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I've recently been thinking about a going into the military, but I would like some advice first as I really don't know what I'm getting myself into. 

 

- Currently I'm doing a critical care residency (finished Oct 2015), along with getting some other certifications to make myself studly.  I see the military as a great opportunity for potential career advancement, personal development, and as a way to serve.
 

- I'm mostly interested in surgery / trauma / critical care.  Would I have any pull over what specialty I go into, considering I'm already a practicing PA? 

 

- Any thoughts on reserves or national guard? 

 

Thanks,

Richard

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Richard

Talk to a military healthcare professions recruiter from each branch.

Get everything written down.

Be prepared for the process to take a long time.

Be aware that the healthcare recruiting pendulum swings to the extremes, ie we need people to we don't.

Even with bonuses, it is likely you wont make as much $ as you would a civilian if that is important to you.

I did not follow through with the Guard or Reserves because it was another weekend taken away from me when I already had to work 2 weekends a month.

Military service is a difficult thing to fully describe. There is great upside and downside. You don't mention family but this is a significant consideration if that is in the picture.

Another important consideration is will you be able to utilize your residency training and will the military recognize it and place you appropriately?

All that said, my military experience was very formative and prepared me well for PA school on many levels. But my military was much different than what I think you will experience now.

I have PA students now whom inquire about this and I recommend it to them. They get reasonable experience usually in a good supervised environment for up to 4 years and then they can make a better decision about the rest of their career. A few have succeeded in getting in programs that have paid for some of school.

I hope you hear from current military PAs in order to make a well informed decision but this is a big commitment. 

Good luck.

G Brothers PA-C

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What G. said, especially the "my military was much different than what I think you will experience now."  Not only temporally, but also what YOU would be doing as a PA vice what I did. 
 

To piggy back on what G. said about "Get everything in writing."  Memorize this common military mantra when you are talking to the recruiter, and keep it playing repeatedly in the back of your head during EVERY discussion with the recruiter:  "Recruiters lie, Recruiters lie, Recruiters lie, Recruiters lie." 

If it is not clearly spelled out on paper, then it didn't exist. 

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It's difficult to know what exactly you are getting into, until you're there.  It's a huge lifestyle and culture change which suits some well, others not so much.  Some adapt well, others struggle and that struggle manifests in various forms.  Your best bet is to talk with folks who are currently in the positions for which you wish to apply; subjective experience varies from person to person...I had a great time in the military but a few in my peer group absolutely hated their life...others loved it more than I and advanced through the ranks quickly, got the duty stations they wanted, etc.

 

Depending on where you land, you could end up deploying as an "augmentation" to a deploying unit whatever, and with whomever, that may be.  I've heard of Navy PAs at their parent command for less than 6 months before deploying.  The military has specific spots for PAs, as mentioned by bradtPA above.

 

If you intend on following through, do 2 things for yourself...1) take *all* forum posts and intenet opinions with a grian of salt and shot of jose.  2) whatever you do, *know* fully what your contract says when you sign it and walk away from it if you do not get exactly what you want (unless what you want is whatever they have for you).

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