The wards were empty, the surgical cases minimal, and the outpatient lobbies were ghost towns. We had to transfer CT surgical cases, oftentimes we didn't have IR or ERCP capabilities. Even simple medicine things were a challenge.

So don't expect much from NMCP.

Moonlight. Hell, maybe even daylight. Make your own 'civilian partnership'.

 

[Baron Samedi]

No idea about the hospital but the area is great. Nice public schools and fun stuff to do. Get a Busch Gardens season pass, hit up Pierce's Pitt BBQ on the way home.

 

[flightdoc09]

It's been a few years, but when I left Portsmouth, it was deader than a doornail. The wards were empty, the surgical cases minimal, and the outpatient lobbies were ghost towns. We had to transfer CT surgical cases, oftentimes we didn't have IR or ERCP capabilities. Even simple medicine things were a challenge.

So don't expect much from NMCP.

Moonlight. Hell, maybe even daylight. Make your own 'civilian partnership'.

Yeah, working at NMCP is a struggle. ERCP capability is definitely hit or miss. Don't have cath lab coverage outside of business hours (luckily Scary View and Norfolk General are a few minutes away). Still transfer most CT surgery cases. Even some vascular surgery cases that aren't straight forward.

Though I do remember taking care of a reasonable number of bariatric patients, and being in on their surgeries, as both a med student and an intern. Perhaps that's changed. But I know at least 2 of their surgeons there used to do bariatric surgeries.