All Branch Topic (ABT) Prior Service in Military Medicine

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USMC2Doctor

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Quick Intro: U.S. Marine 2003-2007 (I.T. related field). 2 tours Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. Worked as a Defense Contractor in IT field for another 3 years in the Middle East and at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Used my GI bill benefits to become a Registered Nurse and shortly after for med school pre-reqs. Trying to pursue my dream of becoming a physician in the military.

Planning to apply this cycle, but my MCAT has been pushed back to late October, so my application will be late. I was wondering if there were any other requirements besides being accepted to an accredited medical school to become a physician officer in the military. Besides the regular health and physical requirements is there anything else? (i.e., MCAT score cut-off? GPA?)

I know I should be studying and ace my MCAT first so I can get accepted anywhere and then worry about getting in the military, but I come here on this forum for encouragement since the MCAT is over-freaking-whelming!

Any advice/suggestions are welcome! (Any med schools who might take me in if I promise to go to the military for another 40 years?! j/k.) Thank you!

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You probably already know this, but you didn't mention it. If you want to be in the military as a medical student then you have to either get an HPSP scholarship or be accepted at USUHS. If you don't do either one of those then you won't be in the military as a medical student. Your next option will be to get into a civilian residency and join the military via FAP. Your last option is to complete civilian residency and join as a direct ascension.
 
You probably already know this, but you didn't mention it. If you want to be in the military as a medical student then you have to either get an HPSP scholarship or be accepted at USUHS. If you don't do either one of those then you won't be in the military as a medical student. Your next option will be to get into a civilian residency and join the military via FAP. Your last option is to complete civilian residency and join as a direct ascension.
Thank you CooperdoOg! I appreciate the reply. I'll look into the HPSP option. I know there are probably a lot of med students who would want that scholarship correct? It must be very competitive. Just like everything in the process of getting into med school.
 
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HPSP seems to be getting more competitive lately as tuition increases and deployments and combat decrease. Army, Navy and Air Force all HPSP scholarships. Navy also has HSCP, which I believe is getting to be a smaller program for medical students, and only really works well if you still have GI Bill left and if you get into an inexpensive state school. Here is a link to how HSCP and HPSP compare:

http://whitecoatinvestor.com/health-services-collegiate-program-military-medicine-series/

If you are super committed to the military then you can also apply directly to USUHS. There are a lot of benefits to USUHS, but it also demands a longer payback period so it isn't a good fit for everyone.
 
HPSP seems to be getting more competitive lately as tuition increases and deployments and combat decrease. Army, Navy and Air Force all HPSP scholarships. Navy also has HSCP, which I believe is getting to be a smaller program for medical students, and only really works well if you still have GI Bill left and if you get into an inexpensive state school. Here is a link to how HSCP and HPSP compare:

http://whitecoatinvestor.com/health-services-collegiate-program-military-medicine-series/

If you are super committed to the military then you can also apply directly to USUHS. There are a lot of benefits to USUHS, but it also demands a longer payback period so it isn't a good fit for everyone.
Great info on that link! Thank you! I have heard of HPSP, but not HSCP. I have considered USUHS for one of the schools I plan to apply to, but I know how competitive it must be especially with more benefits. Thank you so much for all the information!
 
Great info on that link! Thank you! I have heard of HPSP, but not HSCP. I have considered USUHS for one of the schools I plan to apply to, but I know how competitive it must be especially with more benefits. Thank you so much for all the information!

As a last ditch effort, you might want to consider the Caribbean Medical School route. If you CANNOT get into a MD or DO program, you can still enter the military for FAP after obtaining a residency. I am applying to FAP now after matching/obtaining a residency. Not the easiest thing for Foreign Medical School graduates.
 
As a last ditch effort, you might want to consider the Caribbean Medical School route. If you CANNOT get into a MD or DO program, you can still enter the military for FAP after obtaining a residency. I am applying to FAP now after matching/obtaining a residency. Not the easiest thing for Foreign Medical School graduates.

no

no

no

don't go carribean
 
sb247 Please let me know your thoughts. Any advice would be great. I was considering going out of country if needed to get into medical school.
 
What's your total undergrad gpa and your mcat practice score range?
 
sb247 Please let me know your thoughts. Any advice would be great. I was considering going out of country if needed to get into medical school.

Do not, I repeat, do not go out of the country for medical school. You are better off at the worst school in the US than even the best school in the Caribbean.
 
Devildog, thank you for your service. Really. No ****.

Now, please listen to us. You cannot leave the US for medical school. You would be 1000x better off to get an NP or CRNA and practice here. Applying late to medical school is a bad decision for top applicants, worse for anyone remotely less qualified. By virtue of your path, you will fall into the latter category. There is significant skepticism about the rigor of nursing degrees in the medical school admission process. You don't know your MCAT score. Your other grades likely came from schools that lack a world-class reputation. This is not criticism of you as a person nor any reflection on your capacity to be the next coming of Osler, but 5 years amongst the lance corporals has to have taught you that the world isn't fair.

Reapplicants also face an uphill battle. Your best chance of getting in is your first chance. So, wait until next summer. Apply on the first day of the cycle. If you don't make it, don't despair. That NP or CRNA option has some significant upsides (MUCH shorter path, less demanding schedules, competitive pay).

Oh, and if you can make the military work with your medical goals, fine. But being a civilian is ok too.
 
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