MEDICAL CORPS BOARD CERTIFICATION PAY, INCENTIVE PAY (IP) and RETENTION BONUS (RB) FY 2026
Effective October 1, 2025
DoD FMR Volume 7A Chapter 5
The following amounts are the maximum allowed by the Department of Defense.
For service specific amounts consult with your service personnel office.
Bolded information reflects changes.
Board Certification Pay (prorated monthly) in US $ |
8,000 |
MEDICAL CORPS IP |
1-YEAR RATE (PRORATED MONTHLY) IN US $ |
General Medical Officer (GMO) |
20,000 |
GMO with Aerospace Medicine or Undersea Medical Officer Training (Note 1 and 2) |
25,000 |
Initial Residency (Post-Graduate Year 2) |
8,000 |
Internship (First Year of Graduate Medical Education) |
1,200 |
POST RESIDENT or
GRADUATE FELLOW
(initial residency is the first residency completed) |
Fully Qualified IP Rate (prorated monthly) in US $ |
RB (Paid Annually) IN US $ |
2-Year Rate |
3-Year Rate |
4-Year Rate |
6-Year Rate |
Anesthesiology |
66,000 |
40,000 |
55,000 |
105,000 |
125,000 |
Cardiology – Adult/Peds |
69,000 |
26,000 |
39,000 |
76,000 |
95,000 |
Dermatology |
48,000 |
17,000 |
25,000 |
43,000 |
60,000 |
Emergency Medicine |
54,000 |
26,000 |
39,000 |
76,000 |
95,000 |
Family Medicine |
43,000 |
20,000 |
28,000 |
48,000 |
60,000 |
Flight Surgery/Aerospace Medicine Primary Course (AMP), Other Residency Trained |
Note 3 |
Note 3 |
Note 3 |
Note 3 |
Note 3 |
Gastroenterology – Adult/Peds |
54,000 |
25,000 |
36,000 |
58,000 |
68,000 |
General - Internal Medicine |
43,000 |
20,000 |
28,000 |
48,000 |
60,000 |
General Surgery |
66,000 |
50,000 |
65,000 |
105,000 |
125,000 |
Gynecological Surgery and Obstetrics |
60,000 |
20,000 |
30,000 |
46,000 |
58,000 |
Neonatology |
50,000 |
24,000 |
34,000 |
63,000 |
78,000 |
Neurology – Adult/Peds |
48,000 |
13,000 |
19,000 |
30,000 |
40,000 |
Neurosurgery (Note 4) |
75,000 |
75,000 |
100,000 |
150,000 |
150,000 |
Ophthalmology |
54,000 |
20,000 |
25,000 |
37,000 |
50,000 |
Orthopedics |
66,000 |
50,000 |
65,000 |
105,000 |
125,000 |
Otolaryngology |
60,000 |
25,000 |
35,000 |
48,000 |
65,000 |
Pathology |
48,000 |
15,000 |
20,000 |
35,000 |
40,000 |
Pediatrics |
43,000 |
15,000 |
25,000 |
35,000 |
40,000 |
Physiatrist/Physical Medicine |
43,000 |
15,000 |
20,000 |
30,000 |
N/A |
Preventive/Occupational Medicine |
43,000 |
15,000 |
30,000 |
35,000 |
40,000 |
Psychiatry – Adult/Peds |
48,000 |
19,000 |
31,000 |
65,000 |
85,000 |
Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine |
60,000 |
27,000 |
37,000 |
63,000 |
78,000 |
Radiology – Diagnostic/Therapeutic |
66,000 |
34,000 |
49,000 |
76,000 |
N/A |
Residency in Aerospace Medicine (RAM) |
43,000 |
20,000 |
30,000 |
45,000 |
N/A |
RAM (other residency trained) |
Note 5 |
Note 5 |
Note 5 |
Note 5 |
Note 5 |
Subspecialty Category 1 (Note 6) |
72,000 |
50,000 |
65,000 |
110,000 |
130,000 |
Subspecialty Category II (Note 7) |
51,000 |
12,000 |
18,000 |
32,000 |
N/A |
Subspecialty Category III (Note 8) |
46,000 |
20,000 |
28,000 |
48,000 |
60,000 |
Subspecialty Category IV (Note 9) |
46,000 |
20,000 |
28,000 |
48,000 |
60,000 |
Subspecialty Category V (Note 10) |
66,000 |
26,000 |
36,000 |
55,000 |
70,000 |
Urology |
60,000 |
20,000 |
30,000 |
55,000 |
65,000 |
NOTES:
1. GMO Aerospace Medicine Training: Physicians who have completed the Aerospace Medicine Primary courses.
2. GMO Undersea Medicine Training: Physicians who have completed the Undersea Medicine Officer courses.
3. Physicians who are trained in a primary specialty and have completed the Aerospace Medicine Primary Course (AMP, USAF) or Undersea Medical Officer Training (USN) are eligible for a $3,000 increase in Incentive Pay and Retention Bonus above their primary specialty rates.
4. The annual IP amounts for Neurosurgery are $102,000 for a four-year retention agreement and $120,000 for a six-year retention agreement.
5. Physicians who are residency-trained in a specialty other than RAM, who have also completed the RAM, are eligible for a $5,000 increase in both IP and RB above their non-RAM specialty rates.
6. Requires primary specialty in General Surgery or as listed:
a. Cardio Thoracic Surgery;
b. Colorectal Surgery;
c. Fellowship trained Orthopedic Surgeons;
d. Oncology Surgery;
e. Organ Transplant;
f. Pediatric Surgery;
g. Plastic Surgery;
h. Trauma/Critical Care Surgery; or
i. Vascular Surgery.
7. Internal Medicine and Nuclear medicine physicians only.
8. All Internal Medicine/Pediatric fellowship-trained subspecialties not listed separately.
9. All Family Medicine fellowship trained subspecialties.
10. Physicians who are trained in:
a Ophthalmology;
b. Otolaryngology;
c. Obstetrics/Gynecology; and
d. Urology.
NOTE: Bolded information reflects changes in current chart.
Page updated September 25, 2025