I'm in my 3rd year of medical school and want to pursue a career in surgery. Can the army help me achieve this?
Additional information
Since my first year i've always thought about signing up to the army due to the different lifestyle it provides. However i'm worried that even after signing up, there's no guarantees that I could become a surgeon. Therefore I just wanted to know a bit more as to how joining the army can help me get to my goals, and how it would rank on a core surgery application in comparison to someone who'd spent a similar amount of time in research for example.
Anonymous asked a question to Tori C.
Category: Career Advice
Date asked: Saturday, February 27, 2021
Last reviewed: Friday, March 12, 2021
Tori C.
Regimental Medical Officer
Hello,
You are correct in that the number of training spots each year for military trainees is limited, and how competitive those spots are will also vary from year to year. I don't think surgery has been too competitive recently compared to some of the other specialties.
In regards to building up your CV for application purposes, GDMOs tend to benchmark quite highly on the national system. It helps to have had 3 years out of training to work on getting publications, presenting research, attending conferences etc.. and there are lots of opportunities to get involved in that side of things while in the Army.
You will also have a few extra courses and a bit of interesting life experience (that usually demonstrates leadership and decision making).
Friday, March 12, 2021
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