RAF Medics

Hey
Just wondering if there are any future RAF medics out there who can share some information. Recently saw an RAF advert and am seriously considering it. I did hear about someone training to be an RAF medic having to spend every weekend of university life in training, and im not sure if id manage? any info you can share would be appreciated
Nome

Reply 1

digitalis

i thought about it as well

you get a cadetship, get salaried...then i think its a 6 year RoS after Sandhurst and regiment specific training. The thing is, it kind of limits your speciality...because they want specialist i.e. after F2 training that is battlefield orientated.
Say goodbye to paeds, obs/gynae, geriatrics, oncology etc
They like things like surgery, ortho etc...

My great uncle was an RAF ortho surgeon for quite a while, if u have any more questions i can try follow him up! :smile:

Reply 2

Madprof

f_debelder

Say goodbye to paeds, obs/gynae, geriatrics, oncology etc
They like things like surgery, ortho etc...

I wouldn't be so sure. RAF employees have children, get cancer, etc, as do people in the populations the RAF are involved with. A lot of RAF medical officers will work in military hospitals on air bases either here or posted somewhere else with their regiment. There's also a training programme for the army GP equivalent - 'General Duties Medical Officer'. See http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers/jobs/medicalofficer.cfm

An old thread on this: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=184870

Reply 3

Happy_Holidays

I wouldn't say your limited. You probably have more options! As most RAF doctors work in the NHS you can do the more normal specialities but then you can also do things like aeromedical evacuation and stuff.
As for training if you wanted to apply for a sponsorship then you will get the money from that (about £3k per year for the first 2 years then a bit more for the last 3 I THINK) and you'd also be asked to join the University Air Squadron (UAS) which you'd get payed for. As for the 'every weekend training' you don't have to do that. With the UAS you usually have 1 meet up night per week and one weekend camp per month as well as a two week camp during the summer holidays. If you got a scholorship then you are usually given opportunities to do training and placements with the RAF as well.

If you're not sure then I would suggest joining the UAS when you get to uni (they will have a stall at freshers fare) and seeing if you like it. Then maybe trying to get on a fam visit to an air base. If you are sure you want to commit then maybe apply for a sponsorship. You might be able to find out more information on the Armed Forces message board under the Careers section.

Reply 4

-42-

I've sort of been considering this on and off for a while. On work experience I was actually talking to a reg who had medic friends in the forces, and he mentioned several of the plus points -
--Guarenteed jobs if you get a sponsorship
--Better pay
--You get to choose your rotations basically in F1 and F2
--MoD hospitals are usually better off and often give you 'better' quality training.
--I think they give you free flying lessons...

The downsides obviously is that you could be moved all over the country and out to war. What I'd really like to know actually is just how much and how likely you are to be kept getting moved from place to place and never being allowed to settle/make friends for a while.

--42

Reply 5

Happy_Holidays

I think you can pretty much settle down (they don't seem to move you much as a doctor). As for the going to war last time a spoke to a recruiting sergeant (this was for army btw) he said you are usually on a 6 month post once every 2 years.

And I've just reaslised my last post was a bit garbled so if you don't unstand it tell me and I will re-post.

Also the best advice I can give to you is to go to your nearest RAF recruitment center and ask them any questions you have. They don't bite (much), you will be under no obligation and you will probably get far better answers than anyone on here could give you.

Reply 6

brokenangel

http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers/jobs/medicalofficer.cfm im still trying to find out if you have to have perfect vision without glasses as if you do i cant do it anyone know

Reply 7

-42-

Nope you don't, that is only if you wish to be a pilot in the RAF, no other jobs in the RAF require it as far as I know. One of the examples of a RAF Medic on their website even has glasses!

You thinking about the RAF too then?

--42

Reply 8

Renal

Two words; GUARANTEED JOB

It's not an always an easy life, but if you're a military minded person and can deal with the lifestyle and the commitment, it's a winner.

Reply 9

brokenangel

-42-

One of the examples of a RAF Medic on their website even has glasses!

Hey yeah didn’t notice that.

-42-

You thinking about the RAF too then?

--42

Yeah definatly will have to get all the stuff again as our head of sixth form said it would be impossible as im short sighted. :rolleyes:

Reply 10

nome291

yeah thats the main thing for me. i dont mind going away, but im just not sure how much and for how long kinda thing. but good advice with the University Air Squadron, think im going 2 do that (if i get into a uni haha). It really sounds like it would be so exciting. And i also wonder how at risk you are being a medic in the RAF

Reply 11

Johnny C.

As a doctor, you will very rarely be put in any danger - basically because you're too valuable an asset. It's quite cold-hearted logic, but then that's the nature of the military.

As for the comment about General Duties Medical Officers - it's not the same as a GP, if you want to train as a GP then you can, but all army doctors serve about 3 years as a GDMO after initial training.

You can do just about any specialty you want in the Forces, mainly because you'll spend most of your career working in the NHS. There's only one forces hospital left now, which is due to shut (I think), so unless you're on an operational tour, you'll be working in the UK in an NHS hospital. If you're a GP, then you'll mainly work in military med centres.

As regards settling down, the longest you'll normally spend in one place is 3 years, often shorter. You wouldn't normally be sent on a 6-month operational tour e.g. Afghanistan more than once every 5 years or so.

Reply 12

Renal

But there are also dets to places like Akro and Gib which are great, but there's also Mt Pleasant which I understand to be just lovely at this time of year.

Reply 13

Philosoraptor

Hehe, this guy is worse than me !!

Reply 14

Mubsy

Philosoraptor

Hehe, this guy is worse than me !!

How can anyone be worse than you? That just isn't scientifically possible.

Reply 15

Philosoraptor

Oh contraire! He just proved it possible!

Reply 16

cis2320

wahoooo

i posted a thread in the armed forces section asking about anyone doing medicine in the armed forces about a couple of months back and like no reply for 2 weeks!

but weeee..then this opened up.. im considering joining the Army on a medical cadetship during university.. erm.. having to actually get a medicine place at uni first of course... :rolleyes:

..might have to take a gap year.. but that is my plan.. :smile:

sounds like a really great opportunity..!

Erm to the thread starter.. depending on your age.. have you considering joining Air Cadets?.. Being an Army cadet has opened the door a little bit wider into what it is like and getting you on familiar terms with ranks, drills, survival camps.. obviously its not going to be half of what it is like in reality, but it has taught me alot of skills and broadened my knowledge considerably of the forces.. :rolleyes:

Reply 17

Philosoraptor

I thought of this, actually the navy seems to pay best, but that might be because you can be away at sea! But I think I'll stay a civvy, especially as I have myopia!

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