Community College vs Post Bacc Program, USUHS vs Texas Medical School

[mikegatt]

I'm currently active duty navy and I will be leaving the military in 8 months to join the active reserves. My question today is I want to go to medical school having 10 years of active duty experience and feel it would be benefical to attend USUHS. By attending USUHS I not only can attend medical school for for free but I can also collect retirement once I'm done with my repayment time. My question is I'm currently in Maryland and the local community college offers a pre-med program but should I go that route or use my GI-bill to pay for a post bacc program. Now I'm not going to limit my choice to just USUHS since I'm a native Texas resident I can also go back home to attend schools such as Baylor or University of Texas Southwestern medical school in my hometown of Dallas, Texas. I've already spoken to both Texas schools and they will accept my post 9/11 and then use my Hazelwood Act( a benefit that service members who join out of Texas are allowed to go to any Texas public school for free) to cover the remaining cost. I have two different avenue that will allow me to attend medical school and graduate with 0 debt. I weighing my options because going through USUHS will allow me to retire from the military and I can make 80k a year in retirement for the rest of my life but going back home will allow me to not only graduate debt free but depending on the specialty I qualify for, will allow me to benefit from the higher pay much sooner. Would going through a Post-Bacc increase my chances of attending Med school(at the cost of using my post 9/11) or pay for the pre-med community college and hold on to that post 9/11 in case I get accepted into a Texas Medical school? I feel like this post is all over the pay but please be realistic with your answers.

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[MusicDOc124]

Too many factors to give solid advice.

Do you currently hold a degree? In what? What's your current cGPA and sGPA regardless of whether you have a degree or not? Do you have any pre-reqs completed? How'd you do in them?

Have you looked in HPSP or HSCP?

Do you have family who could benefit from transferring GI Bill benefits if you were to go to USUHS or use HPSP/HSCP or go to school in TX?

How important to you is continuing to serve to retire versus staying civilian with the higher pay?

Are you familiar with the possibility of GMO tours?

While interests will likely shift, are there enough residency slots for what you might want to do in the military? I ask because a friend who did HPSP had interest in a field in which there were 0 residencies for in his branch. He'd have to do a civilian deferral or a GMO/get out and go residency later if he stuck with it, but picked a different field. Other fields that are ample. Just mentioning this to be aware of it.

 

[mikegatt]

Too many factors to give solid advice.

Do you currently hold a degree? In what? What's your current cGPA and sGPA regardless of whether you have a degree or not? Do you have any pre-reqs completed? How'd you do in them?

Have you looked in HPSP or HSCP?

Do you have family who could benefit from transferring GI Bill benefits if you were to go to USUHS or use HPSP/HSCP or go to school in TX?

How important to you is continuing to serve to retire versus staying civilian with the higher pay?

Are you familiar with the possibility of GMO tours?

While interests will likely shift, are there enough residency slots for what you might want to do in the military? I ask because a friend who did HPSP had interest in a field in which there were 0 residencies for in his branch. He'd have to do a civilian deferral or a GMO/get out and go residency later if he stuck with it, but picked a different field. Other fields that are ample. Just mentioning this to be aware of it.

Do you currently hold a degree? In what? What's your current cGPA and sGPA regardless of whether you have a degree or not? Do you have any pre-reqs completed? How'd you do in them?
I have a bachelors in Computer Networks and Cyber Security. I will graduate with a 3.69 GPA(I know it's a little low). I only completed biology and I got a 88 for that particular class.Do you have family who could benefit from transferring GI Bill benefits if you were to go to USUHS or use HPSP/HSCP or go to school in TX?

Have you looked in HPSP or HSCP?
Yes I have looked into those programs but feel that going to a medical school in Texas or USUHS will be something I'm more interested. If I'm going to medical school those two options will allow me to pocket cash while going to school. My schooling will also be paid whether thorough my post 9-11 or I would received full pay and benefits with USUHS.

Do you have family who could benefit from transferring GI Bill benefits if you were to go to USUHS or use HPSP/HSCP or go to school in TX?
My daughter or wife could use my Post 9/11 and my Hazelwood act if I we're to transfer those benefits to them.

How important to you is continuing to serve to retire versus staying civilian with the higher pay?
Retirement is very important to me because I don't want to have to work into my 60s and 70s because I didn't make the correct decision when i was younger. The Navy just changed their retirement last year and luckily I'm grandfathered into the retirement that will pay me 50% of my basepay for the rest of my life. If I we're to get out and go the civilian route I would have to look for something similar that will allow me to retire with similar pay. Since I already have 10 years in the military I wouldn't mind going another 10 as an officer.


Are you familiar with the possibility of GMO tours?
I'm very much aware of GMO tours and it's the reason while I'm so hesitant on going to medical school through the military. It could take years before the specialty that I want can become available and I don't want to start my residency four to five years after graduating medical school. That will take me well past the 20-22 year mark since the navy doesn't count residency toward my service commitment.


While interests will likely shift, are there enough residency slots for what you might want to do in the military? I ask because a friend who did HPSP had interest in a field in which there were 0 residencies for in his branch. He'd have to do a civilian deferral or a GMO/get out and go residency later if he stuck with it, but picked a different field. Other fields that are ample. Just mentioning this to be aware of it.
Currently I can't answer that question since I'm so far from that decision but even the articles I read stated to have an open mind in medical school because the residency that you want you might not have the scores for or you might have changed your mind after learning about other specialties. If I either not good enough to be an anesthesiologist but I'm compatible with Radiology or a general physican than I won't have an issue with that at all. I understand very well that life doesn't go according to plan but adapting to ever changing situations in the military has given me the ability to accept change.

 

[BC_89]

I'm currently active duty navy and I will be leaving the military in 8 months to join the active reserves. My question today is I want to go to medical school having 10 years of active duty experience and feel it would be benefical to attend USUHS. By attending USUHS I not only can attend medical school for for free but I can also collect retirement once I'm done with my repayment time. My question is I'm currently in Maryland and the local community college offers a pre-med program but should I go that route or use my GI-bill to pay for a post bacc program. Now I'm not going to limit my choice to just USUHS since I'm a native Texas resident I can also go back home to attend schools such as Baylor or University of Texas Southwestern medical school in my hometown of Dallas, Texas. I've already spoken to both Texas schools and they will accept my post 9/11 and then use my Hazelwood Act( a benefit that service members who join out of Texas are allowed to go to any Texas public school for free) to cover the remaining cost. I have two different avenue that will allow me to attend medical school and graduate with 0 debt. I weighing my options because going through USUHS will allow me to retire from the military and I can make 80k a year in retirement for the rest of my life but going back home will allow me to not only graduate debt free but depending on the specialty I qualify for, will allow me to benefit from the higher pay much sooner. Would going through a Post-Bacc increase my chances of attending Med school(at the cost of using my post 9/11) or pay for the pre-med community college and hold on to that post 9/11 in case I get accepted into a Texas Medical school? I feel like this post is all over the pay but please be realistic with your answers.

Speaking in terms of your Benefits:

Hazelwood Act: Last time I checked, you can only transfer this benefit to a child but "conditionally" to a spouse.

Hazlewood FAQs

www.tvc.texas.gov

Since this program is not tied into housing cost benefits, your daughter will either be living at home or have enough scholarships and pell grant to cover the rest (all of course are presumptions on what the next decade or two holds).

Post 9/11 GI Bill: Since you have 10 years of service, you're not grandfathered into the Forever GI Bill. However, I am guessing your daughter would have reached the age of 18 and attending college way before the 15 year clock is initiated and cancelled out.

Based on your family obligations and the possibility (both pros and cons) of your journey to medical school, I would currently use the Hazelwood Act to cover the additional courses and do a DIY post-bac in the Fort Worth / Dallas area if you cannot cover at least 50% of the potential cost out of pocket. Presuming your spouse works and being in the active reserves covers housing, you may be able to simply pay out of pocket and save the true power of the Hazelwood Act for future education.

I would hang on to that post 9/11 unless you do not go through USUHS / HPSP / HSCP. I would never consider burning that post 9/11 on any prerequisites. Either you use it if you go the civilian route or you keep it for your family to reap the benefits when you move forward with investing in the military.

 

[MusicDOc124]

Do you currently hold a degree? In what? What's your current cGPA and sGPA regardless of whether you have a degree or not? Do you have any pre-reqs completed? How'd you do in them?
I have a bachelors in Computer Networks and Cyber Security. I will graduate with a 3.69 GPA(I know it's a little low). I only completed biology and I got a 88 for that particular class.Do you have family who could benefit from transferring GI Bill benefits if you were to go to USUHS or use HPSP/HSCP or go to school in TX?

Have you looked in HPSP or HSCP?
Yes I have looked into those programs but feel that going to a medical school in Texas or USUHS will be something I'm more interested. If I'm going to medical school those two options will allow me to pocket cash while going to school. My schooling will also be paid whether thorough my post 9-11 or I would received full pay and benefits with USUHS.

Do you have family who could benefit from transferring GI Bill benefits if you were to go to USUHS or use HPSP/HSCP or go to school in TX?
My daughter or wife could use my Post 9/11 and my Hazelwood act if I we're to transfer those benefits to them.

How important to you is continuing to serve to retire versus staying civilian with the higher pay?
Retirement is very important to me because I don't want to have to work into my 60s and 70s because I didn't make the correct decision when i was younger. The Navy just changed their retirement last year and luckily I'm grandfathered into the retirement that will pay me 50% of my basepay for the rest of my life. If I we're to get out and go the civilian route I would have to look for something similar that will allow me to retire with similar pay. Since I already have 10 years in the military I wouldn't mind going another 10 as an officer.


Are you familiar with the possibility of GMO tours?
I'm very much aware of GMO tours and it's the reason while I'm so hesitant on going to medical school through the military. It could take years before the specialty that I want can become available and I don't want to start my residency four to five years after graduating medical school. That will take me well past the 20-22 year mark since the navy doesn't count residency toward my service commitment.


While interests will likely shift, are there enough residency slots for what you might want to do in the military? I ask because a friend who did HPSP had interest in a field in which there were 0 residencies for in his branch. He'd have to do a civilian deferral or a GMO/get out and go residency later if he stuck with it, but picked a different field. Other fields that are ample. Just mentioning this to be aware of it.
Currently I can't answer that question since I'm so far from that decision but even the articles I read stated to have an open mind in medical school because the residency that you want you might not have the scores for or you might have changed your mind after learning about other specialties. If I either not good enough to be an anesthesiologist but I'm compatible with Radiology or a general physican than I won't have an issue with that at all. I understand very well that life doesn't go according to plan but adapting to ever changing situations in the military has given me the ability to accept change.

I'd probably say that going to USUHS would be your best option then. You'd have free school and payback - both of which count toward retirement for active duty, followed by your payback time at which point you can retired since you'll likely be beyond 20 years by then.

This would delay the point at which your "clock" starts for the GI Bill, which can be singed to your spouse or daughter. Just the same, the Hazelwood would transfer (according to post above, but am not most familiar myself). If this is the case, one can be transferred to each, or both to daughter which would cover undergrad and potential grad/professional school.

You get your retirement and school set up for your daughter.

The other route would be to look into transferring one of the benefits to your daughter while using the other for yourself (GI Bill or hazel wood). Weigh both out to see which overall is the best to keep and which to transfer.

Maybe hold off though because you'd need to make a decision in the chance you only get accepted out of state and not to USUHS - which means the gI Bill by default would be more beneficial to keep while transferring the hazel wood.

Plenty of good options, but my opinion based on what you provided is that USUHS will be best.