GI Bill advice for new interns

[Dr. Wexler]

Anyone have any advice on whether or not to sign up for the MGIB? In light of the existence post-9/11 GI bill is the $1200 for the MGIB worth it? I've searched online but haven't been able to figure out if it is worth it for new medical officers or not. I'd appreciate anyone's general thoughts and I'm sure other new interns would as well.



In particular I was also wondering:

Will the post-9/11 GI bill pay out for fellowship training following a military obligation?

Will either one pay for board cert exams after a military obligation? I've read something about that online but didn't really understand.

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[Kingfisher]

You should get it, $1200 converts magically to over $80K.

1. You can pass it on to dependants.

2. You CAN'T use it for board exams though.

 

[AF M4]

Do the Montgomery GI Bill. Also, do the $600 buy-up program, for a total of $1800 invested into the GI bill during your active duty time. The $600 buy-up adds $150/month to your payout for the full 36 months that you use the bill during residency or fellowship. $5400 > $600. By the time your typical former military doc exhausts their GI bill during residency, their initial $1800 investment will have paid out ~$58000 (varies depending on your locale/BAH), tax-free. You will never come across a better investment in your lifetime.

You can use it during fellowship.

As I understand it, you have to have been in the military for 10+ years to pass the GI bill on to dependents. This may change in the future, but for now that's the rule.

http://gibill.va.gov/documents/factsheets/Transferability_Factsheet.pdf

When I talked to the VA a few months ago, they said that I COULD use the GI bill for board licensing exams; however I would burn a month of eligibility every time I used the GI bill for this purpose. Since the monthly stipend is significantly higher than the board fee I would be paying, this option didn't make sense for me. If you're going to be in training for less than 36 months and therefore have some months to burn, look into it.