RAF/Army/Navy Doctor, anyone?

[kotoreru]

Has anyone considered joining the Armed Forces upon completion of their medical degree? Does anyone know anything about this way to use a medical education?

[JDavy]

I was considering either an army or navy scholarship for the course because its good money while studying and the forces have a good lifestyle (for some). Although i discounted the RAF because pretty much all of their doctors do general practice and/or aviation medicine.

[kotoreru]

The RAF webby was pushing an example of a guy training in general surgery...though it wouldn't surprise me if most of Doctors were streamlined into being their GPs.

The Army did seem a lot harder to get into, and the demand was not as obvious there. Dont know too much about the Navy.

It really is very good money while studying, though I'm very hesitant as I may change my mind half way through the course and end up stuck being in the Forces for 6 years or more.

Is the training you receive as good as they make out? Or would a career hewn from the NHS (et al.) be more highly regarded/of a higher quality?

[Jhesam]

I've been considering a career as an army doctor for some years now. I guess the crunch time will come at the end of 2nd year when I make my formal application having been to an acquaint day at the RAMC and had some medical school experience.

I imagine that the army offers unparalleled experience in certain area's such as trauma, but also excellent experience in surgery/general surgery, anaesthesia and possibly orthopaedics (?). Well, who's to say but I strongly suspect I'll be putting an application in.

See you in Basra!

[JDavy]

Tbh I'd have a lot more respect for a military doctor because there willing to put themselves on the line. I would say there job is more traumatic because anyone who spends a decent amount of time in the forces will probably lose a friend or more.

From what i can gather the training is of at least the same standard. I read one thing where a woman was a surgeon in the army and her husband was a NHS surgeon and they paid all her training and travel expenses any courses she wanted to go on she could etc Whereas her husband had to pay for himself.

I was talking to a patient thuis afternoon and he was saying thats the best thing about the forces, they will find something your good at, even if you don't know it yourself and make you brilliant at it. Whether its sports, engineering shooting, comms or for us which specialty.

[kotoreru]

Interesting, JDavy. I suppose the thing that would bother most people more than the potential trauma is the idea of being denied "civvy life" for a large part of your career. The army, however, seem to emphasise how Doctors are given loads of notice if you're called into active service...

Jhesam, I did read about actually getting bursaries in all years (with the RAF at least). They pay about £4k for the first 2 years and a £15k "salary" for the final 3 years. Plus all tuition fees, of course.

Tempting, eh?

[Jhesam]

Especially temping for a mature student with a truckload of debt already. However having spoken to the RAMC folks (I did strongly consider the RAF due to family ties but largely discarded the idea due to the same pre-conceptions as yourself and friends who have badmouthed RAF docs repeatedly. Yes they were RAF servicemen) they told me that if you pass officer selection the the cadetship grant (14K, 15K, 16K last check) was guaranteed, however the grant for the 4K in the first two years was far more selective and not guaranteed.

I wasn't aware tuition fee's were paid on top of this as plenty of friends of mine went into the army as engineers and had accommodation and fee's paid for but the deal has since become a fair bit worse; to what extent I don't know. The reasons for me against an army career are:

1. The Mrs (family?)

2. Having not gone through medical school I could well discard A&E or trauma for my burning desire to study Renal Medicine or some such.

[Riffraf]

There's a recent thread with loads of info by different posters on all 3 Services in General Careers Advice (the link is: Army Medical Cadetship)

If you are considering it, I recommend contacting each of the Services and getting them to send you the latest accurate info. For example, although a lot of RAF (and Army and RN) docs are GPs, equally there are many who work in the medical/surgical specialities as well. Each Service has a slightly different list of specialities you can do (and slight differences in training) and which (if any) Service suits you better is definitely a personal thing. Also, no Service is particularly harder or easier to to get into... All have fairly tough selection procedures but then again, all are short of doctors!

[kotoreru]

That is a good thread, nice one RiffRaf. Personally, I was leaning towards being a GP (or Ophth) anyway, so the RAF etc. streamlining to that didn't bother me.

But yes, Jhesam, ur two points against are my two points against.

I guess it just needs a lot of thought. By the sounds of things I have 2 years to think about it, anyway.

[Madimi]

Aren't there quite strict age limits?