Advice on possibilities of education through the military?
So i was recently asked to apply for the NROTC scholarship and though it seems like a great opportunity i have a lot of questions.
I have always wanted to become a doctor and i think it would be so cool to be a naval doctor because not only do they serve our country they do tons of humanitarian work. I want to know how long it would take to actually be able to graduate med school if i have to serve in the military after i am done with my bachelor's degree.
What i mean is, after the 4 years of attending college would i have to go straight into the Navy or would i be offered the opportunity to go to medical school from there? The amount of time i would have spend in the military does not matter to me.
However if i am forced to take a break between undergraduate and medical school i feel like this would greatly affect my chances of being accepted to any good medical school as i would not be putting my education to work.
When talking to a recruiter for the marines she said that no matter what i major in, in college the navy puts me in any job they need. So, i don't want to spend 4 years educating and training myself only to be put in the same job as any other officer.
I am applying to the air force academy and West point as well. (and yes i have the grades and everything else required). But do you have any other suggestions as to what programs i should apply to through the military? to help accomplish what i want? maybe a different branch?
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
very very very FEW are ever permitted to go straight to Med school.. with our without the Military paying for it immediately after commissioning.
in fact both people I know( one ROTC, one USNA Midshipman) who each applied for it were turned down. and the Mid was a chemistry major with a heavy Pre med background.. he's now in Pensacola learning how to fly.
if your ultimate goal is to be a doctor, then do not take any Service academy appointment or ROTC scholarship. become a doctor first on your own dime. then apply for a direct commission.
1: You didn`t mention applying to USNA, and if you want to be in the navy I suggest you do so.
2: Just because you "have the grades and everything else required" does NOT by ANY means, mean you`ll be accepted. 1 in 12 official candidates get in. Nobody knows what it takes, it can change depending on what the other applicants look like. Even if you had a 4.0, played like 3 different sports, worked, belonged to NHS, 6 clubs, and the whole works, you STILL might get turned down.
3: A tiny, TINY amount can go from USNA to med school; this amount is smaller than the number of graduates who become SEALS. So if becoming a doctor is what you want to do, I strongly suggest that you don`t take that risk.
4: NROTC would not be the best idea either. A small amount can be admitted to the Health Professionals Scholarship Program (HPSP). http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/accession... Again, SMALL amount is admitted. You go to med school on the military dime, and complete 1 year of residency at a military base, then you`ll be commissioned into the military as a higher officer rank than most enter. You have to serve a minimum of 5 years after that, active duty. I wouldn`t recommend this option either, as you`d be taking a risk if you weren`t accepted.
Like mrs. jvb stated, your best option is getting a direct commission.
Good luck! Any questions, just contact me, and I`d be happy to help.
The Marines have no Medical Branch. They utilize the Navy Medical Corps. If a service academy Cadet/Mid is admitted to a Medical School during his senior year, he goes straight to Medical School on HPSP Scholarship.
An HPSP Scholarship pays full medical school tuition plus around $2,088 per month for living expenses. Any citizen accepted to Medical School can apply. There is no prior military service requirement.
http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/accession...
There is a limit of about 20 Mids/Cadets per class but this is almost never filled at either the Naval Academy or the Air Force Academy due to 40% of USNA Mids and 50% of Usafa Cadets going straight to Flight School. Ten members of last years USNA class went on to Medical School:
http://www.usna.edu/admissions/choices.htm
Pg 7 of the May 26, 2010, Graduation Issue of Academy Spirit indicates that eleven members of the Usafa Class went on to Medical School.
http://www.usafa.af.mil/deanoffaculty/basicscience...
If an Ensign/2nd Lieutenant is admitted to Medical School a year after graduating, he then goes on to Medical School on HPSP Scholarship. The military has not been able to recruit enough Medical students for years for the HPSP Scholarship and is now offering a $20,000 signing bonus, so essentially any Usna Mid or Usafa Cadet who is accepted to medical school is awarded the scholarship.
"When talking to a recruiter for the marines she said that no matter what i major in, in college the navy puts me in any job they need."
Not exactly, service academy Mids/Cadets usually get their preference unless at the bottom 10-20% of the class or the choice is etremely selective like SEAL at USNA. The most competitive choices at West Point are usually Military Intelligence and Medical Service Corps and these are typically open to the top half of the West point class. Everything else might be open to the top 90% of the class.
Might be informative:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylv=3?qid...
The first link contained therein has been changed as Usafa just issued a new version of its admissions website. The links are now on the right and the "Leadership Preparation" link is now referred to as "Character Preparation":
Usafa Link described above:
http://www.academyadmissions.com/admissions/advice...
Good Luck!
NROTC is an AWESOME way of getting your education paid for, getting a commission as an officer, and receiving better benefits, conditions, and responsibilities than enlisted. The service academies are the toughest schools to get into, but the NROTC scholarship and service academies pay for your education. Do whatever it takes to get the career you want. Try contacting an NROTC recruiter to get more accurate info. Thank you for serving and God Bless