Medical school for a Veteran.

[NontradCA]

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Its Ironic, but even though most civilians know of some of the more famous SF units (Green Berets, SEALs, etc), many tend to get the short end of the stick since much of what they do is covert. Because of this, they put can't some of their most impressive accomplishments/experiences in their PS or activities section.

I'm not sure you're familiar with SOF either. It's not because most of what they do is covert (it's not always). It's because the community itself is humble. Also I think you're confusing the terms classified and covert.

 

[Goucher2013]

Despite your claim to not be flame baiting I find your ICU nurse v. Billing to be ridiculous. As a medic, I can assure you that clinical experience (and medicine) is better in a hospital in the US than it is being deployed (minus the obvious non-blunt trauma). But hey good luck with the survey. Id be willing to bet that most veteran students are POGs.

You may find it ridiculous, but that doesn't mean someone in the billing department doesn't play a very different but also important role in a hospital. It's just that they support the main effort, rather than being the main effort. It's the same as in the military, where CS/CSS...well, it's in the name. They support combat. Combat's what it's all about, and everyone else is just there to enable the combat arms. I say that as the husband of a POG (who proudly wears that title), a future POG in the Nasty Guard, and someone who's deployed three times in the last four years supporting combat arms.

Again speaking to the diversity of military experiences, I've spent months and months next to 38BW4s and 18Ds, and saw them have some amazing experiences because they get to do both trauma and a lot of civilian and veterinarian care in OIF/OEF. On the other hand, a lot of NSW platoons have been performing similar duties in the last few years, but I haven't seen their medics really get into the civilian hearts-and-minds role. Then again, almost everyone I've met from all those communities seems to plan to either quit medicine or become a PA, rather than pursue MD/DO. People working in Role IIIs obviously get a breadth of cases...some CLS providers gain a taste for medicine from a rollover...there are so many different ways to be exposed to medicine in the military that, as Destriero pointed out, it's really all about how interesting you make yourself. I'm simply curious as to how much med schools know about that breadth, especially in light of the veteran influx of the last ten years.

 

[NontradCA]

You may find it ridiculous, but that doesn't mean someone in the billing department doesn't play a very different but also important role in a hospital. It's just that they support the main effort, rather than being the main effort. It's the same as in the military, where CS/CSS...well, it's in the name. They support combat. Combat's what it's all about, and everyone else is just there to enable the combat arms. I say that as the husband of a POG (who proudly wears that title), a future POG in the Nasty Guard, and someone who's deployed three times in the last four years supporting combat arms.

Again speaking to the diversity of military experiences, I've spent months and months next to 38BW4s and 18Ds, and saw them have some amazing experiences because they get to do both trauma and a lot of civilian and veterinarian care in OIF/OEF. On the other hand, a lot of NSW platoons have been performing similar duties in the last few years, but I haven't seen their medics really get into the civilian hearts-and-minds role. Then again, almost everyone I've met from all those communities seems to plan to either quit medicine or become a PA, rather than pursue MD/DO. People working in Role IIIs obviously get a breadth of cases...some CLS providers gain a taste for medicine from a rollover...there are so many different ways to be exposed to medicine in the military that, as Destriero pointed out, it's really all about how interesting you make yourself. I'm simply curious as to how much med schools know about that breadth, especially in light of the veteran influx of the last ten years.

You're making an incomplete comparison, and you come off very naive. In the scheme of things the grunt is the most expendable member of the armed forces. They're the least skilled, least educated and most easily replaceable members. Stop being idealistic and start being real. Mad real. (Chappelles show anyone?). If you're making the analogy of hospitals, I'm pretty sure they'd be closer to the biller than the ICU Nurse.

 

[Goucher2013]

You're making an incomplete comparison, and you come off very naive. In the scheme of things the grunt is the most expendable member of the armed forces. They're the least skilled, least educated and most easily replaceable members. Stop being idealistic and start being real. Mad real. (Chappelles show anyone?). If you're making the analogy of hospitals, I'm pretty sure they'd be closer to the biller than the ICU Nurse.

Now who's flame bating? 😀

 

[NontradCA]

.

 

[NontradCA]

Now who's flame bating? 😀

Hey you're the one who's trying to make the assertion that grunts have better experience (or that they're the main effort). What I said may sound harsh, but it's the way it is.

 

[PennDippody]

You're over thinking it. You're a vet or not. The rest is just how interesting the interview is for the interviewer.

This.

Man if a POG can come up with multiple stories outside the wire, props to him I guess. He's the one the has to live with the lie. I'm sure our stories will overcome any made up story.

Come on, man. To assume POGs can't have stories from "outside the wire" is a naive one. Props on propogating some of the very military BS that makes many people leave it though. Also, the very acrynym is a ridiculous and exclusionary one. Be sure and drop it in the interview along with a breif explanation on how its somehow a superior title to even one other person in your branch or anyone else in any other branch for that matter. Vet is a Vet. Play it how you please but save your rediculous "my war was a real war" pissing contests for VFW. Honestly, it really saddens me when I hear someone talking down on different branches/MOS's even long after serving in such a potentially malignant environment. It also seems to me that the ones with the least to talk about regarding things "over there" are usually the loudest and first to the mic - go figure...and, FWIW I wasn't a "POG".

Leave it only to the inferior to reveil themselves as such. Carry your own tourch with dignity.

Again speaking to the diversity of military experiences, I've spent months and months next to 38BW4s and 18Ds, and saw them have some amazing experiences because they get to do both trauma and a lot of civilian and veterinarian care in OIF/OEF. On the other hand, a lot of NSW platoons have been performing similar duties in the last few years, but I haven't seen their medics really get into the civilian hearts-and-minds role. Then again, almost everyone I've met from all those communities seems to plan to either quit medicine or become a PA, rather than pursue MD/DO. People working in Role IIIs obviously get a breadth of cases...some CLS providers gain a taste for medicine from a rollover...there are so many different ways to be exposed to medicine in the military that, as Destriero pointed out, it's really all about how interesting you make yourself. I'm simply curious as to how much med schools know about that breadth, especially in light of the veteran influx of the last ten years.

I too wonder if there has been some spike influx of veterans in the app cycle these days - given the timing and how many first-termers are presumably finishing up college since joining in the in the 2003-2005 era.

As for the diversity and breadth of experience: I can't think of any other industry that provides more. Even ehnically/racially speaking - the military is the most diverse institution we have while, for example, the Church is far and away the most homogenous.

As for our experiences being medically relevent, I suppose that someone with any to speak of during their time in service would play-out well. But really, I think its more a matter of making a case for how your experiences (whatever they may be) have shaped your academic and/or moral philosophies. - The "maturity" card, if you will.

 

[alpinism]

I'm not sure you're familiar with SOF either. It's not because most of what they do is covert (it's not always). It's because the community itself is humble. Also I think you're confusing the terms classified and covert.

Depends on the specific unit and their mission tasking.

Classified is why you can't talk about it. Covert is why you don't.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/english/covert

 

[NontradCA]

Depends on the specific unit and their mission tasking.

Classified is why you can't talk about it. Covert is why you don't.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/english/covert

🙄

 

[Goucher2013]

🙄

I could tell you which one of you is right, but then I'd have to kill you*.


*Death by glow belt

 

[NontradCA]

I could tell you which one of you is right, but then I'd have to kill you*.


*Death by glow belt

 

[Sophocles]

Definitely not taking sides at all!!!!! I'm an 0311 and anyone who wishes to contest my MOS, if you're in NYC, I can show you my DD214.

Nevertheless, I had plenty of other MOS's with me on my deployments. We had female dog handlers, comm. came out with us a couple of times, some motto cooks came outside the wire with my squad, etc. all of these got combat action ribbons for being in combat, so I wouldn't be so quick to label someone just because of their MOS; especially those who were in the initial invasion-MOS was pretty irrelevant from what I hear: this was a bit before my time.

I do agree that not everyone has the same experience during deployments, but in my last deployment the only time we fired our weapons was at dogs. Absolutely a waste of time.

**Disclaimer-my experiences are only from Iraq; never had the chance to go anywhere else.

 

[preMedDonut]

edit

 

[HDanA]

Not trying to hijack this thread, just trying to get my thread to the right audience. I'm running into a problem using my VA Healthcare in lieu of purchasing required health insurance. If anyone has any experience with this please contribute in my thread.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=1009907

 

[PennDippody]

Hahaha, ok buddy. You don't know how I act in real life and my experiences, so no point to talk about it on the internet. I'm not stuck up and stupid to have a comparing contest in an INTERVIEW by the way. Please, enlighten me more on how I think.

Not implying you to be stupid nor do I actually think you would use that in an interview - if I came off that way, I apologize.

I don't think anyone cares how anyone acts in real life on here but I'd be willing to bet people tend to be a little more honest- or at least more instinctive (when not trolling) on account of the anonymity. That said I will simply reiterate how tiresome it is to hear this kind of rhetoric over and over again - even after being back (and out) for so long. It screams prejudice and superiority complex when, in fact, it simply doesn't apply here.

I'll concede that there is a great deal of perceived lack of credit given to many of us that feel we may have sacrificed (or potentially so) more than most. That said, It would sadden me to think an adcom would view the admin-guy any different than the 0311 in the context of being a veteran. I would hope you'd feel the same as the differences you acknowledge should only be held intra-military. Between us and civilians however - it shouldn't make a difference and we should consider anyone else who served (here or there) as equals in context. At the end of the day, its a chunk of life forfeited in exchange for whatever motivated us - but it was service nonetheless.

 

[askamsky51]

I tried to stay out of this thread when it got heated because there seemed to be a lot of d!*k swinging going on.

Let me be the first to say we all needed both infantry and support on these missions.

When I first mentioned the differences in which they could be viewed--it was to comment on the fact that someone who lived house to house during the height of conflict and lived on the edge of their seats because of constant threat had a much much different experience than those who hung around the USO/taco bell.

Now, both did more than what was asked by the average citizen. both served honorably and were separated from their families for a long time. Though those differences in experiences will be highlighted in the primaries, secondaries and interviews. If people think for a second that two applicants side by side with such disparity in experiences are equal, and that Adcoms are too blind to tell the difference--I think you are in for a rude awakening.

That's just it people, that is life. People can be nice all day long to your face and thank you for service, but no--in fact life isn't always "fair" in that regard. Or rather, life isn't always that PC.

People know the difference. Sorry. Truth hurts.

-via iPhone

 

[IlDestriero]

They may know but they don't really care when it comes to medical school acceptance offers.
Though, as I said, your interview may be more interesting.

 

[PigBear]

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[xffan624]

I think it's important to distinguish that there is a spectrum of deployment experiences and most of us who deployed fall somewhere between kicking down doors-engaging the enemy-sleeping in huts and sitting around the FOB and complaining when Green Beans was out of mocha.

I was a medical service corps officer when deployed, but due to the nature of my job (assessing sanitation and health risks on the bases) I went out quite a lot and got to see most of southern Iraq. I had some interesting things to talk about during my interviews, but my garrison experiences working for the hospital and even a memorable event during my NTC rotation provided some interview fodder.

The fact remains you can have deployed 5 times and be the most Hooahh soldier or Oorah marine on the planet but if you don't relate that well to the ADCOM's of why that will make you a great doctor it means jack (for your application).

 

[NontradCA]

They may know but they don't really care when it comes to medical school acceptance offers.
Though, as I said, your interview may be more interesting.

How so? I didn't talk much about deploying in my primary, although I did speak a lot of the training and anxiety leading up to it, and my battalion surgeons poise. I for one get annoyed of people asking me "did you so xxxx", especially since I was a medic and they want to ask about treating such and such. I don't see Adcoms prying for this kind of information, but I may be wrong. I am wanting to talk about treating nationals and my interest in medical missions though.

 

[NontradCA]

I also wanted to add that DO schools (which I'm also applying) seem to value veterans very high. There's even a couple of admission scholarships which waive secondary fees/deposit fees if you meet such as such as a veteran.