Switching service after EOS and negotiating residency position

[walle4]

I have tried to match Navy Derm residency twice but no luck. My EOS will be in 2017. My stats are not that great to match in the civilian match either. Before I get out and do something else, I am thinking to switch other service - -Airforce or Army and negotiate a residency spot. Do you think that is possible. I will be switching service after my EOS and I don’t think that will be an issue, but negotiating a competitive residency spot may be difficult. Of course, I will be loan free and will not be asking any bonus for joining and I am thinking they will negotiate with something. At the same time, Derm may not be compettitive in other services as Navy. If any one has experiance on this matter, please share. Thank you a lot!

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[backrow]

Nobody is going to promise you a residency spot for switching services. All residency positions are decided at the GMESB.


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[pusher]

Nobody is going to promise you a residency spot for switching services. All residency positions are decided at the GMESB.


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You right, that may not happen. But, based on my information, most residencies in the Air force and in the Army are not competitive as in the Navy.

Thank you

 

[sonofva]

The other question is: why would the Army take someone who didn't get picked up in another branch when they've already got a pool of their own GMOs to pick from?


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[Helpful Troll]

Walle4 -

If you could apply to Army via the GMESB are you competitive? What are your board scores?

Army 2015 GME slideshow for Derm indicates:
Step 1 Mean 250
Step 2 Mean 258
Comlex 1 Mean 596
Comlex 2 Mean 616

Are those higher than civilian?

Good Luck

 

[backrow]

You right, that may not happen. But, based on my information, most residencies in the Air force and in the Army are not competitive as in the Navy.

Thank you

Then what you can do if you think that is true is transfer to the other service as a GMO and after a couple of years you can apply to the GMESB. Remember AF and Army match mostly advanced positions coming out of med school, so you're going to get to compete for the even smaller pool of GMO returnee slots.


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[pusher]

Then what you can do if you think that is true is transfer to the other service as a GMO and after a couple of years you can apply to the GMESB. Remember AF and Army match mostly advanced positions coming out of med school, so you're going to get to compete for the even smaller pool of GMO returnee slots.


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If I transfer service, I think the commitment is 4 years. If I don't get a spot, I am going to stick as a GMO for another 4 years. I don't think it is a good plan after all.

 

[backrow]

If I transfer service, I think the commitment is 4 years. If I don't get a spot, I am going to stick as a GMO for another 4 years. I don't think it is a good plan after all.

That's the only way to transfer into a residency. Well actually you could get out and apply to the GMESB as a civilian, but I don't think your chances that way would be very good either.

My opinion: if you are on the lower end of competitive for Derm in the Navy your best bet to get it is probably in the Navy with repeat applications. Increase your stats by doing Derm research and working with people in the Derm department who can write you good, personal, letters. (That might mean taking a GMO spot somewhere that you wouldn't otherwise to put yourself near a Derm dept). If you have been directly told to not bother applying then you may not have many options and then you could maybe go path --> Derm path or something like that (is that even a path to Derm path??). I say staying in is your best bet bc if you are lower in the Navy then it's probably only more competitive outside. I know people who have applied 3-4 times for a specialty.


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[j4pac]

There's this misconception that GMESB is easier than civilian residency. It's not...and the OP is slowly coming to that conclusion.

If you aren't competitive for ACGME...you aren't competitive for military. Lower your bar.

 

[backrow]

There's this misconception that GMESB is easier than civilian residency. It's not...and the OP is slowly coming to that conclusion.

If you aren't competitive for ACGME...you aren't competitive for military. Lower your bar.

I wouldn't say it is easier/harder; however, there are variances in GMESB that you just don't see in the civilian match which does make it possible for lower candidates to sometimes match in the military when they wouldn't elsewhere. (The opposite is also true for some specialties like EM and Peds where competition is more intense than what is seen on the civ side)

For residencies that are typically competitive but attract fewer candidates (eg Derm, Ophtho, neurosurg, etc) it really is all about who else is applying that year. In the Navy that also means who did a 2 year vs a 3 yr GMO and who all is still "left over" from prior application cycles. I've seen candidates who would be selected any other year not be selected one year bc it was a very competitive year and I've also seen years where people were selected when in other years there would be no chance.


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[mefor]

That's the only way to transfer into a residency. Well actually you could get out and apply to the GMESB as a civilian, but I don't think your chances that way would be very good either.

My opinion: if you are on the lower end of competitive for Derm in the Navy your best bet to get it is probably in the Navy with repeat applications. Increase your stats by doing Derm research and working with people in the Derm department who can write you good, personal, letters. (That might mean taking a GMO spot somewhere that you wouldn't otherwise to put yourself near a Derm dept). If you have been directly told to not bother applying then you may not have many options and then you could maybe go path --> Derm path or something like that (is that even a path to Derm path??). I say staying in is your best bet bc if you are lower in the Navy then it's probably only more competitive outside. I know people who have applied 3-4 times for a specialty.


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How long one can stay as a GMO? If you stayed over 6 years, you have to repeat your intern year. If you stay longer after med school graduation or internship, you will become less competitive and some programs may not want you. So, my recommendation is don't waste your time--just get out, do other residency, and enjoy life. For the past few years, not only Derm, but even FM becomes competitive. So, just make a decision early and move on.