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