Combat medic deciding college major

[commed123]

starting this fall i’ll be entering boot camp and school to be a combat medic in the national guard. When my training is over i’ll be working in a clinical setting on base and plan to volunteer when possible for on line mission (overseas) with a unit. Since i’m in the guard it one weekend out of the month and the only time i’d plan to go overseas is when it wouldn’t interfere with school (so typically over summer) just so i can have both experiences. i’m giving you a little background information because i’m wondering the legitimacy or in other words how i’d go about my major and the pre req requirements for pre med. College wise, i’ll be completing what’s required of course and because i’ll be a combat medic in the guard and have experience in the clinical setting (while attending school), while also being a certified EMT (as a side job through school), would it be the right decision
to major in biology/biomed or like a BSN instead of a straight nursing path. i’m thinking since i’ll have clinical and hands on experience through the guard and being an EMT i should focus more on the diverse science side through college because i plan to be pre med. any advice or experience is very much welcomed especially if you have been a combat medic planning to go pre med after college. Thanks!

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[deleted480308]

Just know it’s hard as a medic to ensure short convenient deployments. You can be sent mid semester for a year

Major in whatever makes you happy

 

[maddeh87]

Major in what what you enjoy. That said, by the time you have the prerequisites done, you’re pretty far along to a biology degree anyways. I’ve been in the ANG through my I dergrad, and they’ve been great about working with me and school, I can’t speak to the Army NG, however. Once you’re in the guard, I’d definitely recommend applying for the Harvard REU program during one of the summers in your undergrad. They really want veterans, and the PI of my lab is an Army reserve LTCOL, so he was really great about giving me time for my AT.

 

[Goro]

Just to summarize, Adcoms don't care what you major in, just as long as you do well.

And many thanks for your service to our country.

 

[MusicDOc124]

There is no such thing as a "convenient" deployment. While you can request to deploy, it may not be granted. And when you may not want to deploy, you may not have a choice.

 

[commed123]

Major in what what you enjoy. That said, by the time you have the prerequisites done, you’re pretty far along to a biology degree anyways. I’ve been in the ANG through my I dergrad, and they’ve been great about working with me and school, I can’t speak to the Army NG, however. Once you’re in the guard, I’d definitely recommend applying for the Harvard REU program during one of the summers in your undergrad. They really want veterans, and the PI of my lab is an Army reserve LTCOL, so he was really great about giving me time for my AT.

thank you this helped a lot! i just don’t want to make the wrong decision so i think i’m being over cautious with this

 

[commed123]

There is no such thing as a "convenient" deployment. While you can request to deploy, it may not be granted. And when you may not want to deploy, you may not have a choice.

yeah i guess i know what the plan i have in my head isn’t always going to play out in reality. i’m sorta hoping it won’t interfere too much with school but from what i read and what my recruiter has told me a lot of the missions are volunteer (unless there’s a US or over seas catastrophe that i’m called into) so that’s why i’m emphasizing that anytime i’d volunteer it’s be over summer so that there’s plenty of time to come back for school. anything i’m called in for is, yeah, like you said out of my control. thank you though!

 

[commed123]

Just to summarize, Adcoms don't care what you major in, just as long as you do well.

And many thanks for your service to our country.

i’ve been reading that too that it doesn’t matter what you major in, i suppose i’m just being cautious and wanting to pick the right major that will help for admissions and even knowledge wish when and if i get accepted into a premed program. thank you!

 

[commed123]

Just no it’s hard as a medic to ensure short convenient deployments. You can be sent mid semester for a year

Major in whatever makes you happy

thank you! luckily learning medical mumbo jumbo is once of my favorite pastimes

 

[MusicDOc124]

yeah i guess i know what the plan i have in my head isn’t always going to play out in reality. i’m sorta hoping it won’t interfere too much with school but from what i read and what my recruiter has told me a lot of the missions are volunteer (unless there’s a US or over seas catastrophe that i’m called into) so that’s why i’m emphasizing that anytime i’d volunteer it’s be over summer so that there’s plenty of time to come back for school. anything i’m called in for is, yeah, like you said out of my control. thank you though!

If you want to join, but also become a doctor, why not utilize the certificate as an EMT for the experience you are seeking and join the national guard while in medical school as a med student service officer or do HPSP. I don't know how it differs state to state, but I know that in my state the national guard pays 100% tuition at a STATE medical school, and you owe like 2 years for every 1 they pay for. This includes time in school and residency, too (I believe, but maybe someone else can clarify for certain). i.e. if you start during 1st year and do a 4 year residency, then your commitment is completed around the time you complete the 4 year residency... or if you did a 3 yr residency, you'd owe 1 year still as an attending, etc.

If you do HPSP, you go to active duty for 3-4 years (depending on if you take the 3 or 4 year scholarship) and you either postpone residency and do your time and get out, or you go straight to residency and serve your time after (the only exception to the 3-4 year payback is that if your residency or residency/fellowship combo is like more than 5 years or something, in which you pay back the longer stint (i.e. residency/fellowship of 6 years = 6 years payback instead of 4)).

Another option you have is to do ROTC and apply to medical school with HPSP and apply to USUHS. I have a classmate who did ROTC, got accepted to med school and HPSP for his branch and went straight to med school. The only thing to be careful with this is that if you dont get into medical school on the first attempt, you being your service commitment for ROTC. People do do this however.