Anyone ever consider military ?

[Dentgirl09]

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Just what the Q says. Recently talked to a recruiter on campus and am just curious as the +/-. Anyone think about it and decide not to at the last minute??? Just curious... I am really uninformed when it comes to this topic.... I know there is a forum for this but i wanted to hear from someone who perhaps thought about it but didnt do it if possible.

 

[murff05]

Just what the Q says. Recently talked to a recruiter on campus and am just curious as the +/-. Anyone think about it and decide not to at the last minute??? Just curious... I am really uninformed when it comes to this topic.... I know there is a forum for this but i wanted to hear from someone who perhaps thought about it but didnt do it if possible.

I'm currently going through the process of applying for the Navy and Air Force so I don't know more than what my recruiters have told me and what I have asked students in the program. I'd ask any relatives or friends you know that have been in the military regardless of their profession because its a different life but a good one.

 

[btizzels]

You guys know that there is an entire military section on SDN that is dedicated to helping people with questions about the Military scholarships? Ask in there

 

[Dentgirl09]

I am looking to get the more (-) side to hte argument. What recruiters say is usually only good stuff...... what is your reason for joining?

 

[Dentgirl09]

You guys know that there is an entire military section on SDN that is dedicated to helping people with questions about the Military scholarships? Ask in there

I mentioned as to why I also posted in this forum in my post.

 

[vlct0ria]

We had a speaker at our pre-dental meeting last week who told us all about the Army Dental Corps... The pluses were pretty obvious...FREE dental school (all 4 years, including ALL books/supplies, PLUS a $1900/month stipend for 10 months of the year)...if you sign on for the 4 year program they'll give you a $20,000 bonus. If you aren't sure, you can always pick it up part way through the program- you just pay your service back to the Army for as many years as you received the scholarship. Plus, right out of dental school you will have a plan and a place to start working, unlike some classmates who may have to go through the trouble of starting/buying their own practice or finding an apprenticeship. You won't have to worry about building a patient base either, because there's already one waiting for you. Also, I know they have specialty programs that you can head into right after you graduate dent school. No debts after dental school is the main benefit...but cons (to me) were the possibility of being deployed (not a good thing with a dog, a serious relationship, etc...was told deployments *generally* are b/t 4-6 mos.), and the sort of lack of freedom it seemed like...you gotta live in base housing, and I feel like when I get outta school I don't want to be obligated to go work for the Army for 4 years, because even if that doesn't sound so bad now, you might change your mind before then and be stuck (since I am pretty sure you are required to start "paying back" your scholarship immediately after graduation). Good luck!

 

[Andrew324]

The main minus is its year for year, if they pay for 4 years then you owe them 4 years, also you generally need to give about a month during the 4 years they are paying for you, depends on the program of course.

 

[ryanaj]

You don't have to live in on-base housing. If you decide not to you get a housing allowance.

 

[jaypea65]

I was a Navy brat...it is a decent life and Navy housing was always good for us. My dad was stationed in Spain and Key West. It wasn't that bad as a child, but I do not know what work life is like. I know that deployments were usually 6 months for my dad every couple years. I do know that you enter as an officer, but I do not know what the salary is. I have considered the option.

 

[armychick2007]

Just what the Q says. Recently talked to a recruiter on campus and am just curious as the +/-. Anyone think about it and decide not to at the last minute??? Just curious... I am really uninformed when it comes to this topic.... I know there is a forum for this but i wanted to hear from someone who perhaps thought about it but didnt do it if possible.

I'm a slave for punishment....I've been in the army for 7 years...probably trying to go into the AF on a scholarship program if I can....

 

[AFdentalgirl]

If you commission before your 1st year of dental school, you will be a 2d Lt (Army and AF). By the time you're done with 4 years of dental school, you will be a Capt, so your salary is about $41000 (it will probably go up in 4 years). There are probably other bonuses too though. That goes up with years of service. So after 2 years, you'll make almost $5500 more a year. If you think about it, that may not seem like a lot of money, but you get all of the benefits and you are debt-free. You'll be the only one in dental school not starving. 🙂

If you would only do it for the money, though, I'd say don't do it. You may not even get the scholarship, if that's the only reason you'd want to do it. There is an application process, you can't just sign up for it. Also, you won't be happy in the military if you don't have a desire to serve.

 

[Andrew324]

If you commission before your 1st year of dental school, you will be a 2d Lt (Army and AF). By the time you're done with 4 years of dental school, you will be a Capt, so your salary is about $41000 (it will probably go up in 4 years). There are probably other bonuses too though. That goes up with years of service. So after 2 years, you'll make almost $5500 more a year. If you think about it, that may not seem like a lot of money, but you get all of the benefits and you are debt-free. You'll be the only one in dental school not starving. 🙂

If you would only do it for the money, though, I'd say don't do it. You may not even get the scholarship, if that's the only reason you'd want to do it. There is an application process, you can't just sign up for it. Also, you won't be happy in the military if you don't have a desire to serve.

Online it says it is very different than these figures..

 

[murff05]

Obviously the money is a great thing about the scholarship program but I am joining to serve my country in a specialty that I am good at. My aunt was in the medical corp in the Navy and loved the experience she received. Both my grandparents were in the Navy and my brother is in the Air Force. I wanted to keep on the tradition because its something I've always thought about doing. If you don't believe in what the military stands for then I would not join just for the money.

 

[somethinpositiv]

Anyone get the spiel from a recruiter at the Case or Pitt interview?

I did, and they did some pretty good convincing. I think I'm going Navy, though Air Force is a possibility. Parents are against Army though, even though it's essentially the same thing lol, not like the Army's spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to train us and then put us on the front lines.

 

[somethinpositiv]

I'm not doing it just for the financial aspect, but that's a huge consideration. The plusses (see the world, not worry about expenses, serve your country, leadershi[p experience as an officer) greatly outweight the drawbacks (potentially deployed, low pay, not able to choose location).

I looked into all the options of getting school paid for.. DDS/PhD pays for everything and you're done in 7-8 years, the downside is that there is less clinical exposure and more research. Military is 8-12 year commitment, but a AEGD/GPR is included in that time, and is more clinical exposure (albeit in a random base they feel like putting you in). NIH scholarship is also appealing, they pay for dental shool and then you need to serve and underserved community for 4 years, underserved being the ghetto (fine by me) or some rural place (not okay for me), but the clinical experience is nice as well.

All three delay the real world for 7 or more years, which is a reason I'd want to do it haha.

 

[AFdentalgirl]

Where are you getting your figures? The military pay chart is very public, just google "military pay chart" and something should come up.

I looked at the one for 2008. Do you know how to read the chart? Make sure you're looking at the officer pay (O-1 and up) and not the enlisted pay.

Online it says it is very different than these figures..

 

[AFdentalgirl]

So are you applying for the health professions scholarship? If so, for what branch??

Obviously the money is a great thing about the scholarship program but I am joining to serve my country in a specialty that I am good at. My aunt was in the medical corp in the Navy and loved the experience she received. Both my grandparents were in the Navy and my brother is in the Air Force. I wanted to keep on the tradition because its something I've always thought about doing. If you don't believe in what the military stands for then I would not join just for the money.