November 1, 2020
Military Match Application
Fourth year medical students, transitional residents, and general medical officers (GMOs) are in the thick of the match process that began this summer to hopefully match into their specialty and residency of choice. The military match process begins much earlier in the year compared to our civilian counterparts. Below is a quick list of important dates for the 2020-2021 Match season. For those of you that are curious and just starting out, the dates will change for next year but the overall process will be the same. Continue reading to learn more about the process!
Important Dates
1 July 2020
Medical Operational Data System (MODS) opened for each service.
Paper applications e-mailed to post-graduate year (PGY) 1 applicants.
31 August 2020
Deadline to create and submit a new GME application.
6 November 2020
Deadline to submit required GME supporting documents and interviews. Deadline to make application modifications.
16 November 2020
JSGMESB Tri-Service scoring begins.
7 December 2020
JSGMESB Service Specific Selection Board convenes.
6 January 2021
JSGMESB results released.
20 January 2021
Training acceptance deadline for resident and fellow selectees.
Officer Training: ODS, OTS, BLOC & DCC
All military medical students must go through initial officer training. Students usually attend training before medical school and the summers between year 1-2 and year 2-3. Each branch of the military has different training requirements. The best way to learn about these requirements and scheduling deadlines is to stay up-to-date with your recruiter or medical command. Each service also has a website where most information can be found, but the most current official information is emailed by each branch.
Your SAMOPS branch representatives are also great resources so please reach out to them if you have any questions.
Navy: ENS Steven Patrick, SAMOPSUSNRep@Gmail.Com
Air Force: 2d LT Brent Hunter, SAMOPSUSAFRep@Gmail.Com
Army: 2LT Albert (Os) Nakayama, SAMOPSArmyRep@Gmail.Com
Active Duty Tours (ADTs) & Audition Rotations
Typically, third-year medical students continue to complete their cores and gather letters of recommendations. Around winter however, students should begin to plan their away electives for where they will be going for their Active Duty Tours (ADT) rotations. July to September is generally the best time to complete these rotations. Setting up ADTs usually consist of contacting the clerkship coordinator for each site and checking availability. Check out our SAMOPS residency contact list or refer to your respective branches' resources. Be mindful and respectful on each rotation as there are a limited number of programs and program directors know each other. Keep in mind when scheduling that while ADTs are 45 days, rotations are typically 30 days and ADTs can't overlap. ADTs can't be taken in the same fiscal year (begins Oct 1). To do two ADTS in the 4th year, one must be done before October 1, and the other after October 1 IF you plan to use your annual ADT. While you're at your ADTs take the time to schedule your in-person interviews or if you were unable to schedule a rotation in the department you're interested in, arrange to spend some time in the department of interest. (Ex. If you're interested in EM, but only got a medicine rotation, arrange to spend an afternoon in the the ED)
Interview
Applicants are required to interview with at least one military program in their specialty, and this interview may be by phone. In the past, an in-person interview was highly recommended, but with COVID-19, many interviews have been virtual. You should interview with as many of the programs as possible, at least interviewing in person/virtual with your top 2-3 choices. Be aware of the deadline by which interviews should be completed. Check out our previous newsletter for virtual interview tips. Remember military etiquette and appropriate salutations!
Letters of Recommendation (LOR)
Check with each branch for their LOR guidelines as each have different guidelines. Ideally a letter should be from a military physician or a program director/department chair. Applicants are also allowed to used evaluations from away rotations to upload as "supporting documents". This is one of the reasons it's encouraged to complete your ADTs early. Again, watch the deadlines for submission.
Joint Services Graduate Medical Education Selection Board
Applicants complete and submit their application through the Medical Operational Data System (MODS) website used by all three services. Applicants at this time will not be able to access MODS from computers that are not on the military network. JSGME Selection Board meets in mid-November and ranks the applicants using various criteria including grades, COMLEX scores, research, performance on “audition” rotations, interviews, and prior military service. Candidates are either matched into their number one military residency, matched into a military second choice specialty, “deferred” into a civilian residency (Air Force and Navy only), or matched into a military transitional year. Please stay in contact with your branch regarding the application process. There are differences between the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and each branch is responsible for their match process.
Mask Design Contest
Submit designs in PDF or JPG formats to: SAMOPS.PR@gmail.com
Deadline November 30, 2020 @ 11:59 EST
If you need any high resolution AMOPS logos, please contact SAMOPS.PR@gmail.com
AMOPS Research 2021 Abstracts
We are still accepting submissions for abstracts for the 2021 AMOPS Conference, that will be held in Washington, DC!
Who may submit?
- Medical students
- Residents
- General Medical Officers (GMO) with one year of postgraduate training (PGY-1)
What Type of Research is accepted?
- Original Research
- Case Reports
- Quality Improvement/Process Improvement Projects
- Must follow Military Decision Making, PDCA, Lean Six Sigma or other process
Additional Criteria:
- Submitting author must have completed the majority of the writing and research, and must be registered and in attendance of the 2021 national meeting http://amops.org/annual-meeting-2021/
- Abstracts should be less than 300 words. Do not include references
- Printed Poster Size: 48” W x 36” H
- After acceptance, presenters may submit a PDF copy of poster to https://forms.gle/yXs7ABPH9cY5dT2S7
Questions: research@amops.org
Submissions accepted until January 15, 2021
SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT HERE: https://forms.gle/RV5G6MKXVaVaeBh76
Our podcast team has been busy since we last checked in with everyone. I've only included October's most recent podcasts below, but also tune-in to September's podcasts! For one of the October podcasts we got a chance to listen to another perspective - that of one of our patients - the enlisted. Next up, we interview Dr. Huzij about how he uses OMM in military medicine, his work, and research using osteopathic medicine in the brain. Last but not least, we dive into Dr. Kiser's history as a Navy family practice physician.