Military Scholarships

[NYNOLE2]

Anyone either interested or applying for the military scholarship? Even if you aren't, what are your guys opinions on this, they pay for school with a four year commitment as the catch. Sounds good but not 100 percent on it, opinions are appreciated, thanks

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[Kung Foo]

Indentured servitude is one of the few ways to get someone else to pick up the tab for professional school. That said, I did look into it, but was turned down flat b/c of my eyesight (they have a cutoff of minus 7 or something) Anyway, reasearch it, ask the recruiters tons of questio0s, and maybe post on the dental board to see if there are any military people there who are in the thick of one of the programs. I know that at Ohio State (where I'm enrolled next year) there is a high percentage of students in one of the military programs... and the things I've seen are very enthusiastic about it. (well, in all fairness to the nonmilitary dentists, no one is going to put your pic in the school newsletter when you take out $30,000 in loans for the year)

Good Luck!

 

[quantumhead]

The program is almost too good to be true. That said, you are splitting sixes as to the costs. Although during school you have no debt and a monthly stipend after you graduate you will not make as much as you could in the civilian market. You will get out of the military at about the same time as you would have paied off your debt. You do get a few bennifits, such as:

-follow on training after school
-a fast paced high volume patient load to help you become fast and accurate.
-access to plenty of supplies
-a regimented clear cut progression of rank and pay

Downfalls:

-you are subject to a clear cut progression of rank and pay (you are not your own boss)
-Administrative tasks which you cannot hire someone else to do for you. (called colatteral duties and standing watch)
-Training excercises and deployments. (although few dentists find themselves on the front line, you will be on a ship or with the Marines in the Navy, in the field with the Army and...er....in the rear with the gear with the Air Force )
-Shortages of manpower (I have personal esperience with the Navy, few Dentists with little help = overworked stress case)
-They own you, you fail out of Dental school after taking so much as a cent from them and they will reassign you and make you pay them back.

How do I know all this? I have 5 years of experience in the Navy, I am presently #1 on the waiting list for the 4 year Navy scholorship (someone say NO PLEASE!!) and I have read all the instructions in the Navy and Army MILPERSMANS (Military Personell Manuals) and other instructions relating to these programs.

One last bit of advice, READ THE FINE PRINT! And read everything that is cited in the fine print, and read all citations in the cited articles, and their fine print. Then resign yourself to their control. The military has a proud tradition of pummeling all who think that they can beat their system. They have the liberty of changing their system at any time, in addition they have had YEARS to profect their legal web.

GO NAVY!!

 

[KDBuff]

"You will get out of the military at about the same time as you would have paied off your debt."

Who is going to pay off that kind of debt in four years? I was thinking more like ten years to pay it off on my own.

 

[quantumhead]

Ok, this statement is not entirely true. You can get out after four years. I guess I look at it as a package deal. Four years after you start you will have to start over, move, find a new practice. It all adds up. Just make sure that you understand everything it will entail. You don't get to choose where you move, you can suggest, but in the end you go where they tell you. There is more than a just straight money factored in for me.

 

[ItsGavinC]

My father chose a military scholarship to put him through medical school -- it was probably the worst decision he has ever made. Do your research and confirm your decision multiple times with yourself.

Because the program is almost too good to be true ought to tip you off to something. There's nothing like being an MD (or DDS) and having to do crappy military training exercises and sniff the buttholes of the commanding officers. Quite frankly, they don't care what degree you have and they certainly don't care if you have no help and are far overbooked. The piece of crap equipment you are provided with is also another downfall. Sure, the military has high-tech toys and weapons but their health professions equipment is lacking, to say the least.

After personal family experience with military scholarships, as well as the crap I've been through as a child of a scholarship receipient, I'd rather rack up $300,000 in loans then have any military organization pay a single cent on my behalf.

-G

 

[quantumhead]

Word Gavin, I hated it when someone would act suprised when they found out that you have to go on a boat when you join the Navy. Do you research.

By the way, my wife and I decided to name our unborn son Gavin. Cool name!

 

[ItsGavinC]

Quantumhead,

cool! My wife and I were going to name our son (he's 4 months old) quantumhead, but then decided against it :wink:

How's Logan these days? I'm down here in the predental capital of the US -- Provo.

-G

 

[quantumhead]

I graduated from Timpview High (barely) and got married in Happy Valley. Logan is a little better because Idaho has good beer and golf is cheap. Too bad you did not name him Quantumhead it is a great name. Are you accepted to a school yet? If so where?

 

[tothplrdds]

Another concern about the military scholarships is what happens if you don't meet the timeline and pass everything on the 4yr schedule. We have a couple from UofMD Dental who are being put back or are missing part one of the brds and they are losing their scholarships. Once you accept the money you have some obligation to the service, not sure if they have to pay the money back or what.

 

[TennisBoy]

Hey guys: I just got out of active duty in the Army, and I had the good fortune to find a dentist-trying-to-get-certified-as-a-prosthodontist here at Ft. Bragg to take me on as one of her two "board cases". The work that I have had done is PHENOMONAL, and even though I am out of active duty now, we are still finishing up on the veneers on my lower teeth next month. I spent the better part of 18 months with her, the oral surgeon, and the endodontist. So if you want to know what REAL military dentistry is like, *I* can tell you. I am basically a full-mouth reconstruction case...I had bad teeth, mainly poor enamel, and they were "short". I'll tell you more later...anyway:

The good:
1) It's basically true that you get whatever materials and all that you need...the crown work ALONE that she has done for me is INCREDIBLE. I have 19 crowns, all porcelian. And that is done without a second thought. Veneers, crowns, fillings, bonding, root canals, crown lengthening (where they cut away tissue to show more of your tooth...for those of us that show a lot of gum when we smile) are all "bottomless." The only thing you do have to watch your $$$ for are the implants. And even then, you have to submit a case you want to do an implant on to "the board" for approval.

2) You don't work on children. That's big with some people.

3) Every dentist that I saw had his or her own assistant, although WHO is your assistant is not always YOUR choice. The higher your rank, the more pull you have. The guy (an O-4..."Major" to all you civilians) who did my crown lengthening did NOT get to take his preferred assitant with him when he changed clinics. However, I doubt any LTC's (O-5) and above have that problemo...

4) No overhead, a centralized receptionist desk for everyone in the clinic, and you're usually home by 4:30 every day.

to be continued....

 

[TennisBoy]

continuing...

The not-so-good:

1) The previous poster was right: your equipment is NOT state of the art...however, at my clinic, which isn't terribly large, they had computerized x-rays, and pan-scans readily available.

2) You're in the MILITARY! You can and will be stationed ANYWHERE. They let you think you have a choice...my dentist back at Ft Sam was on a military scholarship...he told me they let him select his 3 preferred places to be stationed. He chose Walter Reed (DC), West Point (NY) and Fort Lee (near DC). He got Fort Sam, TX.

3) Depending on your unit, PT is mandatory. People think since you are an officer that you don't have to do PT...wrong. My pros. dentist HAD to do PT with the DENTAC unit every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. And you have to pass the PT test every 6 months.

4) You have mandatory work in "the field". If you don't like the outdoors, you won't like it. Lots of hiking, bivouacking (did I spell that right?), and "camping". LOL.

5) Your fashion is somewhat limited. LOL. Actually, even though you have to wear the Army greens (if you do Army), most of them wear scrubs over it, or at least a top.

6) There's a pecking order. If somebody outranks you, they're right. And believe me...it sucks.

7) Your patients are not always the happiest to be there, because usually they've been ordered to by another dentist who examined them when they processed in, or when they had a yearly dental exam. The exception to this is someone like my dentist, who has people banging down her door to do pros work, but this is because a) she's phenomonal, and b) it's all primarily cosmetic. And it's FREE. My stuff would have cost me upwards of $40,000 in the real world, everything included....

More questions? Post.

 

[iflossdaily]

That sounds like a ton of fun.
You mean I get to re-live boot camp 3 days a week, work with 2nd rate equipment AND get sent to the middle of nowhere? like Texas?
hmmm...now why didn't the recruiter mention this?

I just watched Full Metal Jacket for the first time. Let me say that I have HUGE respect for anyone who can go through that for 6 weeks. I'd be on the bus home with my thumb in my mouth after the 1st day. You guys in the Army should be paid a 6 figure salary.

and I'm just kidding you Texans.

 

[TennisBoy]

It really isn't like "Full Metal Jacket". That was the Marine Corps. Army Basic Training is scary for about one day...the first day. I'm a p*ssy when it comes to the hoo-ah, hoo-ah stuff, and *I* was laughing by week 3. Besides, as an officer, you don't go in regular basic like us grunts, you do OBC: Officer Basic Course. And you'll be there with other officers...pretty nifty...

 

[ItsGavinC]

In regards to being stationed anywhere and everywhere -- don't take this lightly!

My dad (Air Force scholarship) was lucky enough to be stationed in Korea for a year. It was great except for the fact that he had to leave his wife and child stateside.

-G

 

[Irini]

I have an unusual question:
I have a fianc? who has a 4 year obligation to the ARMY after he finishes college. My question is, for example if I decided to do that Military Scholarship when (if I get in) I'm in dental school, will I have a good chance of being stationed with him? Does the military even care? If someone could shed some light on my situation I'd greatly appreciate it

-Irina

 

[groundhog]

Irini,
The first rule is that the needs of the military will always come first. Given that caveat, I'm sure the military would try to accomodate married partners, but I would not count on them being very sympathetic to engaged partners. Another factor that has to be considered is your respective functions. Two married dental officers would likely have a better chance of being stationed together than if one were a dental officer and the other were an infantry officer in special forces.

 

[DesiDentist]

Originally posted by ItsGavinC
sniff the buttholes of the commanding officers

-G

HA HA HA HAA HAHAHAHAHAHA

LOL LOL

OH, MY....HEE HEE HEE HEE.

Deheeeee heehehssiDentist

 

[Irini]

Thanks for your response; we are going to be married before he goes to the military. I've already found out that they could care less if I was just a fianc?. ity:
I was hoping that anyone was actually in this situation before and maybe can tell me what happened to them. Again, thanks so much for your response

 

[acrunner]

hi there,
i'm currently in the army so i know a little about this. i would like to know what your future husband will be doing? has he been assessed yet? what did he study and maybe i can tell him what he can do...
anyway, this is a big factor. some of the branches are more into the quality of life factor than others. if he is just a regular old army person with no special skills (ie he is going to be a platoon leader) then i would say your end will be working the living arrangements. i'm pretty confident you will be able to call your branch manager and explain the situation.
hope this helps a bit.

 

[xc1999]

Does anyone here (or know of anyone) know about the NAVY HPSP Scholarship? I am thinking of going into that one instead, since they treat you a little better than the army does, and I don't really want to fly planes either (Air Force). Any input would be great...thanks!

 

[groundhog]

You would not be flying planes as an Air Force dentist. Regarding the three branches that you mention: the Army is for those who love military order, the Navy is for those who are not ready to settle down, while the Air Force is for those who would prefer a military atmosphere that is more ammenable to civilian ways.