Marine Reserves and Med School

[DamianHdz]

I realize this has been discussed in other threads as well but everyone has their different questions. I'm hoping you guys may be able and willing to help me with mine. I'm a junior in high school at an early college (I'll graduate high school with my diploma and an associate degree). I've had my mind set on college and now my life is planned around it. After I graduate high-school in 2022, I'd be in college for 2 more years to get my bachelor's in Biology. With this in mind, I should have my bachelor's in biology by the age of 19 going on 20 in June. I have a strong desire to be a surgeon and ever since I was a child I haven't been able to break it. That is the path I am currently taking. However, there is another desire I haven't been able to break. The Marines Corps has been a passion as well and I've finally accepted that it may be a path I'd like to take. I'm thinking of enlisting before I graduate in May 2024 (or earlier, if I join the DEP). My plan is to graduate with my bachelor's, and get shipped out as close as can be after my graduation; I'd be taking a year off before med school to complete boot camp and my mos training. I'm still getting a timeline on how I'd like everything to work out, but I'd like to learn if there is a way to balance med school, marines, and basically life. My questions are:

- Would taking one year off before med school to complete boot camp and my mos training be enough and manageable?
- How will reserves ( i know active would not be possible) affect my education? For reserves, I would be leaving for training roughly one weekend of every month and 2 weeks in the year.
- If I am deployed what would happen with the courses /credits I haven't completed?
- Are there doctors or med students who've been through military and med school (same time) that I could speak to more in-depth?
- What advice or recommendations would you med students and doctors give me?
- I've seen on other threads reservists having the MDSSP (medical dental student stipend program) which essentially cancels out a current contract and gets you on a new contract. Now going to class counts as drill weekends. Once I would graduate I will resume normal battle assembly. Is there something like this for Marine Reserves?

For the most part, I'm sure of what I want. There's not much that can change my mind but there is much more I could educate myself on. My main priority is to be a doctor. The military is a strong desire and I'd like for it to be a part of my life but my civilian career is more important at the moment.

I'd like to thank anyone who helps. I may have further questions, for now, I appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

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[CricB4Tube]

-Would taking one year off before med school to complete boot camp and my mos training be enough and manageable?
It depends on your MOS. Some jobs require longer training than others, and time lines in the military are always based off the needs of the government, not your own. You can hope it'll only be a year of training, but it may take longer.

- How will reserves ( i know active would not be possible) affect my education? For reserves, I would be leaving for training roughly one weekend of every month and 2 weeks in the year.
The Marine Reserves can significantly impact your education, and may make med school either impossible or take much longer than 4 years. Your 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks per year are the MINIMUM. If your unit needs you to go on a month long training right when you're supposed to take Step 1, you're skipping Step 1. If you're tasked to deploy, you're looking at staying back at least 1 year in med school. If you have to do a training/mission every year (which is not uncommon), you may never graduate and will have to withdraw from med school.

- If I am deployed what would happen with the courses /credits I haven't completed?
You will start that year over.

- Are there doctors or med students who've been through military and med school (same time) that I could speak to more in-depth?
There are a few on here, but they almost always go through a specific program for med students in the military, which the Marines do not have.

- What advice or recommendations would you med students and doctors give me?
Either serve your time in the Marines in college/after college, or after med school. Don't do med school + Marines at the same time.

- I've seen on other threads reservists having the MDSSP (medical dental student stipend program) which essentially cancels out a current contract and gets you on a new contract. Now going to class counts as drill weekends. Once I would graduate I will resume normal battle assembly. Is there something like this for Marine Reserves?
No, this is only offered through the Army, Air Force, and Navy. The Marines do not have their own physicians or healthcare professionals; they use the Navy for that.

 

[xffan624]

- What advice or recommendations would you med students and doctors give me?
Either serve your time in the Marines in college/after college, or after med school. Don't do med school + Marines at the same time.

This. There's no such thing as a Marine doctor. Only Navy doctors that serve in Marine units. My advice is to enlist or go in as an officer in active duty, serve your 4 years, and then use the GI Bill and/or vocational rehab to pay for medical school

 

[tenghis]

Hey man, I applied to colleges in high school, got accepted, then enlisted in the Marine reserves straight out of high school. After my total training (which took 7 months because of boot camp, MCT, and MOS school), I went to college and did my drilling concurrently with college. Since college was 4 years and my contract with the reserves was 6 years, I was drilling the last two years without college. But in retrospect, I would have continued my education those last two years because the reserves was covering my tuition 100%. My suggestion to you is to get accepted into college, enlist in the reserves, then do the reserves while you're in college. It will save a heck of a lot of time for you because you're knocking out the military and college at the same time.