Military to Pay for Medical School

[mln]

I was curious if any of you joined the military to pay for medical school? Can you tell me opinions on advantages and disadvantages of Air Force, Army, and Navy? I'm meeting with an Air Force recruiter next Wednesday, but I was wondering if anybody had experience with the other branches.

Also, I understand that it used to be that you had to do you residency at a hospital for the branch you joined. For example, you can't go to Walter Reed if you're Air Force because it's an Army hospital. Is this true?

I could ask the recruiter these questions, but I from my phone conversation with him, I get the impression that he's telling me what just what I want to hear. Also, any advice is welcome if anybody can think of some other good questions that I should be asking.

Thanks!

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[RRGirl]

Somebody probably going to kick me for that but I'm copying my earlier response to other Q about military medicine. Here it goes:
I wanted to go to the Navy program and it took me a long time to get the truth out of them but I finally did. And chances for you to get into ANY residency after med school is about 10-20%. They just don't let people to go to residency even if you get matched there. And although there is Rad residency in the armed forces they will not let you to match in it right after school either. Instead you MUST apply into their internship and after that they more or less force you to do GMO duty. They do it so they can extend your time served with them. In addition I can bet they did not tell you that after you serve your 4 years with them you still owe them 4 more years as a reserve officer. My advise - go to the military medicine AFTER residency. This way you can get them to pay off your student loans and you will not delay or lose your chance to get into residency.


It may be different in other branches but I doubt it. Air Force seems to be in really bad place right now judging by Military medicine thread I read on SDN. As far as the Army concerned you will have more residency choices but knowing how the military works (I'm prior service) I can guarantee you they will try to trick you into more service than you initially wanted to do. My advice - don't talk to the recruiter. Ask to talk to a big fish in the medical command. Ask them anything you want and verify on the websites and then ask again. You will get the truth eventually.

 

[deuist]

I'm in the Air Force under the HPSP program. You can PM me if you have any specific questions. Also, you should see the military medicine forum here on SDN. You'll find more people who are willing to talk to you.

Walter Reed is being shut down and re-opened at another location as a inter-branch hospital. I don't know how BRAC will affect military residencies in the future.