- Joined
- Mar 3, 2018
- Messages
- 22
This mostly is for aspiring 18D's. Having gone from 18D to a physician in SF and OEF a few words. If your dream is to be an 18D, do it don't let anyone stop you. Once there, you'll have options as an 18D. In the posts I've read, a recurring theme is 'can I go to....scuba, halo etc etc Flight Surgeon training is big in SOF!.'
You can you just need to convince your command that it's in the best interest for them to send you to those schools. I learned a long time ago the ratio to keep in mind is: they need you more than you need them, if that ratio flips, you'll be used and abused.
Additionally if your goal is to use that 18D training to be an MD or PA or CRNA etc, that background should help immensely. Be cautious with further education and costs, you can always pay back money owed earlier than planned but you can NEVER pay back time owed early which is why I went to a civilian med school.
Remember on active duty the emergency medicine group has been seen as the 'go to' specialty since they tend to be in all SOF specialties and hence tend to control who gets in.
Now I'm not an ER doc but having done a couple of residencies and fellowships including trauma critical care, hyperbaric medicine and ACLS instructor. I was able to compete with those who would prefer I didn't occupy a spot an ER doc would have gotten.
Of all else, you NEED to be board CERTIFIED in whatever specialty you end up in and make yourself valuable to your command ie get some of these: ACLS/BLS/ATLS provider/instructor. Oh, if you think I overestimated ER medicines' 'reach', wait until you enter the civilian medical world.
All specialties are very territorial and jealously guard their turf ie MDs, PAs, RNs, CRNAs, family practice vs internal medicine, surgery vs radiology (those that do invasive procedures and hence take away from general surgeons and others their cases!), pediatric surgeons vs pediatricians etc, DOL and good luck!
(Mod edit to add paragraphs for more streamlined readability)
You can you just need to convince your command that it's in the best interest for them to send you to those schools. I learned a long time ago the ratio to keep in mind is: they need you more than you need them, if that ratio flips, you'll be used and abused.
Additionally if your goal is to use that 18D training to be an MD or PA or CRNA etc, that background should help immensely. Be cautious with further education and costs, you can always pay back money owed earlier than planned but you can NEVER pay back time owed early which is why I went to a civilian med school.
Remember on active duty the emergency medicine group has been seen as the 'go to' specialty since they tend to be in all SOF specialties and hence tend to control who gets in.
Now I'm not an ER doc but having done a couple of residencies and fellowships including trauma critical care, hyperbaric medicine and ACLS instructor. I was able to compete with those who would prefer I didn't occupy a spot an ER doc would have gotten.
Of all else, you NEED to be board CERTIFIED in whatever specialty you end up in and make yourself valuable to your command ie get some of these: ACLS/BLS/ATLS provider/instructor. Oh, if you think I overestimated ER medicines' 'reach', wait until you enter the civilian medical world.
All specialties are very territorial and jealously guard their turf ie MDs, PAs, RNs, CRNAs, family practice vs internal medicine, surgery vs radiology (those that do invasive procedures and hence take away from general surgeons and others their cases!), pediatric surgeons vs pediatricians etc, DOL and good luck!
(Mod edit to add paragraphs for more streamlined readability)
Last edited by a moderator:
