Here are the slides I used to record this episode of the podcast: Debt, College, and Discretionary Spending   Here’s the screencast:

Here are the slides I used for this episode of the podcast: Tips on Building Your Career During Residency

Navy Medicine has been undergoing a lot of change. We have a new Surgeon General, a new Corps Chief, and a renewed focus on readiness. With these changes come a new career progression and path for the Medical Corps (MC) Officer (PDF version, PPT version). Let’s take a look at the new model and discuss […]

What better to do during a global pandemic than listen to a screencast about managing your career! Here are the PPT slides I used for it: Playing the Game – Managing Your Military Career

Here are the slides I used for this podcast, in both PDF and PPT format: Personal Finance for the Military Physician – A 2020 Update – PPT Personal Finance for the Military Physician – A 2020 Update – PDF  

Here is a screencast/podcast of this updated lecture as well as the PDF of the slides I used: FY 21 Promotion Boards Slide Deck

I updated my Personal Finance for the Military Physician talk for 2019 and have this week’s articles listed below:   Here are this week’s articles: 1 in 3 eligible active-duty troops signed up for DoD’s new retirement system 10 Ways To Know You Are Competent to DIY Your Investments 12 Things You Should Know About […]

I gave this talk to the medical staff at NMC Portsmouth a few weeks ago, and I finally got around to recording it for all to enjoy… Here is a PDF of the slides: FY20 Promotion Boards – What are They Looking At and How Can You Get Ready Here is a video screencast you […]

Recently I advertised the USUHS Commandant position. A reader asked: Any thoughts on whether you think this is a position that would make an O5 competitive for O6? This is a common issue. A position is advertised, but you want to know if it will help get your promoted to O5 or O6 if you […]

If you are particularly interested in this post, I’m sorry. You or someone you care about probably failed to promote. In reality, nowadays it is normal and expected to fail to promote to O5 and O6, so you have company. Here are my suggestions for those that fail to promote. First, try to figure out […]

Whenever a promotion board starts, the members are provided two items to guide them as they decide who to promote, the board precept and the convening order. These documents are available on-line and should be used to figure out how to promote and write your fitrep.   The Board Precept The precept is released in […]

O5 fitreps are due soon, so it is time for me to write my fitrep. How do I do it? Here are the steps I go through: I get the Surgeon General’s priorities and the convening order for last year’s O6 board. (If you were an O4, you’d want the O5 convening order. If you […]

The standard advice has always gone something like this: “If you are above zone, you need to send a letter to the promotion board so that they know you are still trying to promote. Otherwise they won’t pick you.” Now that they no longer stamp officer records with “AZ” (above zone) and they look exactly […]

During the last Specialty Leader Business Meeting, the Detailing Update mentioned that there were about 10 cases of officers who lost their promotion due to a security clearance issue. As a result, I added a new section to the Promo Prep document. In it you can find out how to check your security clearance. Here’s […]

A reader recently asked me for help preparing for a big interview that I had done in the past (the interview to become a Specialty Leader). We both thought that interview prep would be a good blog post, so here is my advice after 10+ interviews for significant leadership positions: Be prepared for an in-depth […]

While you need to go to the promo prep for a full record review, here is a video podcast that should give you an idea of how much work you need to do. Download your OSR, PSR, and ODC from BOL. Then watch this video:

If you are particularly interested in this post, I’m sorry. You or someone you care about probably failed to promote. In reality, nowadays it is normal and expected to fail to promote to O5 and O6, so you have company. Here are my suggestions for those that fail to promote. First, try to figure out […]

1. You can’t control the investment markets, so focus on the two things you can control – investment costs and your asset allocation. No one, and I mean no one, knows what is going to happen in the investment markets. Study after study have shown that the overwhelming majority of people who try to beat […]

(Here is a pdf of this article, one of my personal finance columns I write for a national Emergency Medicine newsletter.  Find more of them here.) I cut a check and paid off my mortgage in February, making me debt-free.  It cut my living expenses by about a third and ensured that in four years, […]

Here are the slides for a lecture on “Outside the Box Opportunities” that I gave at the 2017 Transition to Practice Symposium at NMCSD for all the graduating residents and fellows: Outside the Box Opportunities Topics covered include: Moving after your are selected for promotion How to PCS away from a command you want to […]

Here is the Powerpoint and screencast of a lecture I gave on Fitreps a few weeks ago at the NMCSD Transition to Practice Symposium for all the graduating residents and fellows.  Without audience participation, the lecture went from 30 minutes down to 18.  Enjoy! Fitness Reports in 30 Minutes

Here are the slides and a screencast of a lecture I recently gave at a national conference on tricks for long-term asset protection: Tricks for Long-Term Asset Protection

BLUF – If you are hoping to retire but are not willing to serve 3 years as a Commander or Captain, you should decline the promotion.  (This is not applicable if you are resigning.  Only if you are hoping to retire.) The policy regarding promotions and retirements is governed by OPNAVINST 1811.3A.  If you are lucky enough to […]

Here is an audio podcast of a 30 minute lecture I gave at Naval Medical Center San Diego’s Transition to Practice Symposium that they put on last week for all the graduating residents and fellows.  I hope you enjoy it.