T or F Navy Family Med

[secretwave101]

According to recruiter, all of the below are true:

T or F, Navy FP's

-rarely, if ever, deploy
-practice full-scope (OB, inpatient along with outpatient)
-work about 50-65 hrs/week
-are stationed overseas for first assignment most often
-make ~$95k first year post FAP program (1st year after residency)
-would not be pulled out of residency (on inactive ready-reserve during residency) unless basically WW III occurred

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[usnavdoc]

According to recruiter, all of the below are true:

T or F, Navy FP's

-rarely, if ever, deploy
-practice full-scope (OB, inpatient along with outpatient)
-work about 50-65 hrs/week
-are stationed overseas for first assignment most often
-make ~$95k first year post FAP program (1st year after residency)
-would not be pulled out of residency (on inactive ready-reserve during residency) unless basically WW III occurred

He is a complete liar where it suits his purpose. As usual. I cant speak to practicing full spectrum OB. I think that just depends on where you are stationed. You will not be pulled out of residency and you will make about that after you pass your boards.

But everything else is a lie. Unless you count being sent to Iraq as a first assignment. Then yes you will get overseas on a first assignment.

 

[militarymd]

I got a bridge in Brooklyn that I want to sell you...PM me

 

[IgD]

According to recruiter, all of the below are true:

T or F, Navy FP's

-rarely, if ever, deploy
-practice full-scope (OB, inpatient along with outpatient)
-work about 50-65 hrs/week
-are stationed overseas for first assignment most often
-make ~$95k first year post FAP program (1st year after residency)
-would not be pulled out of residency (on inactive ready-reserve during residency) unless basically WW III occurred

#1 - I think a reasonable estimate would be deploying once every 3 years for 8 months.

#2 - You might practice full scope if you were at a small hospital. However if you are at a major MTF the OB's and internists will be handling the deliveries and inpatient services respectively.

#3 - The work estimate is pretty reasonable. I think in most situations you would be working 0800 - 1600 Monday through Friday with some call.

#4 - Your first tour is called a "utilization tour". This is when the military sends you somewhere that other people would have lower on their preference list. I'd say it would be likely this would be an overseas location.

#5 - I'd say the salary is a fair estimate. You would be getting LT/O3 pay, medical officer pay (15k), family practice specialty bonus (8k?) and probably board certification pay (3k). There is another pay called variable special pay thats 3k a year or something. You would also be getting a housing allowance and BAS.

#6 - You won't be pulled out of residency.

Are you looking at HPSP or what?

 

[secretwave101]

Considering FAP = pretty much like HPSP but starts when you start residency, GMO tours are rare (I'm told) and payback is a year for a year + 1.

There isn't a single naval base I'm aware of where I wouldn't want to live, and I'd prefer to live overseas. My medical school was in Beer Sheva, Israel - a place people often say sucks - and I loved it. So, overseas and near an ocean (I'm still a surfer even after all these med school years) would be right up my alley, even if the place is austere and low on other people's lists...as long as I can bring my family.

The deployment thing is the big issue. I have a wife and 4 kids. We were recently separated for only about 2 months and she told me she wouldn't willingly do something like that again...ever. I didn't think it was too bad, but she absolutely hated it (and I wasn't at all in harm's way). Coulda been our situation in life, etc, but I'm not sure I should be risking something like that.

The recruiter was very adament that FP's don't go on the boats. Then I later asked him if they deploy with marine attachments, and he said it was almost exclusively surgeons, anesth, etc and pretty much never FP's. He said I might deploy for humanitarian stuff like Katrina. He was cool about it, though, I don't think he was being deceptive. He actually called me back and told me he wasn't 100% on the deployment issue, but suggested that we both take a trip to Bremerton in the next couple of weeks (I'm in Portland, OR) and I can talk to all the FP's up there that I want.

I've pursued Army and Air Force stuff in the past, and the recruiter was never forthcoming about getting me in touch with people ACTUALLY doing the job I'd be doing. Once I was even told that it would be "tough" to get me in touch with a doc in the AF because the recruiter didn't know what might be said about the military and it could be a negative thing (I found some on my own and it was...negative, very). This guy with the Navy has said more than once that things may not work for whatever reason - and at any point in the process - and he doesn't have a problem with that. So, I tend to trust him. But I think deployment - although it's something the single guy in me would still be fine with doing - will be the deal-breaker. I put my family through quite alot in getting through med school. I won't do it again if I can help it.

 

[militarymd]

Talking to the FPs at Bremerton would be excellent.

 

[pgg]

#4 - Your first tour is called a "utilization tour". This is when the military sends you somewhere that other people would have lower on their preference list. I'd say it would be likely this would be an overseas location.

By "overseas" do you mean "deploying for 7-14 months at a time as a green-side Regimental Surgeon" ?

The nice overseas locations aren't exactly low demand. I suspect lots of people want to go to Spain or Italy. Honestly, new FPs coming in via FAP are probably going to get the least desirable billets in the Navy.

I wonder if Diego Garcia has an FP billet.

#5 - I'd say the salary is a fair estimate. You would be getting LT/O3 pay, medical officer pay (15k), family practice specialty bonus (8k?) and probably board certification pay (3k). There is another pay called variable special pay thats 3k a year or something. You would also be getting a housing allowance and BAS.

Rough estimates from WebPayTableVersion2006updated.pdf:

O3 with zero years in service = $3221/month base pay = $39K/year

food allowance = $188/month = $2K/year

housing allowance varies by location but for an O3 with dependents ranges from about $1100/month on the low side (glorious Camp Lejeune) to $2000/month (San Diego) to $2200/month (DC) ... so $14-26K/year

FP incentive special pay is $13K/year not $8K.

VSP for FAP isn't clear - you'd come in not as an intern, but with <3 years of service. There's a blank spot in the pay chart there. I'd guess it'd be the $466/month = $5K/year

ASP is $15K/year

Board Cert pay is $288/month = $3.5K/year

Totals up to about $91K - $103K depending on where you are stationed.

#6 - You won't be pulled out of residency.

Most likely true.

The deployment thing is the big issue. I have a wife and 4 kids. We were recently separated for only about 2 months and she told me she wouldn't willingly do something like that again...ever. I didn't think it was too bad, but she absolutely hated it (and I wasn't at all in harm's way). Coulda been our situation in life, etc, but I'm not sure I should be risking something like that.

If significant time apart is an intolerable hardship, the military is not for you.

Then I later asked him if they deploy with marine attachments, and he said it was almost exclusively surgeons, anesth, etc and pretty much never FP's.

The USMC is doing its best to replace all GMOs at the Regiment level with FPs. I just left Iraq (as part of a USMC unit) where the 2nd Reg Surgeon was an FP, and he was relieved by 7th Reg Surgeon, also an FP. Further, the shock trauma platoon at the place I left was manned by a handful of physicians, including one FP. FPs do deploy with Marine units, and in support of Marine units.

I really enjoyed my time with the Marines as a GMO ... but I'd rather gouge out my eyeballs with a blunt, rusty object than be saddled with the job of a Regimental Surgeon. (For one, Regiment is the first place that battalions dump their criminal, lazy, and crazy Marines/Sailors when they deploy. Two, they must endure even more admin work than the battalion-level physicians. Three, while regiments deploy less often than battalions, they seem to deploy for 2x as long. How's that for a trifecta of pain?)

 

[IgD]

Don't join the military if you absolutely can not tolerate going on a deployment because chances are you will.

Family practice docs do go on the big ships like aircraft carriers. I met a FP who was the senior medical officer of a large ship. I agree with the other poster there are lots of FP billets with Marines. Those experiences can be fun.

The deployment thing is the big issue. I have a wife and 4 kids. We were recently separated for only about 2 months and she told me she wouldn't willingly do something like that again...ever. I didn't think it was too bad, but she absolutely hated it (and I wasn't at all in harm's way). Coulda been our situation in life, etc, but I'm not sure I should be risking something like that.

The recruiter was very adament that FP's don't go on the boats. Then I later asked him if they deploy with marine attachments, and he said it was almost exclusively surgeons, anesth, etc and pretty much never FP's. He said I might deploy for humanitarian stuff like Katrina. He was cool about it, though, I don't think he was being deceptive. He actually called me back and told me he wasn't 100% on the deployment issue, but suggested that we both take a trip to Bremerton in the next couple of weeks (I'm in Portland, OR) and I can talk to all the FP's up there that I want.

 

[GMO_52]

#1 - I think a reasonable estimate would be deploying once every 3 years for 8 months.

#2 - You might practice full scope if you were at a small hospital. However if you are at a major MTF the OB's and internists will be handling the deliveries and inpatient services respectively.

#3 - The work estimate is pretty reasonable. I think in most situations you would be working 0800 - 1600 Monday through Friday with some call.

#4 - Your first tour is called a "utilization tour". This is when the military sends you somewhere that other people would have lower on their preference list. I'd say it would be likely this would be an overseas location.

#5 - I'd say the salary is a fair estimate. You would be getting LT/O3 pay, medical officer pay (15k), family practice specialty bonus (8k?) and probably board certification pay (3k). There is another pay called variable special pay thats 3k a year or something. You would also be getting a housing allowance and BAS.

#6 - You won't be pulled out of residency.

Are you looking at HPSP or what?

Dude who are you? I think most here would agree that I fall on the "pro" military medicine side of the spectrum. I happen to believe that most military physicians are satisfied with their jobs (I hear the howling, but this really is my experience over the past 8 years), most will get out because of the differences in compensation and the inherent instability of military life after their payback , and that, for most specialties, military GME is above average. But...you sound just as shrill as the people who use every post to bash the military.

OK, now...NO ONE is deploying once every three years at the moment. Its just much more frequent than that. Who knows if it will continue, but for now, that's just not accurate. #2, most FP residents practice the full scope of care, but only the staff at the FP teaching programs do so, which represents a small percentage of all the FPs. #3, depends on your billet but thats probably reasonably accurate. #4 your first tour could be anywhere, overseas are relatively desirable at the moment because the Navy isn't deploying people from overseas hospitals yet, #5 as a junior staff in a relatively expensive local area, figure on about 90k, #6 we haven't pulled people from training yet.

 

[helo doc]

Plan on deploying to the desert at some point, even if you get a nice clinic job somewhere. If you're not familiar with the phrase "individual augmentee" then you should ask your beloved recruiter. No one is safe from deployments. Anywhere, anytime. If time away from spouse and kiddos is a show stopper for you then run, don't walk, away while you can.

 

[secretwave101]

If time away from spouse and kiddos is a show stopper for you then run, don't walk, away while you can.

I did. Notified the recruiter yesterday. It was a hard choice because I'd have been totally willing to deploy and live the Navy life for a few years before I was married. I'm an adventurous guy, love to travel, think we're doing the right thing in the Middle East....and there's a big part of me that's still ready to go for it.

But family is family. Gotta take care of them.

Might do reserves. They've got a 90-day deployment policy that might actually be for real. I think the fam could handle that. But active duty's out.