ABT: Weird Case ( Pilot and Dentist)

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Hi!

I have a question that mainly applies to Air Force and Navy, but maybe Army also has an answer for this. I am a pre dental student and will be considering HSPS, for what branch; dont know yet. I have a stellar gpa, and i am very focus on my goals so making it to dental school is not my worry. I have been flying planes before i got my drivers license (17). I love planes and i have a private pilot license/ instrument rated and obtaining my commercial in the summer (total 256 hours). I know flying is not a reliable career so i want to become a dentist, doesn't mean i will stop flying (planes). THe question is the following: if i obtain the HSPS scholarship, lets say ( Navy or Air Force) do you think there is also a possibility that i could serve as a pilot, while also serving as a dentist? This is my lifetime dream, of course i understand that days have only 24h, but i think is an interesting topic and question. Have any of you heard a similar situation? or do you think it i will be just impossible due to the fact that any of those branches will want me as a Dentist not a Pilot? any feedback is appreciated! thank you all for your time

Not going to happen in the Navy - very doubtful in the Air Force as well. I know of one Navy doc who flew commercial for an airline before dental school but had to stop once he got to school.

You certainly won't have time in school and the services will want you doing dental work.

Originally Posted by hamburger90

Hi!

I have a question that mainly applies to Air Force and Navy, but maybe Army also has an answer for this. I am a pre dental student and will be considering HSPS, for what branch; dont know yet. I have a stellar gpa, and i am very focus on my goals so making it to dental school is not my worry. I have been flying planes before i got my drivers license (17). I love planes and i have a private pilot license/ instrument rated and obtaining my commercial in the summer (total 256 hours). I know flying is not a reliable career so i want to become a dentist, doesn't mean i will stop flying (planes). THe question is the following: if i obtain the HSPS scholarship, lets say ( Navy or Air Force) do you think there is also a possibility that i could serve as a pilot, while also serving as a dentist? This is my lifetime dream, of course i understand that days have only 24h, but i think is an interesting topic and question. Have any of you heard a similar situation? or do you think it i will be just impossible due to the fact that any of those branches will want me as a Dentist not a Pilot? any feedback is appreciated! thank you all for your time

Military is only going to pay you to do one thing - you are either a pilot or a dentist. You can't do both because you have to have a boss - is your boss a pilot or a dentist? If it is one, how are they going to know what you do in another? If you are in one position they don't want you part time - it takes away from your productivity as a pilot or a dentist. They want a full time ....

Originally Posted by hamburger90

Hi!

I have a question that mainly applies to Air Force and Navy, but maybe Army also has an answer for this. I am a pre dental student and will be considering HSPS, for what branch; dont know yet. I have a stellar gpa, and i am very focus on my goals so making it to dental school is not my worry. I have been flying planes before i got my drivers license (17). I love planes and i have a private pilot license/ instrument rated and obtaining my commercial in the summer (total 256 hours). I know flying is not a reliable career so i want to become a dentist, doesn't mean i will stop flying (planes). THe question is the following: if i obtain the HSPS scholarship, lets say ( Navy or Air Force) do you think there is also a possibility that i could serve as a pilot, while also serving as a dentist? This is my lifetime dream, of course i understand that days have only 24h, but i think is an interesting topic and question. Have any of you heard a similar situation? or do you think it i will be just impossible due to the fact that any of those branches will want me as a Dentist not a Pilot? any feedback is appreciated! thank you all for your time

You're never going to be allowed to be both a dentist and a pilot for the military. The closest thing you could get would be to forget about HPSP, and join the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard as a pilot after you graduate from dental school. The Air Force Reserve/Air National Guard is part time military service, so you could still be a dentist as your full-time civilian job. This route wouldn't give you any benefits as far as paying for dental school, but you could always take out loans and pay them back like every other civilian dentist out there, while still being able to serve as a military pilot. I looked into doing exactly this plan when I was deciding my future, but unfortunately, I would have been just over the age limit (30) to start undergraduate pilot training after dental school graduation. I wasn't willing to throw away my HPSP acceptance on the small chance that I would be able to get an age waiver for pilot training, so I had to let that dream go. Good luck.

Thank you everyone for responding my thread!

Sol DOHC i would definitely consider that route... where could i find more information on that?

Ill be done with dental school by 26 if all goes as plan... but how does obtaining a pilot slot work for that? Is it specially just for graduates that want to fly, or is it just like a regular selection process and the requirement of being an officer?

thank you for your time!

Originally Posted by hamburger90

Thank you everyone for responding my thread!

Sol DOHC i would definitely consider that route... where could i find more information on that?

Ill be done with dental school by 26 if all goes as plan... but how does obtaining a pilot slot work for that? Is it specially just for graduates that want to fly, or is it just like a regular selection process and the requirement of being an officer?

thank you for your time!

It's not a special program for dental students or anything like that, it would be the regular selection process for becoming a pilot and officer in the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve. The only reason that I said you would have to wait until after dental school is that the training to become a military pilot takes a long time. Even though you have your PPL, instrument rating, and so much flying experience, you still have to go through all of the same pilot training as anyone else. It can take 2 years or more, and requires you to be full-time active duty at a few different bases until you are fully trained, so it would be impossible while you are still in dental school. The fact that you will be 26 when you finish dental school makes this plan a real possibility for you. After you graduate dental school, you can apply to become a pilot with the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard, spend a few years on active duty attending all of the required training, then return to your AFR or ANG unit to serve part-time as a pilot while you are a dentist as your full-time civilian job. It is ideal because you will have the financial security of civilian dentistry combined with the awesomeness of being a military pilot, maintaining your flying proficiency on Uncle Sam's dime.

I'm a private pilot, too. Wouldn't that be great? I'm a crew chief in the ANG and I've looked into this. Unfortunately, there is no dual program for dentists. I guess I'll just have to keep it a hobby. Besides, the military has a good way of taking the fun out of things. However, in my research I did come across the AF's pilot physician program. It's extremely tough to get into (think D-School acceptance rates X Pilot selection rates). These guys are groomed to be pure awesomeness (astronauts, personal physician to the president, Rick James). Check it out:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=251887