Military medicine warning

[SteelEyes]

I don't know if any of you are considering letting uncle sam pay for your medical education, but as someone that has many friends who have gone through this, I just wanted to caution you about this.
The military recruiters will make the deal seem very sweet and you exit without any debt (well financial debt that is!). You get stipends to live on and they buy all your books, supplies and pay for all expenses. Be advised that the military owns your soul for 4 years out of medical school. Every branch is slightly different, but they limit which residencies you can go into and often are extremely competitive for residencies that in the civilian realm would be noncompetitive. Don't be fooled into thinking you can 'defer' into a civilian residency match, because there are only an elite few who can do that. Many people end up doing specialties they don't want to do or waste years by doing GMO (general medical officer) years. Remember that the military has their own MOTIVES for funding your education. They are buying your soul and your future.
I am not saying not to do military, it works out very well for many people. But do it because you want to be a part of the military and NOT to avoid student loans!

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[usandylim]

I have always wondered if they can call you to serve before your medical education completes, or in the middle of your residency. That is my number one concern.

 

[45408]

I have always wondered if they can call you to serve before your medical education completes, or in the middle of your residency. That is my number one concern.

They'd be shooting themselves in the foot. You ARE serving them while you're in your residency, I believe. What holds me back is that you could get called up while still in undergrad.....that would suck, to have your MCAT expire or something like that.

 

[Obedeli]

They'd be shooting themselves in the foot. You ARE serving them while you're in your residency, I believe. What holds me back is that you could get called up while still in undergrad.....that would suck, to have your MCAT expire or something like that.

On a military scholarship for medical school, called to duty before medical school. Not bloody likely. The scenario you pointed out COULD happen if you were in the active reserve and enlisted (you could not be an officer without finishing college).

 

[gflanag]

I've researched the Military Health Scholarship myself. With the Army they don't take you out of your training until after you have completed your school AND residency. Then you give them time at their hospitals and may have to travel to other parts of the world during this time. I'm pretty sure other branches can call you out of your residency, and maybe even school.

 

[W222]

GFLANAG They DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT until your residency is over with to pull you out and place you somewhere. I know of someone who was pulled out of their intern year, put through a "combat medicine" training program (6 months), and then deployed to the Middle East. Doesn't seem like its worth the 4 free years of school, especially when the 4 years you owe them could be used to make money.

 

[Obedeli]

GFLANAG They DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT until your residency is over with to pull you out and place you somewhere. I know of someone who was pulled out of their intern year, put through a "combat medicine" training program (6 months), and then deployed to the Middle East. Doesn't seem like its worth the 4 free years of school, especially when the 4 years you owe them could be used to make money.

This is true. However, they will not take you out of medical school or undergrad for a health science scholarship, UNLESS you commited for another program (enlisted reserves).