Military program questions- HELP!

[pinknic38]

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Okay so I have a few questions and I am going to roll it all into one so please bear with me...

I am currently active duty military. I am doing ROTC/green to gold scholarship when I get back from my deployment (I am in Afghanistan until April 2008) and finishing up my undergraduate degree (got 3) years left), in either zoology or anthropology, I haven't decided yet, both fields interest me. I am trying to major in something that interests me and satisfies my requirements, and something that will stand out on my application. I intend on doing some research, working with the anthropolgy dept now on working on a project researching evolution of disease/paleopathology. I also intend on capitalizing on volunteer oppotunities at the children's hospital by campus as well as a summer study aborad opporunity. Not really to boost my application but because I genuinely want to.

My question is this. I owe the army 1 year of active duty for each year of the scholarship I receive. So that is three. I intend on applying to medical school and if accepted, applying for the educational delay to go to med school. I have heard about the HPSP program and FAP and stuff, but all of those tack on to active duty time you owe and I would rather practice medicine in the civilian sector. Plus I would rather do civilian residencies. Nothing against military medicine because I believe soldiers deserve much better medical care than we are getting at the time, but financially and personally, the military isn't for me.

So if I do the education delay does that tack on years of active duty in addition to what I will already owe from ROTC? I wouldn't think so but just in case. Because with med school, residency, and fellowship, that is A LOT of time I would owe. I have heard so many horrible things about the HPSP that I'm definately turned off of it. Honestly, I would rather pay student loans and be able to work in the civilian sector and have my own choices than have HPSP pay for it and be ruled under the iron fist of the military.

With HPSP, do the military residencies/fellowships count toward your active duty obligation? I also read somewhere that if your residency and fellowship combined is OVER 4 years then you owe one year for each year over. I just can't commit to something like that though no loans is nice and no malpractice insurance, but I think for ME, the costs outweight the benefits.

If I didn't do ANY scholarship programs, just did the educational delay to go to med school, would military residencies count towards that active duty obligation? What are the odds of getting that educational delay? I have talked to some people in the branch who said the army is hurting for doctors and it shouldn't be a problem.

Any answers/advice would be helpful!!

Thanks!
Nicole

 

[Old Grunt]

but financially and personally, the military isn't for me.

I think this basically answers your question. If the military isn't for you, why commit to them for several years?

Make sure you research how much IRR time comes with your scholarship as well. Your ROTC scholarship actually obligates you to more than just your active duty time.

Good luck and stay safe in Afghanistan. I was there in '04 and '05.

 

[elderjack21]

It sounds like you are not so keen on being in the army. And that makes me kind of confused as to why you are even taking the green to gold scholarship.

For the same reasons that you aren't really interested in HPSP, maybe you should turn down the green to gold scholarship and save yourself some heartache. Really.

There is nothing wrong with HPSP, so long as you want to keep serving.

Ditto green to gold. Use your GI bill for your undergrad, and if you change your mind you can come back in at your leisure.

Just some things to think about.

 

[Pemberley]

Nicole:

I wasn't Army, so I don't know the details about their programs. In the Air Force, at least, your best chance of finding the true information about educational delay and active service obligation would be to go to the "e-publishing" website, slog through some regulations, and find it in black-and-white yourself. Even somebody who means well could inadvertently screw you over by giving you the wrong facts.

If the military lifestyle isn't suiting you, don't do HPSP. If you decide later that you miss it, you can always do FAP.

If you were a TX resident when you entered the military, and are now, check out the Hazlewood Act. If you are/were an Illinois resident, ask questions about their programs.

Stay safe.