I'm a civilian Vasc.Surgeon and wish to join the US Navy, if accepted, what would be my rank and salary grade?

Question

I'd appreciate it you can tell me about basic training for my situation, I'm 33, I keep quite fit, and furthermore when would it be reasonable to reach the rank of Lt. Colonel, US Navy? Thank you for your help.

Thank you all, this is most helpful

Answer 1

Doctors normally enter the Navy as a Lieutenant (O-3). I've seen specialists that have entered the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander (O-4). It's conceivable that doctors, depending on their experience and level of training, can enter at higher ranks, also.

Answer 2

If you are board certified you will enter in the rank of Lieutenant Commander (0-4). That is equivalent to Major in the Army and Air Force. The next rank up is Commander which is the equivalent to Lieutenant Colonel. Expect to serve a minimum of three years before you are selected for promotion to Commander.
You "basic training" will consist of an officers' indoctrination course, normally held at one of the graduate training hospitals of the Navy like Bethesda, Portsmouth Virginia and San Diego California.
If you are not board certified, but merely board eligible, you will enter in the rank of Lieutenant (0-3) which is one rank below Lieutenant Commander.

Answer 3

There's not a lot on the web about direct appointments for physicians - it's a specialized recruiting area. I did find this on the topic, in an article for women surgeons:

"To qualify for a direct commission into the Medical Corps, a surgeon must be a U.S. citizen less than 47 years of age (age waivers may be available for older physicians); be a graduate of an accredited U.S. school of medicine or osteopathy, or hold an Educational Commission For Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) Certificate; and must have a current unrestricted license to practice medicine. Rank upon entry in the military should be a function of prior experience as a surgeon and fellowship training. Surgeons entering the military by the direct commission route should realize they are in a unique position to negotiate intensely for a desirable assignment. It would probably be advisable to contact a colleague in the military personally to discuss this before finalizing commissioning through a recruiter."

For the Navy Reserve, I found: "The rank offered at the time of appointment in the Navy Reserve as a Medical Corps Officer is determined by the applicant’s education, professional experience and current Navy policy." (http://www.navy-la.com/doctors.html ) which reinforces that you can negotiate. They add "All direct appointment officers attend Officer Indoctrination School (OIS) in Pensacola, Flab., as their first AT (two weeks)."

Answer 4

Physicians receive what's called "constructive credit", which is used to determine their grade and date of rank.

A physician is commonly commissioned as lieutenant (O-3), unless he/she has a number of years experience as a physician.

There is no grade of lieutenant colonel in the Navy. The equivalent grade would be commander, paygrade O-5.

Answer 5

Enlisted
http://www.navy.com/benefits/financial/#enlisted-chart

Officer
http://www.navy.com/benefits/financial/#officer-chart

There is no Lt. Colonel in the Navy, A O-5 would be a Commander in the Navy. Commander, will take anywhere from 2-4 years reach.

Answer 6

In your situation you rank at entry is up for negotiation. One missed advantage to you is the fact that you can transfer of be in the Reserves. I was in the reserves after Vietnam Nam and served with a Captain who was a dentist. His pay for a drill weekend was over 700 at the time. He retired with over 20 years and was entitled to retirement pay. It is calculated using his reserve and active duty point accumulation, but would have been quite substantial. Be sure to find out what you would be entitled to from Reserve Retirement. You should go in as at least an O-3, I would think, and retirement as an O-5 or O-6 is possible. To get correct information, you would have to contact the Navy recruiter for you field. It they have a shortage of your specialty, they may offer substantial enlistment bonuses too.
Joe

Answer 7

In the Navy, going in as a doctor, generally you'd go in as a Lieutenant, which is an O-3.

There is no Lt. Colonel in the US Navy.

http://www.navy.com/careers/healthcare/physicians/

Answer 8

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Answer 9

One of the other answers pointed out that most new doctors go in at O3. That's true, but with your experience and subspecialty, I'd bet on LCDR (O4).

Answer 10

You would start as an ENS... and figure a promotion about every 3 years... so Commander (the Navy equivilent of LTCOL) is about 12 years away. You already have your degree so they would send you to Officer Candidate School (OCS)... four weeks of officer bootcamp... not so bad... in Florida still I think.

Also the Navy has GREAT incentive pays for medical officers... go see the Officer recruiter for exact details!