Should i join that national guard?

[Alejandrovera43]

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I am a senior in highschool and would be attending college in Florida next fall. I have been thinking about joining the national guard and would like to get some opinions. I plant to pursue a drgree in chemistry and then go to medical school. I know the national guard will pay for my undergraduate degree, but will it also pay for my medical school. 4 years undergrad, 2 years medical school, for a 6 year contract? . Also, I know there is a pretty good chance I would be deployed at some point in college, would this interfere with my grades? I would like to hear some stories of men or women who have gone this route and are happy about it. Thank you.

 

[jvanewportnews]

There are programs where you sign a contract with a military branch to serve however many years of college that branch pays for, so you wouldn't be on active duty until you graduate and become a doctor.
And as far as the math is concerned, it's about 4 years undergrad + 4 years graduate school = 8 year conract? Not sure when residency comes in, which might be two more years.
The other military branches have opportunities like this also, but they vary, so you should check each of them out to see which one suits you best.

 

[Terpskins99]

I am a senior in highschool and would be attending college in Florida next fall. I have been thinking about joining the national guard and would like to get some opinions. I plant to pursue a drgree in chemistry and then go to medical school. I know the national guard will pay for my undergraduate degree, but will it also pay for my medical school. 4 years undergrad, 2 years medical school, for a 6 year contract? . Also, I know there is a pretty good chance I would be deployed at some point in college, would this interfere with my grades? I would like to hear some stories of men or women who have gone this route and are happy about it. Thank you.

HPSP (health professions scholarship program) is the military's way of offering you tuition reimbursement for medical school. It will pay for 3 or 4 years of medical school, and you will be required to serve as an active duty medical officer (army, navy or air force) for 3-4 years once you complete residency.

You can technically get deployed at any point during your medical training. However from what I understand, the military tries to wait until you've at least finished medical school before doing so. One military resident once told me, as long as you know how to intubate someone, they'll find a way to use you if they need you. 😉