should my husband enlist?

[rainbabies]

[Vanquisher]

We chose not to go the military route, and I really have no experience with it. Even though we are in an enormous amount of debt, I am glad we chose to go without the military. A girl recently interviewed at dh's program, and she probably would have matched here, except the military decided that they didn't need any more orthopedic surgeons, and she had to do a different residency. Wow.

I guess, for us, it just seemed like there was already so much that you can't control with medicine, it just seemed too scary to take that next step. Is our debt large, oh, oh yes. We will pay it back though. It's just a matter of how you view payback, with your time and choices, or your money.

I know many people will say going the military route was a great thing for them and helped to ease their worries about money and made things significantly more comfortable. It is a tough decision!

[DCJenn]

First, you don't enlist to go to medical school, as physicians are part of the Officer corps.

If you are accepted to a civilian medical school, you can go the HPSP route, of he applies to and is accepted by USUHS, he'll own more time but be paid as a 2nd Lt. through medical school.

Upside to USUHS- better access and knowledge of the military system as a whole and excellent opportunities to travel and meet all of the appropriate players for resisdency options. The downside, you will more than likely be IN the military system for the remainder of the time owed, although I know of a few people who were able to do civilian fellowships after mmilitary residencies. Downside of the military? You have only the illusion of control. You can sometimes make things happen or list certain places first but Uncle Sam comes first.

HPSP- upside? civilian life until residency and a few people have been able to get civilian residencies and/or fellowships. Makes for a nasty adjustment to military life once you get there though. But you get a pretty nice stipend through medical school and you owe less time to the military once you're done with training.

Military medicine? Upside- no practice, no insurance issues, legal support, and a nice bonuses. and little to no debt.
Downside? you may be sent to East BF, you have little to no control about with whom you work (not a problem in a large hospital- a flippin' nightmare at a small one) and you will in no way make as much as an attending/staff doc as you would in the civilian world.

That said, my husband still will NEVER practice medicine as a civilian.

I would STRONGLY recommend that he do as much research as possible. Everyone we know that's Army or Navy has been sent to Iraq with the notable exceptions of Child Neurologists, but that doesn't mean my husband won't be sent somewhere, eventually. The Air Force has also sent LOTs of docs, but not as many specialists.

Jenn

[Laker]

My DW went the civilian route, but unless you want to do primary care or enjoy the military, I wouldn't recommend this.

You can make ample money to pay back your loans if you specialize in a lucrative specialty. Just my .02.

We were too old. They didn't want us.