Missing a week of med school

[sweatytshirt]

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So, I’m in the Army Reserves and transitioning over to the inactive component a couple months before starting med school this fall. My unit is saying I need to maintain my job certification with them (EMT-B, but also includes some military stuff that is not covered in a regular emt refresher course). The problem is that my certification expires next spring, and the only times my unit offers the training is either during the second week of classes or during finals week. It’s a week long training that I have to be physically present for, and the training takes up most of each day. Which week do you all think I could miss during my first quarter and still be fine? With missing 2nd week, I’m afraid of falling behind early and missing mandatory classes and anatomy labs (lectures are recorded though). With finals week, I’m worried I’d have to take my finals before everyone else and probably get more difficult exams (school is true P/F though).





TL;DR: Is it less detrimental to be gone for the second week of classes or finals week?

 

[yakarma11]

I would call your school and ask them because they should be accommodating to military priorities. I would personally miss finals week because you could potentially have them pushed back after your return and still be fine. Missing second of classes might be more detrimental, however, if possible, you could also study the material ahead of time (like during orientation so you wont be too far behind).

 

[sweatytshirt]

I would agree with calling the school however I would strongly disagree with the concept they would be accomodating to M1 for military. This in fact may requiring deferring beginning medical school for a year

My school does have a satellite campus near my unit, so I’m hoping I can just take the exams at the satellite campus. I really don’t want to defer for a year just because of one week of training.

 

[plshelpvanxious]

I'd also make sure you know exactly when classes start. My school had a week long orientation, plus some orientation into week 2. It was technically all mandatory but it would be easier to miss that than exams.

 

[907914]

So, I’m in the Army Reserves and transitioning over to the inactive component a couple months before starting med school this fall. My unit is saying I need to maintain my job certification with them (EMT-B, but also includes some military stuff that is not covered in a regular emt refresher course). The problem is that my certification expires next spring, and the only times my unit offers the training is either during the second week of classes or during finals week. It’s a week long training that I have to be physically present for, and the training takes up most of each day. Which week do you all think I could miss during my first quarter and still be fine? With missing 2nd week, I’m afraid of falling behind early and missing mandatory classes and anatomy labs (lectures are recorded though). With finals week, I’m worried I’d have to take my finals before everyone else and probably get more difficult exams (school is true P/F though).





TL;DR: Is it less detrimental to be gone for the second week of classes or finals week?

Do you already have your IRR orders? Have you asked if the unit will accept a civilian EMT-B equivalent? Both your undergraduate university and your medical school MUST legally be accomadating to military activities in your state of residence:

RCW 28B.10.270: Rights of Washington national guard and other military reserve students called to service.

 

[907914]

Do you already have your IRR orders? Have you asked if the unit will accept a civilian EMT-B equivalent? Both your undergraduate university and your medical school MUST legally be accomadating to military activities in your state of residence:

RCW 28B.10.270: Rights of Washington national guard and other military reserve students called to service.

Tell your current professors that you need to take the finals a week early due to military training. And if they refuse to accomodate then ask them to review your current progress in the class and assign a grade based on assignments you will have completed up until that point (per the state legislator). Or, if your degree program will allow the classes to be P/F ask the proffesors for a P. Have the school veterans resource center endorse your opinion as well. I have played this game with my university before. They should be accomadating.

 

[sweatytshirt]

Do you already have your IRR orders? Have you asked if the unit will accept a civilian EMT-B equivalent? Both your undergraduate university and your medical school MUST legally be accomadating to military activities in your state of residence:

RCW 28B.10.270: Rights of Washington national guard and other military reserve students called to service.

I do have my IRR orders, and they don’t want to accept the civilian EMT-B equivalent because it doesn’t include all the army stuff we do during the training. Right now I’m trying to work out options with the NCOIC for the training before I talk to the dean. I’m hoping it will be civil enough that I don’t have to bring the law into this lol

 

[sweatytshirt]

I'd also make sure you know exactly when classes start. My school had a week long orientation, plus some orientation into week 2. It was technically all mandatory but it would be easier to miss that than exams.

Trust me, I checked multiple times haha. It’s week two of official classes or finals week.

 

[907914]

I do have my IRR orders, and they don’t want to accept the civilian EMT-B equivalent because it doesn’t include all the army stuff we do during the training. Right now I’m trying to work out options with the NCOIC for the training before I talk to the dean. I’m hoping it will be civil enough that I don’t have to bring the law into this lol

Professors will back down if you intimidate them with the law. It is being civil, you are just utilizing what you are legally entitled to use.

 

[DK0828]

Are you talking about inactive ready reserves? If so, blow them off like they don’t exist. If you ever got called up for the irr **** has hit the fan and they don’t care about your emt b status.

When I got off active I attended zero irr meetings and didn’t correspond with them. I know this seems like irresponsible advice but they don’t care about irr.

 

[907914]

Are you talking about inactive ready reserves? If so, blow them off like they don’t exist. If you ever got called up for the irr **** has hit the fan and they don’t care about your emt b status.

When I got off active I attended zero irr meetings and didn’t correspond with them. I know this seems like irresponsible advice but they don’t care about irr.

Seconded. Been on IRR for 7 months and I ignore the emails. No one cares. I gave my all to the unit when I was in, but when you are out you are out.

 

[965978]

Do you already have your IRR orders? Have you asked if the unit will accept a civilian EMT-B equivalent? Both your undergraduate university and your medical school MUST legally be accomadating to military activities in your state of residence:

RCW 28B.10.270: Rights of Washington national guard and other military reserve students called to service.

Yes but it depends on how the word “accommodating” applies. Allowing the student to defer med school for a year is technically considered “accommodating” since deferment isn’t granted to just anyone.

Threatening to take legal action against your professors, especially in med school, is almost always a bad idea unless the alternative is getting kicked out of med school.

 

[907914]

Yes but it depends on how the word “accommodating” applies. Allowing the student to defer med school for a year is technically considered “accommodating” since deferment isn’t granted to just anyone.

Threatening to take legal action against your professors, especially in med school, is almost always a bad idea unless the alternative is getting kicked out of med school.

I am talking about the current undergrad university not the medical school. And you aren’t threatening to take legal action. You are informing them that they are breaking the state law by not allowing it.

 

[965978]

I am talking about the current undergrad university not the medical school. And you aren’t threatening to take legal action. You are informing them that they are breaking the state law by not allowing it.

From the original post it’s not clear whether OP was referring to undergrad or med school when he said “finals week”. Because he said that the school is “true P/F” and people usually say that only for med school curriculums.

 

[907914]

From the original post it’s not clear whether OP was referring to undergrad or med school when he said “finals week”. Because he said that the school is “true P/F” and people usually say that only for med school curriculums.

Aaaaaah my bad. Misreading. Either way, they need to accommodate him and I Genuinely cannot see a school requiring someone to defer a year simply because of needing to miss one week. I have had two friends go through the medical school while maintaining active drilling status in the reserves. All I know is that the schools still had to allow them to go to drill and to go to the summer annual training. That’s all I know.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Why wouldn’t you just miss the second week? They are more likely to be accommodating for that, I’d think. And while you are legally protected, there is no specific language on how they have to accommodate you. I personally would just pick the least inconvenient one for everyone. Having to push finals around is going to be a pain, and they might require you to take them early rather than push them back.

 

[deleted480308]

I am talking about the current undergrad university not the medical school. And you aren’t threatening to take legal action. You are informing them that they are breaking the state law by not allowing it.

It’s still fighting words, don’t be “that guy” and screw it up for yourself and all the other reserve component soldiers that apply after you. The military is the soldier’s problem, not the employer/school’s

They can always hurt you more.

Talk to the ncoic, if you are going IRR there is almost definitely no actual consequence they intend to enforce if you put this off.

 

[907914]

It’s still fighting words, don’t be “that guy” and screw it up for yourself and all the other reserve component soldiers that apply after you. The military is the soldier’s problem, not the employer/school’s

They can always hurt you more.

Talk to the ncoic, if you are going IRR there is almost definitely no actual consequence they intend to enforce if you put this off.

Exactly. Like I have said, I mostly ignore IRR Save for when I answer a call not knowing it is them. And 99% of it is them telling me about all of the wonderful benefits of serving in the reserves. No one will care if you literally do nothing. My IRR beard tells me so.

 

[LizzyM]

Many schools are not aware of the state law and will make arrangements once it is made clear that state law requires that schools make accommodations for students in the military including national guard and reserves.

Just say, "As a member of the national guard (or whatever you are in) I need to do some mandatory military training on either date x to y or a to b. Please let me know which time period would be less disruptive to M1 year so that I can inform my unit. As you know, law xyz (cite chapter and verse) requires accommodation for military exercises. Thanks!"

 

[907914]

Many schools are not aware of the state law and will make arrangements once it is made clear that state law requires that schools make accommodations for students in the military including national guard and reserves.

Just say, "As a member of the national guard (or whatever you are in) I need to do some mandatory military training on either date x to y or a to b. Please let me know which time period would be less disruptive to M1 year so that I can inform my unit. As you know, law xyz (cite chapter and verse) requires accommodation for military exercises. Thanks!"

Exactly this. Nearly identical wording worked for me (at least in undergrad) each time I had a conflict.