What are my chances?

[iceman83]

I'm in the Army National Guard, and I am currently employed full time. Is med school as flexible as going for my undergrad? I will be away 1 weekend a month. 2 weeks per year, and periodic deployments for an unspecified amount of time. On top of a full time work schedule.

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[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

I'm in the Army National Guard, and I am currently employed full time. Is med school as flexible as going for my undergrad? I will be away 1 weekend a month. 2 weeks per year, and periodic deployments for an unspecified amount of time. On top of a full time work schedule.

Are you wanting to do med school, work full time, and do the Guard all at once? If so, I don't think that's doable. Med school is incredibly time intensive. Some schools won't require you to attend lectures, but others will, and obviously you will have huge amounts of studying to do. I've never heard of someone having full time employment in med school. Some people may do some short tutoring sessions for some extra cash, but nothing too time-intensive.

 

[iceman83]

Are you wanting to do med school, work full time, and do the Guard all at once? If so, I don't think that's doable. Med school is incredibly time intensive. Some schools won't require you to attend lectures, but others will, and obviously you will have huge amounts of studying to do. I've never heard of someone having full time employment in med school. Some people may do some short tutoring sessions for some extra cash, but nothing too time-intensive.

Is there med schools that would offer night classes and such?

 

[WedgeDawg]

I don't think this is feasible. Many schools don't require lecture attendance, but you will have to be present for patient presentations, small group sessions, PBL if your school does that, anatomy lab, histology lab, and probably a bunch of other stuff I haven't experienced yet. Additionally, med school takes up a lot of time outside of class, and you generally have to be present for exams and such. I don't think full time employment + navigating medical school is feasible for 99.99999999+% of the population. Sorry.

 

[iceman83]

I don't think this is feasible. Many schools don't require lecture attendance, but you will have to be present for patient presentations, small group sessions, PBL if your school does that, anatomy lab, histology lab, and probably a bunch of other stuff I haven't experienced yet. Additionally, med school takes up a lot of time outside of class, and you generally have to be present for exams and such. I don't think full time employment + navigating medical school is feasible for 99.99999999+% of the population. Sorry.

Would it be better to work part time then?

 

[WedgeDawg]

Would it be better to work part time then?

I still don't know if that would be feasible. I know that I could not currently work 20 hours/week and be successful in med school. Full disclosure, I'm only a month in, maybe my perspective will change (I would seek out some second, third, and fourth years and ask them), but right now, it just seems like that would be too much.

 

[gyngyn]

You cannot plan on working at all in medical school.

 

[iceman83]

You cannot plan on working at all in medical school.

How the hell will you have money if you don't work? Gonna sign up for welfare while you're in school?

 

[WedgeDawg]

How the hell will you have money if you don't work? Gonna sign up for welfare while you're in school?

Loans. Lots of them. Maybe financial aid grants if you qualify / go to a generous school.

 

[iceman83]

Loans. Lots of them. Maybe financial aid grants if you qualify / go to a generous school.

What about stuff outside of your tuition?

 

[WedgeDawg]

What about stuff outside of your tuition?

Loans will generally cover cost of living (as long as you don't live extravagantly).

 

[gyngyn]

How the hell will you have money if you don't work? Gonna sign up for welfare while you're in school?

You are an excellent risk to investors.
On the other hand working while in medical school (except for the occasional MCAT prep gig...) puts you at great risk of flunking out. Many schools will specifically preclude you from working or require sign off from the Student Affairs Dean.

 

[iceman83]

You are an excellent risk to investors.
On the other hand working while in medical school (except for the occasional MCAT prep gig...) puts you at great risk of flunking out. Many schools will specifically preclude you from working or require sign off from the Student Affairs Dean.

So I just keep getting loans out, and when I'm done with school, hope I get a job, just so I can pay back a ridiculous amount of debt? Yes, makes perfect sense.

 

[WedgeDawg]

So I just keep getting loans out, and when I'm done with school, hope I get a job, just so I can pay back a ridiculous amount of debt? Yes, makes perfect sense.

No need to be hostile.

Yes, you'll likely be taking a significant amount in loans. However, you have like a 98% chance of getting a job that pays 200k+ per year. Also, there are scholarships like the HPSP and other military scholarships that can help you pay in exchange for residency match limitations and a few years of military service (if you're interested, just google "HPSP medical school" and you'll get a bunch of results).

 

[WedgeDawg]

Also pardon me for possibly coming off as rude, but if you weren't aware that most medical students finance their education through loans, do you know how this whole medical school thing works, generally? I'm getting an inkling that you might be underinformed - that's totally okay, and this is a good resource for underinformed people, but if we have two different ideas of what's going on, there is going to be a lot of miscommunication happening.

 

[gyngyn]

So I just keep getting loans out, and when I'm done with school, hope I get a job, just so I can pay back a ridiculous amount of debt? Yes, makes perfect sense.

Loans are a proxy for service. Medical students are an excellent investment.
You can pay the cost of your education many ways, loans and service are the two most common. The cost of teaching and training you is largely borne by the public (even at private schools). They have every reason to want a return on investment.

 

[iceman83]

Loans are a proxy for service. Medical students are an excellent investment. You can pay the cost of your education many ways, loans and service are the two most common. The cost of teaching and training you is largely borne by the public (even at private schools). They have every reason to want a return on investment.

What about with the National Guard? How would I be able to work with that and medical school?

 

[WedgeDawg]

What about with the National Guard? How would I be able to work with that and medical school?

Look into the HPSP via google and see what it says. It's possible that you won't be called for duty during your time in medical school and will serve full time during your postgraduate training and as an attending until you are released (or you re-enlist).

 

[iceman83]

What about a criminal record?

 

[WedgeDawg]

What about a criminal record?

What about it

 

[iceman83]

I had a DUI like two years ago

 

[WedgeDawg]

I had a DUI like two years ago

Do a search on this forum for DUI and see what others have to say. Sorry, this is a bit outside my area of expertise. My gut feeling is it will make a negative impact, but isn't insurmountable.

 

[ZedsDed]

I had a DUI like two years ago

With all due respect, can I ask how you are serving with this on your record? I though the army had a zero-tolerance policy for this sort of thing.

 

[iceman83]

With all due respect, can I ask how you are serving with this on your record? I though the army had a zero-tolerance policy for this sort of thing.

They don't. It is similar to a three strikes you're out rule.

 

[ZedsDed]

They don't. It is similar to a three strikes you're out rule.

Well they have a zero-tolerance policy for marijuana possession charges, even if dropped. That's a strange double-standard imo. But good for you, and thanks for your service!

 

[Goro]

First off, many thanks for your service to our country.

Grad school yes, but for med school, maybe. IF you can arrange the deployments to occur during summer breaks or elective rotations in 3rd and 4th year.

I'm in the Army National Guard, and I am currently employed full time. Is med school as flexible as going for my undergrad? I will be away 1 weekend a month. 2 weeks per year, and periodic deployments for an unspecified amount of time. On top of a full time work schedule.

Med school is full-time job, period. You will be in class up to 8 hrs a day, and then studying a good 4-6 hrs/day on top of that.

Would it be better to work part time then?

The younger you were, the better. Your service record will go a long way to counteracting the DUI. A 2nd DUI will be lethal for your chances, alas.

I had a DUI like two years ago

 

[iceman83]

First off, many thanks for your service to our country.
Thank you.
Grad school yes, but for med school, maybe. IF you can arrange the deployments to occur during summer breaks or elective rotations in 3rd and 4th year.
And I think I can, since it is a peace time.


Med school is full-time job, period. You will be in class up to 8 hrs a day, and then studying a good 4-6 hrs/day on top of that.



The younger you were, the better. Your service record will go a long way to counteracting the DUI. A 2nd DUI will be lethal for your chances, alas.

When I got it, I was under the influence of pain medications (prescribed). And got drowsy behind the wheel. I'm not too sure if that would make a difference.

 

[Goro]

You'll be fine

• When I got it, I was under the influence of pain medications (prescribed). And got drowsy behind the wheel. I'm not too sure if that would make a difference.

 

[iceman83]

You'll be fine

What can I do to increase my chances for med school?

 

[WedgeDawg]

What can I do to increase my chances for med school?

We don't know anything about you other than the fact that you're in the military.

What is your undergraduate GPA, MCAT, clinical experience, research experience, volunteering experience, leadership experience, teaching experience, etc?

Once we know that, we can figure out where you might be weakest and help you take steps to reinforce these spots.

 

[iceman83]

We don't know anything about you other than the fact that you're in the military.

What is your undergraduate GPA, MCAT, clinical experience, research experience, volunteering experience, leadership experience, teaching experience, etc?

Once we know that, we can figure out where you might be weakest and help you take steps to reinforce these spots.

I'm still in my freshman year of my undergrad. I'm this is more research, to see if I should even attempt. But I volunteered at a local hospital, and a museum. I'm currently a volunteer firefighter, and a historical reenactor. I have clinical experience as far as my EMT certification. I have little leadership experience. And not much teaching experience outside of the periodic presentations in high school.

 

[iceman83]

This guys got to be trolling

I'm not trolling, now piss off.

 

[WedgeDawg]

I'm still in my freshman year of my undergrad. I'm this is more research, to see if I should even attempt. But I volunteered at a local hospital, and a museum. I'm currently a volunteer firefighter, and a historical reenactor. I have clinical experience as far as my EMT certification. I have little leadership experience. And not much teaching experience outside of the periodic presentations in high school.

You're too early in your career to really tell. Focus on keeping your gpa relatively high. That's you're primary goal right now. If you have that stable, perhaps start doing some shadowing, research, or volunteering, but absolutely make sure your gpa stays high first. It's easier down the road to get more volunteer experience than it is to repair a gpa.

I'm not trolling, now piss off.

People are going to stop helping you if you keep being rude.

 

[iceman83]

You're too early in your career to really tell. Focus on keeping your gpa relatively high. That's you're primary goal right now. If you have that stable, perhaps start doing some shadowing, research, or volunteering, but absolutely make sure your gpa stays high first. It's easier down the road to get more volunteer experience than it is to repair a gpa.

I believe my GPA is pretty good at this point.

 

[iceman83]

I don't believe that guy was being very helpful...

 

[WedgeDawg]

I believe my GPA is pretty good at this point.

Great, do your best to keep it that way and you'll be fine.

I don't believe that guy was being very helpful...

Still no reason to be rude.

 

[ZedsDed]

One can easily put you out, but there is flexibility to approach the punishment holistically.

Two would be a guaranteed ticket out of the mil.

Dismissed drug charges are an automatic DQ though, as far as I know.

 

[LuluLovesMe]

OP, reading through your posts I just get the feeling like you don't have a good attitude. As you are now, I don't think you'd do well in interviews even if you got any.

 

[BluMist]

fortunately for him, he'll have at least 3 years to work on that as he's only a freshman, along with the rest of his application as WedgeDawg has already mentioned.

OP, reading through your posts I just get the feeling like you don't have a good attitude. As you are now, I don't think you'd do well in interviews even if you got any.

 

[iceman83]

OP, reading through your posts I just get the feeling like you don't have a good attitude. As you are now, I don't think you'd do well in interviews even if you got any.

Interviews are extremely simple. You just have to know what to say. All you do is sell yourself really.

 

[iceman83]

Dismissed drug charges are an automatic DQ though, as far as I know.

Drug charges I do believe are an auto DQ.