Does your medical residency have to be at a medical school?

What is the deal with residency when you are joining the military to pay for your medical school?

• I plan on becoming a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and was needing to know the whole plan for one of my classes. I want to join the military for various reasons, one being so that they will pay for my medical schooling. What would this mean about residency? How many years would I go to medical school before I have to go to work for the military? How many years would I be in the military? When I was done serving, could I just go straight to work at a normal hospital? Thanks so much for any Response!

• Answer:

  If you're not already in med school, you have 2 options: Apply to HPSP (Health Professional Scholarship Program) in which ever service you want. You can also apply if you're already in med school. You will owe the same number of years of service (after residency) as they paid for, with a minimum of 2 years. So if they paid for 4, 3, or 2 years, that's how many years you owe. If they pay for 1 year, you still have to serve 2 years. If you apply to USUHS, the same way you apply to any medical school, you will serve 7 years after residency. The difference from above is that with HPSP, you get a small stipend every month, with USUHS, you get paid a full O-1 salary and have full active duty benefits. You also receive additional military specific training. For residency, you would first apply to the military match program for your choice (orthopedic surgery). You either match to a military program, are given permission to apply to a civilian program instead, or have to go with your backup choice. After you're done, you can go work in any civilian hospital. Pediatric orthopedic surgery is an additional fellowship. You can do that as a civilian when you get out, or with the military and owe them a few more years.