Question regarding female MOs

[Sharps]

I'm curious to know if there are any female Medical Officers who visit/post on this board, though I'd be happy to hear from anyone. I have been eyeing the MOTP for a little over a year, doing some research, doing a lot of thinking, and with the appearance of a recent newspaper article on the subject, I finally find myself no longer asking "is this what I really want?" Instead, the big question is "why am I still putting this off?" And to that I do not have an answer, because I am confident that this is what I want.

However, I have some unanswered questions: I have considered everything from training to deployment to relocation and discussed everything with my husband (who is very supportive - his father was an MO) at length, but the one factor I remain somewhat curious about is the female-specific experience, not only of life in the military, but specifically as an MO. I've seen everything from "it's a wonderful experience" to "it is AWFUL" regarding the personal experiences of women in the military, so obviously experiences vary greatly. Still, I consider any additional information I can find an asset, to help round out the research I've been putting into this, before I make any final decisions.

[1sandra123]

Hi there. I'm a Capt in the Canadian Air Force and although I don't know much about the medical classifications, I can answer your general questions about life in the military (I've been in for 7 1/2 years). Since the scandals in the mid-90's, the CF has really taken steps to get rid of discrimination, and I'd say they have done an excellent job of it. Right from early in basic training, everyone does a day of "SHARP" training, which lets recruits and cadets know that it won't be tolerated. Even if you meet really sexist people, you won't know it because they wouldn't dare say anything to you. As an officer, and particularly a doctor, you are even less likely to be treated with anything but the utmost respect. As far as deployments go, you might not go anywhere overseas unless you ask to, but that depends on where you are posted and some other factors. A recruiter could put you in touch with an MO who can give you more info about the specifics of that classification. Good luck!