Ugrad Veteran seeking advice

[ancientrobot]

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[Goro]

First off, many thanks for your service to our country. Semper Fi!

It will be OK
1) What would the implications be if I were to not complete the premed reqs at my current school? My wife will be graduating in 2016 from a professional school at the same university and as of now I can graduate with here sans OrgChem and Bio. My current plan is to do as much as I can here and then complete in California (CSU-F, or another postbacc). Thoughts?

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics. Check out your local houses of worship for volunteer opportunities.
3) What types of volunteer opportunities should I pursue given my previous experiences?

You'll have space in your PS and secondaries for this.
4) Most of my training focused on trauma and was either poorly documented or on the job, how can I highlight this in the application process?

 

[rangerdad]

Doctors, Medical Students, Pre-Medical Students and Dreamers,

First of all this forum has been a big inspiration for me. I have been lurking for some time and have found the candid answers posted here to to be immensely valuable and refreshing.

As the title states I am currently an undergraduate at a top US university, working towards my first Bachelor's. I have a ~3.5 cGPA while majoring in History and completing core requirements, I will begin the premed reqs in earnest this summer term. Prior to school I served for 12 years (2001-2013) as a US Marine infantryman, Scout/Sniper and Raider, deploying a total of 7 times (combat and ship rotations).

At the end of my time in the Marine Corps I had the privilege of supervising and mentoring wounded veterans living at a hospital as they progressed in their treatment and prepared to leave the service. This was my first prolonged exposure to the medical profession and the experience motivated me to become a physician.

I hope that can add a bit of color to the following specific questions:

1) What would the implications be if I were to not complete the premed reqs at my current school? My wife will be graduating in 2016 from a professional school at the same university and as of now I can graduate with here sans OrgChem and Bio. My current plan is to do as much as I can here and then complete in California (CSU-F, or another postbacc). Thoughts?

2) Have any other veterans navigated the VocRehab process to change your stated career goal to medicine?

3) What types of volunteer opportunities should I pursue given my previous experiences?

4) Most of my training focused on trauma and was either poorly documented or on the job, how can I highlight this in the application process?

Thank you for taking the time to read this and if there are any vets out there with similar experiences I would love to connect via PM.

Semper Fidelis.

Impressive! I'm in a similar path. Current in California and pursing many opportunities to improve my ECs in the civilian sector. Let me know if you have any questions.

I'm completing 60-90 credits for a TAG and hopefully transfer to an UC. California has many opportunities in Sacramento for volunteering, Pre-Health Conference, Hospitals, Va Med. Center, etc... The voc rehab counselors are very good and some of the other students participating in the program gave me great advice on when to apply. I'm applying when I have 9 month left of my chapter 33.

Yes you can change your plan, and the counselors have a lot of flexibility but you have to show aptitude for the career etc....

Like you, I have 9 deployments, including 6 combat ones. I did a lot in 14 yrs of service. Currently I volunteer in many things but my focus is GPA and later the MCAT. Plus I need to keep the family happy!!!

Question:
How's been your experience in a top tier university?
Did you transferred from a CC or applied as freshman right after the service?
Will you recommend me to attend if I get the chance? (Will be applying this winter)

 

[typoncho]

I left 3/4 in 29 palms in 2009 and went paramedic so I could be a firefighter and realized I loved medicine. Very glad to see other Marines breaking the stigma of "dumb grunt" by pursuing med school. I can speak to the volunteer experience: The ONLY volunteerism that I showed on my app was my service, and I still got in, but that is not to say don't go out and volunteer. Certainly do. Some may view military service as not volunteer work since you get paid, but most grunts I know were gung ho about it and would have done that sh** for free any day, which makes it truly altruistic. Honestly, if you can, I would continue working at the hospital you have been working at and helping fellow vets. That's awesome of you to do, and will look great. Further, I am currently navigating Voc Rehab and will try to keep you up to date on it, but I was awarded the entitlement today actually. Spoke with the counselor and he set me up and said I have a "serious employment handicap". The struggle will be to get them to pay for med school rather than try to place me in another job so the fight is not over. (I am only 10% disabled with various other 0% ratings, so it can be done). Please feel free to PM me anytime and I would love to help a Raider out. Also, standby and I'll snatch up the link for a stellar post on Voc Rehab that will help a lot...

 

[typoncho]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...-and-vocational-rehabilitation-ch-31.1116928/

^This link right here. @MusicDOc124 has a ton of knowledge on it and is always more than willing to help out.

 

[MusicDOc124]

Yep, feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions, or even feel free to copy and paste what questions you listed into a PM, and I'll certain let loose all the info I can think of.