Update regarding using Voc Rehab in undergrad them moving onto med school

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marine12

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Here is my story. I have been using Voc Rehab for undergrad for the past three years. I have been accepted to some medical schools and wanted to extend. I got some advice from people on here and then did my own research. My rehabilitation did NOT include medical school, just a job in the field of my undergrad degree.

The OFFICIAL way you have to do this is you have request further education. You have to submit a written notice requesting a review of your current rehabilitation plan and in the notice, including what you want to be changed and why.

This is covered and required by 38 CFR 21.94 “Appeal of disagreement regarding development of, or change in the plan” and M28R, Part IV, Section C, Chapter 1.06 “Amending the Rehabilitation Plan.”

You then submit this letter to your counselor. I included my acceptance, verification that I had placed a deposit at the school, and an email from the schools certifying official stating that they do have students there using voc rehab.

Your counselor then submits this letter up the chain, along with a request for an extension and for high cost if you need it.

If you have someone telling you that voc rehab is for entry-level work ONLY, that is not being 100% honest or clear with you. The overall goal of Vocational Rehabilitation, “to become gainfully employed in an occupation consistent with the veteran’s abilities, aptitudes, and interests.” They do not ever, in any of the laws or guidelines that only entry-level employment off bachelors is allowed.

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If you have someone telling you that voc rehab is for entry-level work ONLY, that is not being 100% honest or clear with you. The overall goal of Vocational Rehabilitation, “to become gainfully employed in an occupation consistent with the veteran’s abilities, aptitudes, and interests.” They do not ever, in any of the laws or guidelines that only entry-level employment off bachelors is allowed.

^ This. That is the difference of getting hired on as a Walmart greeter vs qualifying for career-assistance based on “aptitude” and “interests” as outlined in the CFR. Curious to see what their final result will be.
 
^ This. That is the difference of getting hired on as a Walmart greeter vs qualifying for career-assistance based on “aptitude” and “interests” as outlined in the CFR. Curious to see what their final result will be.
My counselor told me she has never had someone attempt it for medical school but has had a few law schools approved. Med school has better outcomes than law school, so I have that on my side.
 
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Bumping this thread because I'm hoping for the same.

I did an intitial counsel with Voc Rehab when I was working as a technician and they basically said since I was working, it was hard to say I NEEDED Voc Rehab.I have since moved to 100% but still working as a tech.

Hoping to get in for this fall's Pharmacy, I have about a year left of GIBill, so I'm hoping to get into Voc Rehab for the last 3 years of the program. I'll quit my job if it means they'll cover school. How did you guys go about getting it covered? I'm guessing the 100% helps my chances.
 
Bumping this thread because I'm hoping for the same.

I did an intitial counsel with Voc Rehab when I was working as a technician and they basically said since I was working, it was hard to say I NEEDED Voc Rehab.I have since moved to 100% but still working as a tech.

Hoping to get in for this fall's Pharmacy, I have about a year left of GIBill, so I'm hoping to get into Voc Rehab for the last 3 years of the program. I'll quit my job if it means they'll cover school. How did you guys go about getting it covered? I'm guessing the 100% helps my chances.

You will have to demonstrate how your current job is aggravating your disability and why being a Pharmacist will help it. That being said, vo rehab is a **** show of epic proportions, and so much of it comes down to luck. You may end up with a great counselor who will get your approved or you could end up in an awful office with an even worse counselor. You will need an extension of benefits to get over the 48-month limit, so keep that in mind as that will be a way they try and deny you.
 
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Yeah.. my counselor I worked with last time wasn’t very informative. He had 1 eye, one leg, was about 70 and acted like he hated his job... so average VA employee.

It’s going to be hard to say why pharmacist is better for disability than tech except maybe the heavy lifting part? Hmmm
 
Yeah.. my counselor I worked with last time wasn’t very informative. He had 1 eye, one leg, was about 70 and acted like he hated his job... so average VA employee.

It’s going to be hard to say why pharmacist is better for disability than tech except maybe the heavy lifting part? Hmmm

That’s going to depend on the nature of your disability. Currently I’m waiting for my ebenefits portal to reflect my rating before calling across the country to the state I’ll be attending pharmacy school and setting up my appointment.

Go to the link below and read comment #5 concerning specific steps of what you can do to play the cards in your favor. With this example, I’m speaking in regards to an 80% disability rating (PTSD, degenerative disc in lower back, bilateral spurred ankles).


Focus on the CFR Title and IWRP. To simplify the chances (and if you can financially afford it), I’d wait until you have an acceptance letter to the school of your choice. In the end, stand ready to prove why you have a severe employment handicap (SEH) and the difference of it by being a tech vs pharmacist.
 
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That’s going to depend on the nature of your disability. Currently I’m waiting for my ebenefits portal to reflect my rating before calling across the country to the state I’ll be attending pharmacy school and setting up my appointment.

Go to the link below and read comment #5 concerning specific steps of what you can do to play the cards in your favor. With this example, I’m speaking in regards to an 80% disability rating (PTSD, degenerative disc in lower back, bilateral spurred ankles).


Focus on the CFR Title and IWRP. To simplify the chances (and if you can financially afford it), I’d wait until you have an acceptance letter to the school of your choice. In the end, stand ready to prove why you have a severe employment handicap (SEH) and the difference of it by being a tech vs pharmacist.
We should be friends....

Just got moved to 100%, (hit me up if you want info, I got out with 80% in 2016) but similar ratings. Med disqual was Degenerative Disc Disease, but I have a long rap sheet of other stuff too.

I'll check the link out. I still have about 14 months of entitlement left after this semester and I'm taking 2 accelerated summer classes to try and start this fall. I'm hoping to be IN the program before I hit the Voc Rehab office up for it. Since I'm currently working in Germany, my plan is to move back, and visit the Voc Rehab office while between jobs so i'm technically unemployed....
 
We should be friends....

Just got moved to 100%, (hit me up if you want info, I got out with 80% in 2016) but similar ratings. Med disqual was Degenerative Disc Disease, but I have a long rap sheet of other stuff too.

I'll check the link out. I still have about 14 months of entitlement left after this semester and I'm taking 2 accelerated summer classes to try and start this fall. I'm hoping to be IN the program before I hit the Voc Rehab office up for it. Since I'm currently working in Germany, my plan is to move back, and visit the Voc Rehab office while between jobs so i'm technically unemployed....

FWIW: If time and location is presumed "complicated", your current or new-to-be-VRC will have to do either a phone or skype appointment if your surrounding area is beyond a 50 mile radius. Given your outlier of a situation, I'd take advantage of that just to expedite your case if your looking to apply sooner rather than later. Of course, as I stated previously if you have entitlements that can carry you through professional schooling (ie pharmacy) that'd be a perfect time to put your acceptance letter as well as class courses attached with your list of reasonings for an SEH.

Counselors can argue a contingent acceptance, but not a current one as a fulltime student.
 
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FWIW: If time and location is presumed "complicated", your current or new-to-be-VRC will have to do either a phone or skype appointment if your surrounding area is beyond a 50 mile radius. Given your outlier of a situation, I'd take advantage of that just to expedite your case if your looking to apply sooner rather than later. Of course, as I stated previously if you have entitlements that can carry you through professional schooling (ie pharmacy) that'd be a perfect time to put your acceptance letter as well as class courses attached with your list of reasonings for an SEH.

Counselors can argue a contingent acceptance, but not a current one as a fulltime student.

Interesting... So it would be worth it to try and talk to them now as I'm applying for Fall, although I have GI Bill though one year of school?
 
Interesting... So it would be worth it to try and talk to them now as I'm applying for Fall, although I have GI Bill though one year of school?

If you still have 12 consecutive months of Chapter 33 Benefits, then I’d actually wait until you recieve an acceptance to a pharmacy program (I was under the impression your about to run out for some odd reason). Just keep in mind, as long as you have 1 day left of Chapter 33, you can extend your BAH stipend onto your Voc-Rehab Benefits.

The benefit to applying earlier is the retroactive payments due to longevity of students getting approved. So if you apply today, but don’t get approved until 15 months from now (exaggerating but it does happen), they will pay the difference under your entitlement from the day you applied rather than the day you were granted the benefit. Something to consider. Getting approved is difficult, so give yourself time to build your case.
 
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Sounds like i'll wait until I get acceptance in hand and then start the process. I'd like to be able to get the whole thing covered, so I can be working minimally.
 
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Even if you have an IWRP written for a terminal degree as an undergrad, it will still actually need to be rewritten after you complete each phase (ie, after earning your bachelor's and prior to beginning medical school). I'm doing that right now and part of the reason is to give them an easy out if you fail at some portion of the requirements. For example, my IWRP stated physician but also stated that I must first take the MCAT, gain an acceptance to medical school and graduate from undergrad. Having an acceptance in hand, in my experience, only helps if your counselor is skeptical that you will actually get an acceptance. My VRC even said to me that the number one thing that kept him from approving people for med school/law school, etc was poor previous academic/standardized testing (including on the voc rehab battery you take before your appointment).
 
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I'm applying into pharmacy school without an undergrad so maybe this will help my situation. I'm not too worried about voc rehab for the time being, I'll start the process with the acceptance in hand, since it both sounds like it makes it easier for everyone, plus I still have the P9/11 entitlement left
 
Even if you have an IWRP written for a terminal degree as an undergrad, it will still actually need to be rewritten after you complete each phase (ie, after earning your bachelor's and prior to beginning medical school). I'm doing that right now and part of the reason is to give them an easy out if you fail at some portion of the requirements. For example, my IWRP stated physician but also stated that I must first take the MCAT, gain an acceptance to medical school and graduate from undergrad. Having an acceptance in hand, in my experience, only helps if your counselor is skeptical that you will actually get an acceptance. My VRC even said to me that the number one thing that kept him from approving people for med school/law school, etc was poor previous academic/standardized testing (including on the voc rehab battery you take before your appointment).
Or you have an office where they just refuse to approve you at all, even if you are accepted lol.
 
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Hello guys I have a few questions. I am currently in voc rehab and wish to go to medical school. I was able to transfer about a semester of credits from my time in service toward my degree which will allow me to save approx 3 months of my GI Bill. I used 3 months of my GI Bill for the first semester but then switched to voc rehab. I understand I have a total fo 48 months but I don't understand where that extra 12 months contributes. Does the 12 months get used up first before they start taking away my GI bill months or is my GI Bill being depleted now? I won't use the whole 48 months to complete my undergraduate , so what happens to the last 15 months ( includes the 3 months saved from transfer credits)? I was also told that there is no chance of me being able to change my rehabilitation plan to physician even though my aptitude supported it and my current gpa has been a solid 3.9 each semester. What should I do?
 
Hello guys I have a few questions. I am currently in voc rehab and wish to go to medical school. I was able to transfer about a semester of credits from my time in service toward my degree which will allow me to save approx 3 months of my GI Bill. I used 3 months of my GI Bill for the first semester but then switched to voc rehab. I understand I have a total fo 48 months but I don't understand where that extra 12 months contributes. Does the 12 months get used up first before they start taking away my GI bill months or is my GI Bill being depleted now? I won't use the whole 48 months to complete my undergraduate , so what happens to the last 15 months ( includes the 3 months saved from transfer credits)? I was also told that there is no chance of me being able to change my rehabilitation plan to physician even though my aptitude supported it and my current gpa has been a solid 3.9 each semester. What should I do?

On voc rehab they will require you to go year-round, so, unless you take super high course loads each semester, by the time you graduate you will have used up at least 36 months. Voc Rehab is not a "you have a total of 48 months" program, but rather a "goal" program, and that goal must be attained within your remaining benefit time. So, if you have 48 months and it only takes 6 months to get to your goal, then you don't have 32 months left over that you can use for misc schooling. However, if you need to add a master's that took an additional 24 months, you could, as long as they approve it. There are exceptions to go beyond the 48 months but you are drawing from your GI bill months while on voc rehab; you don't get both.
 
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I understand I have a total fo 48 months but I don't understand where that extra 12 months contributes. Does the 12 months get used up first before they start taking away my GI bill months or is my GI Bill being depleted now?

Your GI Bill will slowly be depleted the moment you invoke VR&E. For every day on Voc-Rehab, a day is taken away from your GI Bill.

I won't use the whole 48 months to complete my undergraduate , so what happens to the last 15 months ( includes the 3 months saved from transfer credits)?

***July 2019 Update*** FAQs - Chapter 30 & 33 Benefits - VR&E Chapter 31 Benefits : Files Attached

This hyperlink will help answer some of the important questions you have. Basically I would stay away from using Voc-Rehab if you believe you can get it in med school. It is only a career scoped oriented benefit. So if you use it for 3 months of undergrad (example) that's it. You met your goal of getting a degree. I would appeal the denial once you have a medical school acceptance in hand. At that point you will feel the benefit of the VR&E chapter 31.
 
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Your GI Bill will slowly be depleted the moment you invoke VR&E. For every day on Voc-Rehab, a day is taken away from your GI Bill.



***July 2019 Update*** FAQs - Chapter 30 & 33 Benefits - VR&E Chapter 31 Benefits : Files Attached

This hyperlink will help answer some of the important questions you have. Basically I would stay away from using Voc-Rehab if you believe you can get it in med school. It is only a career scoped oriented benefit. So if you use it for 3 months of undergrad (example) that's it. You met your goal of getting a degree. I would appeal the denial once you have a medical school acceptance in hand. At that point you will feel the benefit of the VR&E chapter 31.
Thank you for taking the time to answer!
 
We discussed elsewhere about SEH, and I believe @MusicDOc124 was able to use Chapter 31 from undergrad onto medical school. So it can be done, but it isn't that common and requires some research.

Main take away though is yes. One entitlement takes away from the other in terms of use.
 
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We discussed elsewhere about SEH, and I believe @MusicDOc124 was able to use Chapter 31 from undergrad onto medical school. So it can be done, but it isn't that common and requires some research.

Main take away though is yes. One entitlement takes away from the other in terms of use.

Correct. I used Voc rehab for both undergrad and medical school.
 
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