Wartime deployment for Army physicians and Navy Hospital Corpsman?

Question

I'm a premedical undergraduate student right now in college looking into medical school. I want to do the HPSP Army or Navy scholarship program, and I was wondering about the wartime deployment of physicians. After med school, residency, and hpsp program training, would they allow me to: (for Army) deploy into the field as a field surgeon or medic? (or for Navy) deploy as a Corpsman embedded into a Marine Battalion? Or would either of the two allow me to volunteer for this type of deployment?

If so, would I have to attend additional training for this type of deployment aside from the OBLC/training from HPSP, med school, and residency?

Thanks,
Thomas.

Answer 1

Don't know if it is still being used. But, a few years ago we trained battlefield surgeons for the Navy by assigning them to work weekends at emergency rooms in some of our inner city public hospitals. They were exposed to a good spread of gunshot wounds and other effects of trauma to the body from projectiles and the like to give them a feel of what it might be under combat conditions.
All Navy doctors and Hospital Corpsmen who get assigned to Fleet Marine Units go through Field Medical Service School which involves about two weeks of Marine infantry training. It's doubtful that you would be so assigned before gaining your commission in the Medical Corps following completion of your medical school. Certainly not as an enlisted Hospital Corpsman. The Navy wants to get some real return from all of that investment in your scholarship program.

Answer 2

Navy Physicians

Answer 3

You would be allowed to go to the field as a surgeon but yes, there is def some extra training that the military will put you through. Operating in an operating room and operating when there are bullets going by your head are completely different. There is a lot of military training that you will have to go through but you will be an officer. I would suggest you go and talk to an Army or Navy recruiter about it and find out what you have to do. Good luck to you!

Answer 4

No matter what, you'll be deployed sooner or later. My one friend joined the Navy as a Corpsman, he really didn't think he'd get deployed, but what happens a lot in war? Injuries, wounds, death, when any of that involved, there is always someone that has to fix it. That's you.
Trust me, you may volunteer, but you don't have to volunteer to see sand whatsoever.
Just think positive and see the good side of what you're doing, you're helping wounded troops, saving lives one way or another, and we appreciate what you do.