Life as an MO

Hello all,

I'm in the first year of a four year medical degree and have been thinking about signing up to the cadetship scheme. I've read all the bumphf and made an application for an aquaint visit but at the moment don't really feel like I know exactly what I'll be doing for my six/seven years service. How many years would I spend as GDMO before starting specialist training and what is the competition like for GP training schemes? The Army expects you to sign for a medium commission if you want to do any specialist training - is this the same in the RN?

I'm 32 now and expect to finish my FY1 year in 2011, at 37. If I sign up am I kissing any chance of a settled and stable home/family life goodbye? I have no issues with deploying to far away lands but would like to know just how much of my time I will be away for as I'm hoping marriage and children are not too far off.

Sorry for all the questions, and thanks for your time, all answers/opinions gratefully received...

 

Hi there matey....sorry i can't help you with your questions, know nothing about your specialised subject, but just mention that you would of course have to get used to the idea that you will be away from your stable home/family life sometime or another. Think carefully as you mention marriage and children not too far off. I'm sure other people on this forum will give you more sound advise on your chosen scheme.

 

Moncaiboy, good questions!

It's all a bit up in the air at the mo with the Government's recent changes to postgraduate medicine - Modernising Medical Careers and all that. Traditionally you did your PRHO year, 6 months of EM then disappeared off to General Duties for 3 years. However, with "seamless training" it may not be possible ot leave the system for this length of time. There always have been other ways of doing things - not everyone does the full 3 years at the start, there's sometimes scope to "pay back" your time later on (eg as a fully trained GP).

I'm advise you speak to the Recruiting Office in HMNB Portsmouth about this. I do a fair bit of work with them regarding medical recruiting, and will prob see you at your acquaint visit.

General Duties, however, normally entails spending quite a lot of time out of the UK, depending on what type of Fleet we have in a few years! It's not incompatible with family life, but a bit different. I'm sure some of the guys here who have families can tell you more about that side of things.

Regarding your Commission, watch this space. Again, MMC has made a mess of current arrangements and I would envisage the RN also changing the rules and requiring you to accept for a Medium Career Commission. The current 6-year Short Career Commission would be pointless and dangerous with MMC - it would potentially leave you without a job half-way through specialist training!

PM me if you need further info.

Good luck!


AD

 

Thank you both, a lot to think about....

 

Hey and welcome!

 

Discuss all your options for your chosen career with your partner, this is very important, if you want to do things right, you will find the answers there, I am certain of that and you will find that the RN will ask you this when you want to join, (WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY THINK TO YOU JOINING ?? ).
I can't help you with your commission.

Good luck

 

Hi mate.

I know I'm probably the last person you want advice from...

stuck the Army for 6 weeks only, crap job history and only 20,

But I'll share my experience with regards to being away from that special someone...

Right, 90% of the reason I dropped out of the Army was because I met a girl in between passing selection and starting. That basically ruined it for me!

The other 10% of why I dropped out was because of the 'Normal' feeling of 'I wanna have a lie on, I miss home, I'm tired, I hate this on times' which you're supposed to feel, otherwise we'd have big-Jessie's as our Armed Forces personnel.

Point is... if I hadn't met my EX, 90% of that 'wanting to drop out' would have vanished to 10%, while 90% of me would have been gunning to stay.

And that's only through basic, I'm sure once basics over, it's brilliant and that last 10% of wanting to quit fades away!

The major, final point is... I've realized my mistake of dropping out the Armed Forces, but I'm glad I did because I feel the better option is The Royal Navy, with all due respect to the Army,

Question: If I get in, will I have any ties or a girlfriend this time?

Answer: Not a bloody hope!

Sure you miss your family, but they are waiting for you when you get home and it's great to see them after a while away I imagine, instead of being stuck home in each others face!

 

Thanks to all of you for your posts, and Creddly, I think you hit the nail on the head!