Can someone tell me the cons in joining the Navy for a student doing Pre-med?

[Raihan Mirza]

I am currently a high school senior interested in joining the Navy, Besides getting leadership experience and tuition for college I was told I also get the opportunity to go to countries like Africa and Volunteer there. I really want to do this. I also heard that I also get bonuses. I learned about this from going to a recruitment center. Will I be making a big mistake if I join the NAVY? I plan on applying to Harvard and other top medical school. Will this hurt my application or fecreases my chances in becoming a cardiologist?

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[delicatefade]

I'm willing to bet if you spend a good hour reading through this forum you'll answer your own question.

 

[CoastieLT]

I was in your shoes 9 years ago... avoid.

 

[edinOH]

I am currently a high school senior interested in joining the Navy, Besides getting leadership experience and tuition for college I was told I also get the opportunity to go to countries like Africa and Volunteer there. I really want to do this. I also heard that I also get bonuses. I learned about this from going to a recruitment center. Will I be making a big mistake if I join the NAVY? I plan on applying to Harvard and other top medical school. Will this hurt my application or fecreases my chances in becoming a cardiologist?

Is this guy for real?

I'll suspend disbelief for a moment and give you the benefit of the doubt.

I joined the Navy after high school. Luckily for me it wasn't a terminal mistake as it is for many.

You should only join if you HAVE to join. Meaning you can't get into college now or you will either go to recruit training or to jail.

You mention Harvard. Do you have anything to base this on? Are you a stellar student with a 4.0 gpa/National Merit Scholar or is this some pipe dream? What are you basing this aspiration on? If you are the former, you should forgo the Nav and go to college and bust your ass while you are there.

The Navy is not the Peace Corps, despite what the recruiters would have you believe. The Navy is just like the rest of the military. They exist to kill people and break things. They do not sit around waiting on the next tsunami or earth quake. They are not curing AIDS in Africa or rescuing babies from rooftops after hurricanes. They are doing circles in the ocean "keeping the sea free for international commerce" or delivering Marines and aircraft to the ugly places in world. Nothing glamorous for the E1 sailor.

You mention leadership experience. Who the hell are you expecting to lead? The guy who made E2 three months behind you? I remember making E4 HM on the first go 'round. They went and made me LPO of the ER. It was a joke. 21 y/o E4 leading 25-30 y/o E2-E3. I was the blind leading the blind I tell you!!

Go to college. Work hard. Get into Harvard or where ever. Just don't join the navy.

AND DON'T LISTEN TO ANYTHING A RECRUITER TELLS YOU!!! IF HIS LIPS ARE MOVING, HE IS LYING.

 

[Raihan Mirza]

I pLan on being a part of NROTC or STA 21, if not being part of the NAVY. Should I avoid being part of NROTC OR STA 21?

 

[Galo]

I pLan on being a part of NROTC or STA 21, if not being part of the NAVY. Should I avoid being part of NROTC OR STA 21?

If you really want to be in the Navy, then be in the Navy. But do not think for a second you will end up a Harvard graduated physician trypsing through Africa making a difference.

Military medicine is a craphole now, and your more than likely will end up a GMO on some ship bypassing Africa.

You are way to young to know what will be happening so far into the future.

Best advice, work your ass off, study, do not even contemplate the military as a way to becoming a physician at this point in time. You will end up dissapointed.

 

[MonkeyBread]

I was enlisted in the Marines and got to go to Africa, so maybe your recruiter wasn't completely lying. However, there was nothing medical there for me and 98% of everyone else to do. Get into medical school if you want to be a doc, join the Navy if you want to be a sailor. If you want to be a military doc, get into medical school first. That's the hard part.
-mb