Diagnostive Radiologist

[afthunderchief16]

I was hoping any flight docs out there could fill me in a little bit about the process of transitioning from being a flight doc or a general internist to a specialy in the AF such as a Diagnostice Radiologist. My brother is a soph in ROTC and wants to pursue something like this but wants to get more info before he goes to Field Training and incurs a commitment to the AF and find out that its something that he can't pursue after all. We really don't have any med groups in CO that have specialties such as that so if anyone else has any ideas of med groups that he could get in touch with would be great as well. Thanks!

also, sorry for an grammaical errors and the like... I am not exactly "hip" to you fancy med guys' lingo...

[Guest awfltdoc]

I was hoping any flight docs out there could fill me in a little bit about the process of transitioning from being a flight doc or a general internist to a specialy in the AF such as a Diagnostice Radiologist. My brother is a soph in ROTC and wants to pursue something like this but wants to get more info before he goes to Field Training and incurs a commitment to the AF and find out that its something that he can't pursue after all. We really don't have any med groups in CO that have specialties such as that so if anyone else has any ideas of med groups that he could get in touch with would be great as well. Thanks!

also, sorry for an grammaical errors and the like... I am not exactly "hip" to you fancy med guys' lingo...

Well, I'm a little confused as to you question, but I think I might understand what you asking.

There are flight docs that finish medical school then complete an Internship, get a medical license and then go to the field for a couple years. These folks then generally go back to residency training in a medical specialty of their desire (Radiology, Internal Med., Family Med., Surgery, etc.).

There are other flight docs like myself who finished medical school, finished internship, got a medical license, finished residency in whatever (radiology, Internal Med., etc.), and may have even worked in private practice, or military medicine. And then became a flight doc.

Then there are folks like me who like to be abused (or can't make up their minds) and have more than one residency (specialty) training.

I think the opportunity for medical training (residency or fellowship) in the AF is very good in my experience.

[afthunderchief16]

Well, I'm a little confused as to you question, but I think I might understand what you asking.

There are flight docs that finish medical school then complete an Internship, get a medical license and then go to the field for a couple years. These folks then generally go back to residency training in a medical specialty of their desire (Radiology, Internal Med., Family Med., Surgery, etc.).

There are other flight docs like myself who finished medical school, finished internship, got a medical license, finished residency in whatever (radiology, Internal Med., etc.), and may have even worked in private practice, or military medicine. And then became a flight doc.

Then there are folks like me who like to be abused (or can't make up their minds) and have more than one residency (specialty) training.

I think the opportunity for medical training (residency or fellowship) in the AF is very good in my experience.

Ya, after re-reading my post it is kinda confusing. Basically, the route that he has been told that he will need to take is to go get his med license, practice some sort of medicine for the AF for a while to get some credibility/recommendations/experience under his belt and then essentially compete to get in to the field that he wants because from the information available to him, it is just about impossible to get in to a specialized field such as radiology right off the bat for to AF.

[Guest awfltdoc]

it is just about impossible to get in to a specialized field such as radiology right off the bat for to AF.

Probably. We all have to pay our dues. I am pretty sure radiology is competitive as it is (just guessing). In my mind a guy/gal with no field experience (company grade) will be competing with field grade guys/gals with previous experience (who have already paid thier dues) in the application process.