Life as a Doctor in the Navy LT Andrew Baldwin, M.D. navydoc@gmail.com
Medical School HPSP is best kept secret out there Regular life, no wearing of the uniform Full tuition + books and fees Monthly Stipend- $1900(I only got $900) $20k signing bonus (No bonus for me) First summer- Officer Development School (basically a fun party with your peers in Newport, R.I and you get paid for it)
Medical School Second Summer - take Step 1 of the boards (Navy pays for fee) 3rd and 4th years - Fulfill school requirements for clinical rotations at Navy hospitals and get 6 weeks of Navy Officer pay (~ $4000 extra cash). I did both of my rotations in Orthopedic Surgery at Navy Hospital San Diego and had a blast.
Medical School 4th year find out where you are going to Navy Internship/Residency in early December Others stress and pull their hair out, go on match interviews well into the spring and summer Feel free to kick back, relax and enjoy the remainder of your 4th year ( I went to New Zealand and Australia) Upon graduation, promotion to Lieutenant (O-3) in the United States Navy
Intern (LT < 2yrs) Single, San Diego Base pay - $3,292/mo Housing - $1809/mo (no tax) Living - $192.74/mo (no tax) VSP - $100/mo 64,726 + commissary & exchange discounts, free medical/dental care You re debt free! Buy a house!
Internship Outstanding training year in your choice of surgery, internal medicine, transitional, ob/gyn, ortho, pediatrics, pyshiatry or family practice Navy Hospitals (great locations) - San Diego, Bethesda, Portsmouth Navy Regional Hospitals (family practice) Jacksonville, Bremerton, Camp Pendleton, Camp Lejeune, Pensacola Aerospace Medicine Program Pensacola, FL
Internship Camaraderie Excellent teaching, accredited programs Military families, spouses, children, veterans, servicemen and women Benefits - free health care, no malpractice insurance, 30 days of paid leave/year, investment opportunities, access to tax-free stores and grocery
Opportunities after internship Straight through residency training available Must be part of an operational/clinical service at some point in hospitals or overseas Operational tours right after internship are still available if desired as Undersea Medical Officer, Flight Surgeon, or General Medical Officer in clinic, ships, or with the Marines.
Operational Medical Officer Undersea Medical Officer Six months of training in Groton, CT and Panama City, FL Submarine Medicine Diving Medicine Complete Navy Dive School Radiation Health Counts as pay back of service obligation
Operational Medical Officer Flight Surgeon Six months training in Pensacola, FL Flight School Counts as payback towards service obligation 2-3 year tour of duty with Flight Squadron stateside or overseas
Operational Medical Officer General Medical Officer Ships (usually have to fight to get one of these positions) Marine Corps Units (highly selective) Clinic Position Much more enticing for those desiring purely clinical experience in stationary position Counts as pay back toward service obligation
Hawaii Three years in Pearl Harbor, HI as Medical Department Head at Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit ONE In charge of the health care of 150 Navy divers and support crew Supervisor of six Independent Duty Corpsman Manager of the Hawaii Hyperbaric Chamber for all Diving casualties in the Hawaii region
Hawaii Oversaw 20 Decompression Sickness treatment cases of Navy SEALS, Navy Divers, and recreational diving accidents Performed 10 humanitarian treatment cases using HBO therapy for difficult to heal wounds and infections from Tripler Army Medical Center
Hawaii Traveled to Philippines, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Micronesia, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Korea, and Vietnam Dive Mission to Gulf of Thailand, Humanitarian Medical Mission to Jungles of Laos, Recovery Dive Mission to Palau (see this month s GQ mag)
Hawaii Spent time on submarines, and covering Navy SEAL operations Involvement with the State of Hawaii in promotion of Health and Fitness Moonlighting opportunities Being a part of an operational team in the Navy is one that will allow you to grow and mature, and one that your medical peers will envy you for forever.
Humanitarian Missions
Extra Tidbits Being Debt Free pays huge dividends for your future I now own two houses (one in La Jolla, CA and one in Kaneohe, HI) Fully invested in ROTH IRA, Navy TSP $400K life insurance at $27/mo Secure job, no malpractice insurance costs, opportunity to do whatever your interests are Athletics encouraged, All-Navy Triathlon x 5yrs No one tells you what to do, you pave your future
Service Being part of something bigger than yourself Pride, excellence, leadership Service to your country, and to humanity Unforgettable experiences Memories of a lifetime
Questions?