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[177584]

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I don't think you can be accepted with less than a C in organic (I am assuming you passed it at a later time). Have you actually taken the MCAT, or have you just taken practice ones at this point? Because those are two different animals. Less than 3.0 in your sciences will be tough to swing, even if you are prior service. The 3.2 overall probably isn't a show stopper, but you would need to get your science GPA up. I would say do a Master's program, but it won't help your undergrad GPA.

I would agree with the elder. Do the master's thing, do well and you will be there. My overall GPA was 3.3 on the AMCAS but I had one poor year of college 6 years prior to 4 much improved years. I did have poor grade that was overlooked but it was in a non-science, non-major class. Which should be a message to anyone out there don't be stubborn thinking you can pull out a grade...just withdraw and retake it later I still regret not withdrawing from that class even though things worked out.

 

[Coastie2Doc]

Does anyone have an update on prior officer payas detailed in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008?

Are prior service officers recieving their pay as detailed?

What was the decision with BAH?

Thanks for the info.

 

[177584]

Does anyone have an update on prior officer payas detailed in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008?

Are prior service officers recieving their pay as detailed?

What was the decision with BAH?

Thanks for the info.

Prior service O's are being processed for their pay increases. I know of two in my class that are already recieving proper pay for the bill passed. The others are being processed by their respective services. BAH remains the same, it is an increase in base pay only.

 

[Boardrider32]

I will be beginning school at USUHS this fall and am currently trying to figure out where to look for housing. I am married with three kids (number four is on the way), so I need to be in a decent sized house and the neighborhoods and schools are also an important consideration as well. Anybody out there attending USUHS in my similar situation? What area's have the good homes, good neighborhoods, and good schools, without breaking the bank?

 

[backrow]

I will be beginning school at USUHS this fall and am currently trying to figure out where to look for housing. I am married with three kids (number four is on the way), so I need to be in a decent sized house and the neighborhoods and schools are also an important consideration as well. Anybody out there attending USUHS in my similar situation? What area's have the good homes, good neighborhoods, and good schools, without breaking the bank?

Try calling the Office of Student Affairs, they have some lists of different neighborhoods and places to live.

With a family and your desire to not "break the bank" you're probably going to be looking at moving north to Gaithersburg or Germantown. If you're looking to rent you may be able to find something a little closer.

 

[whtlight2121]

Uniformed is my number one choice but I am not sure I have a chance. I failed a required course for my major (second physiology) then retook it and got a 4.0. No good excuse, I worked 80 hours every other week at the hospital (7 on 7 off schedule), got my days mixed up and missed the final. I attribute it to mainly immaturity. It was a mistake, but also a learning experience and since then have had no lapses in organization or discipline. Otherwise, I scored a 34 on the mCAT have a 3.6 science GPA (3.7 overall) and 3 years work experience at the hospital as an in house phlebotomist and microbiology technical assistant. Both of the GPAs mentioned are with a 0.0 factored in for the retake since that is how AAMC does it. Without the 0.0, it is a 3.8. I have worked in every department in the hospital including special training in the RNICU for critical baby phlebotomy. I have also voluntarily worked on the Michigan Mothers Medicaid project (a multi-million dollar research grant in Michigan) and was a TA for a physics lab this past year. My second downfall is that it has taken me 5.5 years to graduate, mainly because I have worked a lot and been indecisive with scheduling courses and picking a major.

My uncle is a commanding officer in the NAVY, which I assume may be some benefit to me in the application process. I could just be paranoid, so for those of you who think I am fishing I apologize. Thank you for your time.

 

[a1qwerty55]

Uniformed is my number one choice but I am not sure I have a chance. I failed a required course for my major (second physiology) then retook it and got a 4.0. No good excuse, I worked 80 hours every other week at the hospital (7 on 7 off schedule), got my days mixed up and missed the final. I attribute it to mainly immaturity. It was a mistake, but also a learning experience and since then have had no lapses in organization or discipline. Otherwise, I scored a 34 on the mCAT have a 3.6 science GPA (3.7 overall) and 3 years work experience at the hospital as an in house phlebotomist and microbiology technical assistant. Both of the GPAs mentioned are with a 0.0 factored in for the retake since that is how AAMC does it. Without the 0.0, it is a 3.8. I have worked in every department in the hospital including special training in the RNICU for critical baby phlebotomy. I have also voluntarily worked on the Michigan Mothers Medicaid project (a multi-million dollar research grant in Michigan) and was a TA for a physics lab this past year. My second downfall is that it has taken me 5.5 years to graduate, mainly because I have worked a lot and been indecisive with scheduling courses and picking a major.

My uncle is a commanding officer in the NAVY, which I assume may be some benefit to me in the application process. I could just be paranoid, so for those of you who think I am fishing I apologize. Thank you for your time.

I don't think you have a problem. Sometimes failing a course and then excelling in it especially if there are extenuating circumstances actually can help as it makes you stand out in a sense from the crowd. Few college students applying to medical school work full time hours. I would guess you are ok.

 

[PharmD2MD]

I will be beginning school at USUHS this fall and am currently trying to figure out where to look for housing. I am married with three kids (number four is on the way), so I need to be in a decent sized house and the neighborhoods and schools are also an important consideration as well. Anybody out there attending USUHS in my similar situation? What area's have the good homes, good neighborhoods, and good schools, without breaking the bank?

Without breaking the bank....you'll be faced with a trade off. Get a bigger place in Germantown or Gaithersburg for less $$, but deal with the commute. Get a smaller place in Bethesda, but pay a lot more for it. I live fairly close to school, but I don't have kids and I have a small place. The commute sucks, but a lot of my classmates have found ways to make it work. There's some sort of little commuter bus that some of them take- I think it's free. Some of them listen to podcasted lectures in the car while sitting in traffic. Some folks carpool and quiz each other in the car on the way to school. I'd start by nosing around on craigslist, to get an idea of how much places are going for. The only area I would personally avoid is Silver Spring. I know some people live there, but there are some rough pockets in that neighborhood. If you have time to come here and scout the place out yourself, fine. Just don't get a place sight unseen in Silver Spring. You might be in for an unpleasant surprise.

 

[Boardrider32]

Without breaking the bank....you'll be faced with a trade off. Get a bigger place in Germantown or Gaithersburg for less $$, but deal with the commute. Get a smaller place in Bethesda, but pay a lot more for it. I live fairly close to school, but I don't have kids and I have a small place. The commute sucks, but a lot of my classmates have found ways to make it work. There's some sort of little commuter bus that some of them take- I think it's free. Some of them listen to podcasted lectures in the car while sitting in traffic. Some folks carpool and quiz each other in the car on the way to school. I'd start by nosing around on craigslist, to get an idea of how much places are going for. The only area I would personally avoid is Silver Spring. I know some people live there, but there are some rough pockets in that neighborhood. If you have time to come here and scout the place out yourself, fine. Just don't get a place sight unseen in Silver Spring. You might be in for an unpleasant surprise.

Thanks for the info. I think it will be Gaithersburg or Germantown the way it is looking.

 

[177584]

Thanks for the info. I think it will be Gaithersburg or Germantown the way it is looking.

I've also seen some nice deals on single family homes in Kensington, and Wheaton. I agree though with the fact that you get more for your money in Germantown or Gaithersburg - Montgomery Village area. Friend of mine just rented a 4Bd 2Ba tri-level townhome with it's own driveway and 1 car garage in my neighborhood for $1550/mo.

 

[Coastie2Doc]

I just got my MCAT results an hour ago and was satisfied until I read that I received an "M" in the writing section. I am not sure if I had bad advice from Kaplan on how to craft the essays, too many typos, some computer glitch, or just am a poor writer.

I got 11 PS, 8 VR, 10 BS, but that low writing grade bothers me. GPA 3.34.

Does anyone know how much USU values the writing score?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[LikesScience]

No one cared about my M. I got in.

 

[177584]

I just got my MCAT results an hour ago and was satisfied until I read that I received an "M" in the writing section. I am not sure if I had bad advice from Kaplan on how to craft the essays, too many typos, some computer glitch, or just am a poor writer.

I got 11 PS, 8 VR, 10 BS, but that low writing grade bothers me. GPA 3.34.

Does anyone know how much USU values the writing score?

Any help would be much appreciated.

I had basically the same composite score as you and similar GPA and got in. (one thing on my GPA though I had a bad year prior to a four year gap and then 4 good years, not sure what difference it may make) You got high marks in the "money" categories would think you have a pretty good shot. I do not think they consider the writing or VR to be "big" priorities. Beats me why the heck the MCAT even has writing as little as the majority of schools care about it.

 

[Boardrider32]

I just got my MCAT results an hour ago and was satisfied until I read that I received an "M" in the writing section. I am not sure if I had bad advice from Kaplan on how to craft the essays, too many typos, some computer glitch, or just am a poor writer.

I got 11 PS, 8 VR, 10 BS, but that low writing grade bothers me. GPA 3.34.

Does anyone know how much USU values the writing score?

Any help would be much appreciated.

I wouldn't worry about it at all. I had a 31M, with a 3.37 UG GPA and will be beginning school at USUHS in the fall. Just get your AMCAS application off as soon as you can so you can get an early interview slot. Good luck.

 

[USUHS2008]

I will be beginning school at USUHS this fall and am currently trying to figure out where to look for housing. I am married with three kids (number four is on the way), so I need to be in a decent sized house and the neighborhoods and schools are also an important consideration as well. Anybody out there attending USUHS in my similar situation? What area's have the good homes, good neighborhoods, and good schools, without breaking the bank?

You don't have to brave the traffic to get what you need. I just graduated last week, and have lived in Wheaton all 4 years in a house we own, mortgage $1650 a month (not an interest-only mortgage). There are houses in my neighborhood with 5+ bedrooms renting for $1650-1800 a month. Go to Craigslist and search for Wheaton, Silver Spring, Veirs Mill Village, and Kensington, and set the price and # of bedrooms you need. If you want to buy in my neighborhood, go to www.longandfoster.com and search for "Veirs Mill Village" MD. My BAH with a family right now is $1878,


Good luck!

 

[Boardrider32]

You don't have to brave the traffic to get what you need. I just graduated last week, and have lived in Wheaton all 4 years in a house we own, mortgage $1650 a month (not an interest-only mortgage). There are houses in my neighborhood with 5+ bedrooms renting for $1650-1800 a month. Go to Craigslist and search for Wheaton, Silver Spring, Veirs Mill Village, and Kensington, and set the price and # of bedrooms you need. If you want to buy in my neighborhood, go to www.longandfoster.com and search for "Veirs Mill Village" MD. My BAH with a family right now is $1878,


Good luck!

I have heard mixed reviews regarding Silver Spring. How is Wheaton like? How are the neighborhoods and schools? I will have kids in elementary school, so that is a toip priority. Thanks!

 

[USUHS2008]

I have heard mixed reviews regarding Silver Spring. How is Wheaton like? How are the neighborhoods and schools? I will have kids in elementary school, so that is a top priority. Thanks!

The elementary school in my neighborhood is something like # 2 in Montgomery county, and Montgomery County is the undisputed best county in the state. Mine is Veirs Mill.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/

Wheaton is great: tons of restaurants, minimal crime (almost all non-violent) considering the urban-ness, great parks everywhere including Rock Creek Park, which has miles and miles of trails that go all the way to the National Zoo and beyond. Also not far from all the shopping you need: 3 major malls, lots of grocery stores, book stores, etc.

Keep in mind that there's a big difference between "downtown Silver Spring" and "Silver Spring." The former can be sketchy and hard to get around, but cool and very urban. The latter is just the unincorporated city sprawl that didn't have it's own town name originally. For example, it surrounds Wheaton the way dough surrounds a chocolate chip in a cookie, since Wheaton was a suburb before sprawl blurred distinctions: Silver Spring is a very large area, not really a location in it's own right.

Also, when thinking about moving further out, please keep in mind 3rd and 4th year. If you want to do your clinical rotations in the D.C. area, they will be VERY long drives, especially Andrews AFB and Belvoir. We're talking up to 3 hours each way in traffic.

 

[USUHS2008]

I graduated last week, and am switching all my uniform rank, etc. I have some 2LT goodies for the first woman who emails me with her address. Please only females (male insignia is different) who already have an unconditional Army acceptance to USUHS and plan to go.


Update: IT'S GONE!

 

[Boardrider32]

The elementary school in my neighborhood is something like # 2 in Montgomery county, and Montgomery County is the undisputed best county in the state. Mine is Veirs Mill.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/

Wheaton is great: tons of restaurants, minimal crime (almost all non-violent) considering the urban-ness, great parks everywhere including Rock Creek Park, which has miles and miles of trails that go all the way to the National Zoo and beyond. Also not far from all the shopping you need: 3 major malls, lots of grocery stores, book stores, etc.

Keep in mind that there's a big difference between "downtown Silver Spring" and "Silver Spring." The former can be sketchy and hard to get around, but cool and very urban. The latter is just the unincorporated city sprawl that didn't have it's own town name originally. For example, it surrounds Wheaton the way dough surrounds a chocolate chip in a cookie, since Wheaton was a suburb before sprawl blurred distinctions: Silver Spring is a very large area, not really a location in it's own right.

Also, when thinking about moving further out, please keep in mind 3rd and 4th year. If you want to do your clinical rotations in the D.C. area, they will be VERY long drives, especially Andrews AFB and Belvoir. We're talking up to 3 hours each way in traffic.

Great information, thanks again!!

 

[backrow]

Wheaton is great: tons of restaurants, minimal crime (almost all non-violent) considering the urban-ness, great parks everywhere including Rock Creek Park, which has miles and miles of trails that go all the way to the National Zoo and beyond. Also not far from all the shopping you need: 3 major malls, lots of grocery stores, book stores, etc.

Unless something has drastically changed in the past year I think you are misrepresenting the ole town of Wheaton. Wheaton has had a well known gang problem, in fact when I did one of my nights of Trauma at Washington Hospital Center there were multiple stabbing victims who came in who had all been stabbed/attacked at the Target there in the Wheaton Mall.

Not sure that I would call wheaton a great town for a family with small children.

 

[USUHS2008]

Unless something has drastically changed in the past year I think you are misrepresenting the ole town of Wheaton. Wheaton has had a well known gang problem, in fact when I did one of my nights of Trauma at Washington Hospital Center there were multiple stabbing victims who came in who had all been stabbed/attacked at the Target there in the Wheaton Mall.

Not sure that I would call wheaton a great town for a family with small children.

Wow. "old town" Wheaton is several miles East of me, and I never see anything like that where I'm at: I once had the change stolen out of my unlocked car, and occasionally in the summer some noisy kids stay in the park past dark playing basketball until the cops clear them out. I'm not in Wheaton proper, and I've been to that Target once: it's definitely sketchy, as is the area to the East of it, which isn't as scary as the area in NE DC that I used to live in, but it's true that I instinctively don't go there. My dad grew up running with a gang in Philadelphia, and he taught me something very simple about living in the city: use your instincts. If you feel unsafe in an area, you are.

But they opened up a beautiful and safe Target closer to me on the Rockville Pike: I do all my shopping West, not East, so it's never been a problem. The very upscale White Flint Mall is closer than the Wheaton Mall, and if there's a major chain store you're looking for, it's on the Rockville Pike (except Walmart, which has been banned by Montgomery County for some reason). The neighbors I've met are either poorer-paid professionals like me or Hispanic blue collar workers who own their own service businesses, are successful craftsmen, etc. They're seemingly honest and take care of their properties, which is what matters to me in in a neighborhood. But it's true that this is an area where going just a few streets over can make a difference: I've never lived in a urban area that was otherwise.

 

[backrow]

Wow. "old town" Wheaton is several miles East of me, and I never see anything like that where I'm at: I once had the change stolen out of my unlocked car, and occasionally in the summer some noisy kids stay in the park past dark playing basketball until the cops clear them out. I'm not in Wheaton proper, and I've been to that Target once: it's definitely sketchy, as is the area to the East of it, which isn't as scary as the area in NE DC that I used to live in, but it's true that I instinctively don't go there. My dad grew up running with a gang in Philadelphia, and he taught me something very simple about living in the city: use your instincts. If you feel unsafe in an area, you are.

But they opened up a beautiful and safe Target closer to me on the Rockville Pike: I do all my shopping West, not East, so it's never been a problem. The very upscale White Flint Mall is closer than the Wheaton Mall, and if there's a major chain store you're looking for, it's on the Rockville Pike (except Walmart, which has been banned by Montgomery County for some reason). The neighbors I've met are either poorer-paid professionals like me or Hispanic blue collar workers who own their own service businesses, are successful craftsmen, etc. They're seemingly honest and take care of their properties, which is what matters to me in in a neighborhood. But it's true that this is an area where going just a few streets over can make a difference: I've never lived in a urban area that was otherwise.

Is that area you're in still Wheaton? You seem to be talking more about the Kensington area and the area to the West of Georgia Avenue. I would say that the area USUHS2008 is talking about is actually nice, the 'true' wheaton is not nice at all. I think a key would be to stay West of Georgia Avenue

 

[deegs]

Is that area you're in still Wheaton? You seem to be talking more about the Kensington area and the area to the West of Georgia Avenue. I would say that the area USUHS2008 is talking about is actually nice, the 'true' wheaton is not nice at all. I think a key would be to stay West of Georgia Avenue

I assure you that the area west of Georgia Ave is still "wheaton". I live 3/4 mi WNW of the wheaton metro on a quiet little street. My neighbors are accountants, military officers, corporate types, theater folk, painters, yuppies, retirees, business owners. A few foreclosures now, which are unfortunate. That Target incident was a while ago, and the downtown area (WEST of georgia, commonly called the "Wheaton Triangle" or "Central Business District") is pretty safe and plans are in the work for improvements (one of the few places in the county with ongoing construction). I agree that there are some sharp delineations between safe and scary in the area, but I feel safe walking around my neighborhood at night. Houses are smaller than upcounty, but you are much closer (4 miles to school and 7 miles to reed) and don't need to rely on the nightmare of 270 corridor. And the 33 bus will drop you closer to USU than the metro stop. If you value being close to school but still want a house with a yard so the kids/dog can play, don't overlook wheaton.

-Deegs
Wheaton resident since Aug 05

 

[Boardrider32]

Just a question to those attendings that are USUHS grads: Does the military take advantage of the long committment that USUHS grads have and send them to unwanted duty stations because they are basically "trapped" and have to do at least two or three tours as is? Or is that a nonfactor? Just curious.

 

[NavyFP]

Just a question to those attendings that are USUHS grads: Does the military take advantage of the long committment that USUHS grads have and send them to unwanted duty stations because they are basically "trapped" and have to do at least two or three tours as is? Or is that a nonfactor? Just curious.

I have never seen any evidence of that in either the Army or the Navy.

 

[backrow]

Just a question to those attendings that are USUHS grads: Does the military take advantage of the long committment that USUHS grads have and send them to unwanted duty stations because they are basically "trapped" and have to do at least two or three tours as is? Or is that a nonfactor? Just curious.

I think everyone gets equally screwed

 

[onthego]

Does this program weigh graduate GPA more heavily than undergraduate GPA? Thanks and have a great weekend.

 

[177584]

Does this program weigh graduate GPA more heavily than undergraduate GPA? Thanks and have a great weekend.

I believe that as many other schools do, they consider both. Obviously if your pre-reqs and sciences are poor that hurts. If your graduate grades rock that helps you. It would be pretty silly of anybody to tell you outright yes to your question, but I think that they do look at improvement as a positive. If you performed strongly on the MCAT and you overall AMCAS GPA is not super low (below like 3.2 or 3.0) you probably have a strong chance of getting an interview if you get your application material in fast. I have not gone to the admissions office and checked stats so my numbers are based off what my GPA was and friends that I know. I'm not sure that anyone could give you a straight answer to your question. I can assure that they do consider applicants based on more than simply numbers, and they do look at improving performance through your education. If you are concerned with specifics you can PM me and we can compare some stats.

 

[IamSoCool]

I will be attending USUHS this fall. I am wanting to get a dog, but wanted to make sure that I will have enough time to take care of it etc. Will this be a problem or should I be good to go?

 

[PharmD2MD]

I will be attending USUHS this fall. I am wanting to get a dog, but wanted to make sure that I will have enough time to take care of it etc. Will this be a problem or should I be good to go?

Some folks do quite well with dogs, cats, even spouses and kids. Some folks can't keep it together even when they don't have anyone or anything else to worry about. I would wait until you get to school, get the first set of exams out of the way and then look at getting a dog. You'll probably be fine with the dog, but get your feet wet first. You should also keep in mind that you'll probably have to do some of your 3rd year rotations away from the DC area and you probably won't be able to bring the dog. Also, between first and second year, you'll have about 4-6 weeks of being out of town (most likely), and dog probably won't be able to accompany you.

 

[177584]

I will be attending USUHS this fall. I am wanting to get a dog, but wanted to make sure that I will have enough time to take care of it etc. Will this be a problem or should I be good to go?

If you are single it would probably be a bit of a hassle with 3rd and 4th years traveling and schedules. If you have someone in the area that would be able to sit when you need to then by all means. Dogs are like kids though, they won't get in the way of school as much as the vacations, going out, etc etc.

 

[7by11thenout]

Just a question to those attendings that are USUHS grads: Does the military take advantage of the long committment that USUHS grads have and send them to unwanted duty stations because they are basically "trapped" and have to do at least two or three tours as is? Or is that a nonfactor? Just curious.

THat depends on how you look at it - Because after residency your time in service will be 10-11 yrs (if you had no prior service) you will likely go overseas. That can be good or bad depending on what you want and whether or not your family needs will match where they send you. Also because you will owe so much time later in your payback you may be one of the senior docs in your specialty so when the year long deployments come up you are at the top of the list. This has happened to many people I know.

I loved USUHS but the USAF is not USUHS and in 2011 I will have served my 7 yrs (total of 15 if you count USUHS and residency and internship) and I am getting out as fast as I can for many reasons.

contrary to what others have said in this thread USUHS does not mean career and you do not have to retire. To retire I will need 9 more years at that point I will retire with 24 yrs of service because the 4 years at USUHS do not count toward retirement time, but do count for retirement pay once you do retire. Well as an Anesthesiologist I can make the sme salary as a civilian working part time - and then I wont be at risk of deploying, or moving every four years, I will get respect that I am a physician, and I wont have to deal with a variety of other negatives I wont mention.
Finally let me say I love the military patient population, but socialized medicine is full of problems and I want out as soon as my commitment is done.

 

[Bubblehead-to-MD]

Just a question to those attendings that are USUHS grads: Does the military take advantage of the long committment that USUHS grads have and send them to unwanted duty stations because they are basically "trapped" and have to do at least two or three tours as is? Or is that a nonfactor? Just curious.

Disclaimer: My wife is the USUHS grad who is an attending...I am just a lowly medical student participating in the HPSP. 🙂

From what I have seen so far, a good portion of the senior leadership in military medicine is comprised of USUHS graduates. Therefore, while tough billets occasionally need to be filled, I do not think USUHS graduates get targeted because they have no other options. USUHS graduates in senior leadership will take care of their own - not screw them over.

 

[darmalee]

I'm currently Active Duty Army, but after I get through with my current deployment I'll be getting out and finishing my Bachelor's degree, and from there plan to apply to USU. I did a couple years of undergrad work before joining the Army, but had a few "stumbles" my first year. I went back after a break, but had lost all of my scholarships, and despite the fact that I retook a few classes and pulled my GPA back up, I could't afford it, and here I am today...three and a half years into Army service. I've been taking online classes off and on while I've been in, but have never been in a position to take any science class that required lab work. So, although I have around 80 credits under my belt, I am going to have to spend a lot of my remaining time taking sciences. I have Chemistry credits from AP classes I took over 6 years ago, and a semster of Physics from before I joined the Army, but it's been almost a decade since I took a Biology class. I've already invested in MCAT study books, and have already worked out a workable course schedule that will allow me to finish all of my pre-med requirements and my planned BS of Psychology degree in two years. However, I'll already be 27 by the time I graduate, and although I realize that is still relatively young, I am trying to progress towards my goal of being a military doctor with as few further interruptions as possible. In the past few years I've taken classes from three different online schools as a result of trying to find a GoArmyEd school that offered anything satisfactory, and have done very well, but I've taken almost all Liberal Arts classes since those types of classes are so much more condusive to online learning. SO, that's a little bit of my background. Now here are my questions:
1-Does anyone have any tips or ideas for how to get prepped for the MCATs? I plan on trying to take them in the Spring of 2010.
2-When is the normal time to apply to USU? Is there an early application or anything like that? I theoretically want to apply to start in the Fall of 2011. When would be the right time to submit my application?
3-Will it be a bad idea to apply before I have the majority of my science requirements finished? Currently the only science credits I have are whatever UT will give me for a 5 on the Chemistry AP and Physics 101, in which I got an A. I will be taking sciences during the 2009-10 school year, but will still have several that I have left to complete in the 2010-11 school year. I have always done well in sciences, and have no doubt that my GPA will be high for the classes that I have completed. I suppose that if it really came down to it I could potentially double up on sciences, but this makes me nervous since it's been so long since I've even taken real in-a-classroom classes, much less sciences that require labs. If possible I want to ease into it a little that first semester
4-I will still have Army IRR time remaining when I'm looking to apply. Does that mean that I have to go with an Army slot, or would I be able to switch if I wanted to? I am leaning towards the Army, if for no other reason than I know the Army and what I would be getting myself into, but would like the option of switching branches to be available if possible.
5-By the time I graduate I will have transcripts from five different colleges, two of which I only took one class from. Will this negatively affect USU's opinion of me? My military service has been the reason for this, and they should take that into consideration right?
6-I don't have a lot of volunteer experience. I did do some volunteer work through my unit while in Korea, but I don't know that it was ever documented. Since then I have worked incredibly long work weeks, with frequent field time and am now deployed. I know volunteer work is a big consideration when it comes to medical school applications. I'm hoping to be able to do a lot of volunteering in my two remaining years of school. Will that enough to not leave me lacking? And what sort of proof are they looking for when it come to volunteer work? Is that something that I could get people in my old unit to do up for me?

I know this is super long, but I'm really trying to get a solid plan, and if I need to rethink how I'm going to approach the next couple years, I want to know as soon as possible. Any advice is very welcome! Thanks in advance. Sorry for the super long post

 

[TheGoose]

Ill do my best to offer insight as to what i know/have learned from being in the process of applying to USUHS right now....

1. i really found that taking full length practice tests was helpful (once you have learned the material in the review books) - this is an opinion and depends on your study methods so get a lot of opinions and see what works for you

2. For all medical schools the application process is roughly a year and a half. The process involves submitting an AMCAS application (1st step which verifies your transcripts etc..), submitting secondaries (letters of recommendation/essays), interviewing, and then a decision is made.
USUHS is a rolling admission school meaning that the sooner you get your application materials in, the better chance you have for an early interview and earlier accpetance. So, for fall of 2011 you would want to start working on the app's in Summer of 2010. (timeline: spring 2010 your mcats, early summer 2010 the amcas, mid summer USUHS secondaries, fall interview, fall decision/winter decision, spring deposit and final paperwork, early summer 2011 officer training, then school.

3. From USUHS: "Applicant must earn a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university by 1 June 2008 (this is what was sent to me for current admission). The academic prerequisites are one year each of the following: biology with laboratory, general chemistry with laboratory, organic chemistry with laboratory, physics with laboratory, and English. Also, one semester of calculus is required."

i dont know if you can apply without a lot of the courses done yet, but that is what USUHS says - read it as you will.

4. not military yet - cant help with this question, although there is a supplemental application material for current/ex military that you would need to fill out which may discuss this factor

5. All of your transcripts get verified by AMCAS (the preliminary application processor)....they take care of the dirty work and tell the schools you are applying to that everything is in order. It shouldnt matter how many transcripts you have.

6. I can offer one point for this question - USUHS requires both an academic and a clinical letter of recommendation in the secondary stage. They say: "Each candidate that is advanced to the secondary stage must submit a clinical letter of recommendation. This letter must describe some traditional clinical activity with patients and/or health care professionals or paraprofessionals and may be submitted by a physician, nurse, EMT, physician assistant, or a program administrator/coordinator. If you were unable to complete any clinical activity, please submit a brief but thorough explanation as to why this could not take place. If there is a clinical letter in your premedical packet, you do not need to send a separate clinical letter of recommendation. Therefore, you must provide either a clinical letter of recommendation or an explanation in order to advance your application to the next phase. Your packet will not be reviewed without this information."

So, in this regard you would want to get some clinical experience in your time finishing undergrad work (and you should be able to do it in that timeframe)

If you want anymore info pertaining to specifics, you can PM me because im filling out the secondaries right now and i can give you insight into the process. Good luck

 

[Gastrapathy]

I think everyone gets equally screwed

Not equally...some people definitely get it worse than others, but there is no predicting who the lucky SOB will be. Also, I've never seen any evidence that USUHS grads are able to or have the inclination to protect each other, as was implied above.

 

[Bubblehead-to-MD]

Not equally...some people definitely get it worse than others, but there is no predicting who the lucky SOB will be. Also, I've never seen any evidence that USUHS grads are able to or have the inclination to protect each other, as was implied above.

I'm not sure if this was directed at my previous post or not, but I want it to be made clear that I did not mean to imply that USUHS graduates in senior leadership specifically do what they can to protect other graduates from assignment to undesirable billets. I simply meant that in general, they would be more inclined to take care of a USUHS graduate than to specifically target them for these billets because they are "trapped" by their lengthy service obligation - which was something that an earlier poster was concerned about.

 

[mcaliboyw]

Hey I am an active duty submarine O applying for the '09 admissions cycle. I am applying for both USUHS and HPSP, and am confused (or just ******ed) in reference to the Letter of Approval (for USUHS) versus the CO Endorsement (for HPSP). Are these the same things? For the LOA, is it an unqualified resignation? It seems that both require my CO to 'sign off' on me leaving (which shouldn't be a problem as my commitment is up). Any help on this issue would be most appreciated. Oh yeah, and I've got duty on the 4th of July...GO NAVY!

 

[Gastrapathy]

Oh yeah, and I've got duty on the 4th of July...GO NAVY!

You aren't the only one. Eventually, it'll be "call". Sorry can't answer your question.

 

[PharmD2MD]

Hey I am an active duty submarine O applying for the '09 admissions cycle. I am applying for both USUHS and HPSP, and am confused (or just ******ed) in reference to the Letter of Approval (for USUHS) versus the CO Endorsement (for HPSP). Are these the same things? For the LOA, is it an unqualified resignation? It seems that both require my CO to 'sign off' on me leaving (which shouldn't be a problem as my commitment is up). Any help on this issue would be most appreciated. Oh yeah, and I've got duty on the 4th of July...GO NAVY!

I don't know if this is correct or not, but I ended up using the same letter for both processes. Your detailer should be able to get you started on the RAD and the proper format- I don't think you need to resign your commission. Your CO will have to sign off on that also. There's an active duty navy doc on here who goes by "NavyFP"- this individual seems to know a lot about this type of stuff.

 

[NavyFP]

Hey I am an active duty submarine O applying for the '09 admissions cycle. I am applying for both USUHS and HPSP, and am confused (or just ******ed) in reference to the Letter of Approval (for USUHS) versus the CO Endorsement (for HPSP). Are these the same things? For the LOA, is it an unqualified resignation? It seems that both require my CO to 'sign off' on me leaving (which shouldn't be a problem as my commitment is up). Any help on this issue would be most appreciated. Oh yeah, and I've got duty on the 4th of July...GO NAVY!

What you need is a release from active duty statement. It can be unqualified or conditional pending acceptance into USU/HPSP. You don't have to resign your current commission per se. You will accept a new commission as an ENS in the MC.

 

[mslall]

I'm currently applying to schools and am very interested in USUHS. I just filled out the supplemental application would probably rank USUHS as my first choice at the moment. I just have a few concerns about where, if i went to USUHS, my career would go. I have no idea what type of medicine i want to practice and am completely open to lots of different areas, however I would like to do more than just general medicine. I realize that you run the risk of getting put into this position if you go to USUHS. I guess what i'm looking for is just an idea of how hard it is to get in to certain military residencies. Also, I've read that after your internship year, if you are in the navy, you have to do a tour as a GMO. After performing a tour as a GMO do members generally go for residency training? What does a tour as a GMO consist of? I've looked for information in that regard but cant really find a clear, concise response to that? How long is a GMO tour? I dont think it counts toward your 7 year commitment does it? If so would I be better off wanting to go into the army or airforce since, from what i've read, they generally transition you from internship to residency. I guess my biggest concern is that after serving a GMO tour I wouldnt be able to get into a resideny whether medical or surgical. I just dont want to commit 15 years of my life to something and then graduate and have to complete another residency. Any thoughts?

 

[notdeadyet]

I'm currently applying to schools and am very interested in USUHS. I just filled out the supplemental application would probably rank USUHS as my first choice at the moment. I just have a few concerns about where, if i went to USUHS, my career would go. I have no idea what type of medicine i want to practice and am completely open to lots of different areas, however I would like to do more than just general medicine. I realize that you run the risk of getting put into this position if you go to USUHS. I guess what i'm looking for is just an idea of how hard it is to get in to certain military residencies. Also, I've read that after your internship year, if you are in the navy, you have to do a tour as a GMO. After performing a tour as a GMO do members generally go for residency training? What does a tour as a GMO consist of? I've looked for information in that regard but cant really find a clear, concise response to that? How long is a GMO tour? I dont think it counts toward your 7 year commitment does it? If so would I be better off wanting to go into the army or airforce since, from what i've read, they generally transition you from internship to residency. I guess my biggest concern is that after serving a GMO tour I wouldnt be able to get into a resideny whether medical or surgical. I just dont want to commit 15 years of my life to something and then graduate and have to complete another residency. Any thoughts?

Scroll through the first three pages of the Military Medicine forum here and you'll answer half your questions right away. Do a search on the other half and you'll get those too. Best of luck with your decision.

 

[TheGoose]

I'm currently applying to schools and am very interested in USUHS. I just filled out the supplemental application would probably rank USUHS as my first choice at the moment. I just have a few concerns about where, if i went to USUHS, my career would go. I have no idea what type of medicine i want to practice and am completely open to lots of different areas, however I would like to do more than just general medicine. I realize that you run the risk of getting put into this position if you go to USUHS. I guess what i'm looking for is just an idea of how hard it is to get in to certain military residencies. Also, I've read that after your internship year, if you are in the navy, you have to do a tour as a GMO. After performing a tour as a GMO do members generally go for residency training? What does a tour as a GMO consist of? I've looked for information in that regard but cant really find a clear, concise response to that? How long is a GMO tour? I dont think it counts toward your 7 year commitment does it? If so would I be better off wanting to go into the army or airforce since, from what i've read, they generally transition you from internship to residency. I guess my biggest concern is that after serving a GMO tour I wouldnt be able to get into a resideny whether medical or surgical. I just dont want to commit 15 years of my life to something and then graduate and have to complete another residency. Any thoughts?

1. you dont necessarily have to do a tour as a GMO, it depends on what specialty you want and the amount of slots open. FP and IM seem to have the strong possibility for straight-through training in the navy

2. if you search this forum you will find many a post identifying the duties of the gmo.

3. generally two years, with certain exceptions

4. it certainly does count as payback

5. airforce still uses gmo's (flight surgeons)

 

[Bubblehead-to-MD]

1. you dont necessarily have to do a tour as a GMO, it depends on what specialty you want and the amount of slots open. FP and IM seem to have the strong possibility for straight-through training in the navy

Family Practice and Psychiatry are actually transitioning to PGY-2+ matching for medical students, thereby eliminating the possibility of having to do a GMO tour BEFORE residency.

 

[177584]

I guess my biggest concern is that after serving a GMO tour I wouldnt be able to get into a resideny whether medical or surgical. I just dont want to commit 15 years of my life to something and then graduate and have to complete another residency. Any thoughts?

Your GPA and Step 1 score will help to determine what residency you can get into so if those are too low a GMO tour wouldn't help secure a residency slot. That said most GMO's have a competative advantage when applying for a residency. Not sure where you heard that you'd have to do a "second residency" as GMO's only complete 1 internship year prior to filling their billet. You might have to repeat internship year depending on the specialty but they won't force to a FP residency and then ship you to GMO billet. If the long term commitment worries you there's always HPSP.

 

[mslall]

Read through the first 8 pages of the forum, plus a few other threads. I think it answered most of my questions. I was looking at the NNMC website and some of the residencies they have there and they go as far as saying that if you do an internship then a GMO you can continue training in your field. In the field of orthopedic surgery for instance:

"[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Charting the course.

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Army allows continuous training beginning with internship through to graduation. .
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Navy trainees who have completed an Orthopaedic internship can be assured of continued Orthopaedic Residency Training at the NCC, after completion of GMO/Flight/UMO tour, unless selected to straight through training.".

thanks for the help/suggestions....time to wait for the application process to roll on.

1 more question. After you've sent in the supplemental package for USUHS how long generally does it take for them to process it/make a decision on interviewing? I sent mine in yesterday and was wondering if i'll be waiting until november or december for a response or if i should expect to hear back sometime in the next month

thanks again

 

[mslall]

also, does anyone know of any websites that list military residencies and/or how many slot there are? i've done a bunch of searching but cant seem to come up with anything.

 

[TheGoose]

depends how long it takes for USUHS to get your letters or recommendation. from there i think their website says either 4 or 6 weeks processing ... or they can choose to put you on hold and compare you to the greater applicant pool....see you down there on interview day 😉

 

[Bubblehead-to-MD]

also, does anyone know of any websites that list military residencies and/or how many slot there are? i've done a bunch of searching but cant seem to come up with anything.

Here is the link for Navy full-time in service (active duty, military-sponsored) internships:
https://nmmpte.med.navy.mil/gme/GME1CHT.HTM

...and another link for Navy full-time in service PGY-2+ (residencies and some fellowships) training opportunities:
https://nmmpte.med.navy.mil/gme/RESFELCHT.htm