Yeah, Another 'What are my chances" thread

[BillBillington]

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Hi. I've been skulking around these forums for a while now and I must say that most of my questions have been answered. I like researching a lot so I learned quick that some questions can be answered by a quick Google search.

However, I have a question that I have not found the answer to yet. "Military experience". What is it good for in an application?

From the little I have read I am thinking that I may be able to use some things I have done in the military for EC's but I am still not sure. So I am basically looking for opinions here.

What I am thinking is this.
CLINICAL EXP


-During my last tour in Afghanistan I was on call to assist in the aid station (6 months) During that time I assisted the medical team in dealing with three casualties that had to be airlifted out.
-I once escorted an Iraqi national of an air medivac and stayed with him for a few days all during his surgery.
-I have taken the combat lifesavers course as well as Eagle First Responders but i don't think that would matter too much.

VOLUNTEER
-I volunteered a few times as security for a TN Titans game while I was in service. three times 8 hrs each
-I assisted our medics with training members of my unit and then testing them. A bout 3 weeks(it was only one guy so he needed help)
-When my unit swapped to EFR I was part of the test group that helped tailor it to meet our divisions need for upcoming deployments.
- And when I first joined I ended up teaching basic lifesavers courses top new soldiers because I had to wait till I was 18 to deploy. About 4 months
- I also was an instructor during a battalion cross-training event, trained about 200 soldiers and tested them myself. About 3 weeks

All of that I volunteered for.

I think I am good on Leadership since I was in a Staff Sergeants position as a section leader charge of my own crew. I have a lot there both in and out of combat.

And for other stuff I self published my first book and I am currently working on the sequels now.I play football when I can and workout.


So my question is this. I did a lot of that while in the service (been out a year now) so can I use it? or do I need to quit my job and focus on school only so I can get more volunteer work done? I work at MD Anderson Cancer center now.

 

[BillBillington]

Oh. A bit more info.

My GPA is 3.69 now and I anticipate it to rise a bit. I'll worry about the MCAT after I take it and I know there are countless threads on this already.

My concern is mainly that I work full time also. I work as a Nursing assistant so I hope that adds to my clinical experience. I have little time to do more volunteer work and work full time so I would need to quit or cut to part time if I need to. Also, I plan to take a year off after college to work as a research assistant while I prep for the MCAT and tie up loose ends.

 

[Moosepig]

You're in good shape. Study adequately for the MCAT.

 

[Catalystik]

Hi. I've been skulking around these forums for a while now and I must say that most of my questions have been answered. I like researching a lot so I learned quick that some questions can be answered by a quick Google search.

However, I have a question that I have not found the answer to yet.
1) "Military experience". What is it good for in an application?

From the little I have read
2) I am thinking that I may be able to use some things I have done in the military for EC's but I am still not sure. So I am basically looking for opinions here.

What I am thinking is this.
CLINICAL EXP


a) -During my last tour in Afghanistan I was on call to assist in the aid station (6 months) During that time I assisted the medical team in dealing with three casualties that had to be airlifted out.
b) -I once escorted an Iraqi national of an air medivac and stayed with him for a few days all during his surgery.
c) -I have taken the combat lifesavers course as well as Eagle First Responders but i don't think that would matter too much.

3) VOLUNTEER
a) -I volunteered a few times as security for a TN Titans game while I was in service. three times 8 hrs each
b) -I assisted our medics with training members of my unit and then testing them. A bout 3 weeks(it was only one guy so he needed help)
c) -When my unit swapped to EFR I was part of the test group that helped tailor it to meet our divisions need for upcoming deployments.
d) - And when I first joined I ended up teaching basic lifesavers courses top new soldiers because I had to wait till I was 18 to deploy. About 4 months
e) - I also was an instructor during a battalion cross-training event, trained about 200 soldiers and tested them myself. About 3 weeks

All of that I volunteered for.

4) I think I am good on Leadership since I was in a Staff Sergeants position as a section leader charge of my own crew. I have a lot there both in and out of combat.

5) And for other stuff I self published my first book and I am currently working on the sequels now.I play football when I can and workout.


So my question is this. I did a lot of that while in the service (been out a year now) so can I use it? or do I need to quit my job and focus on school only so I can get more volunteer work done?
6) I work at MD Anderson Cancer center now.

1) Military service covers the "Volunteerism category nicely. Even though you were paid, it is considered a social service and gives a boost (a big boost) to your application.

2) It isn't uncommon for military service to provide experiences that cover multiple activity categories on the application, and it's fine to split these out and list them separately. Just be careful not to double count the hours of involvement.
a) Yes b) Yes c) Not to be listed on its own, but could be mentioned in the context of an activity that used it.

3) a) Hardly worth mentioning, but could be included in a Short-Term Volunteering listing, if you have other stuff. b) see a) or list it under Short-Term Teaching (more worthwhile to mention) c) I have no clue what you did. d) Something from that long ago may not be worth listing, but you could throw it in with b. e) Ditto, but worth listing.

4) I agree. List it separately.

5) Put your authorship under Artistic Endeavor and the sport under Hobbies (with hopefully other things, as usually they are all listed together).

6) Do you interact with patients? How? I hope so, as I think that your application's weaknesses are a lack of US-based clinical experience and physician shadowing from what you presented. It's not that your military/international clinical experience is useless, it just needs augmentation with activities at home. If you don't actively engage sick people at work, then your best bet is to volunteer for 4 hours a week at a medical facility (clinic, hospital, skilled-level nursing home, hospice, rehab center, VA) starting as soon as possible. Physician shadowing is a passive observational activity, and you need that too, but it doesn't need to be a regular activity. You can probably get in 50 hours or so over school breaks once you find docs who agree to your presence.

 

[BillBillington]

I appreciate the responses a lot. I don't need to work to be honest. In truth, My GI bill pays me more to go to school than my job does. I get paid crap. I am thinking that after I rub elbows with some docs and get on their good side, I'll quit and just start shadowing and volunteering. If they are willing to pay me then I don't see why they wouldn't allow me to volunteer. But then again people be crazy...lol

But to answer the question. I interact with them but in about the same way a pharm tech interacts with them. Some are sick but I am not involved in that. I'm probably going to see if I can switch to a job where I deal with sick people or just resign and volunteer as much as I can. It's crazy how man y hoops you must jump through to be a doc, just to end up paying back a huge student loan, malpractice insurance, long hours and other "unforeseen" costs. I still want to do it since it isn't about the money for me. Just saying that I am beginning to see why many MD's steer their kids away from that profession. Meanwhile Jamie Dimon is pulling in 23 million this year.

I'll sort it all out. I am just grateful to have my main question answered. Thanks again you both.

 

[Catalystik]

I appreciate the responses a lot. I don't need to work to be honest. In truth, My GI bill pays me more to go to school than my job does. I get paid crap. I am thinking that after I rub elbows with some docs and get on their good side, I'll quit and just start shadowing and volunteering. If they are willing to pay me then I don't see why they wouldn't allow me to volunteer. But then again people be crazy...lol

But to answer the question. I interact with them but in about the same way a pharm tech interacts with them. Some are sick but I am not involved in that. I'm probably going to see if I can switch to a job where I deal with sick people or just resign and volunteer as much as I can. It's crazy how man y hoops you must jump through to be a doc, just to end up paying back a huge student loan, malpractice insurance, long hours and other "unforeseen" costs. I still want to do it since it isn't about the money for me. Just saying that I am beginning to see why many MD's steer their kids away from that profession. Meanwhile Jamie Dimon is pulling in 23 million this year.

I'll sort it all out. I am just grateful to have my main question answered. Thanks again you both.

If you visit Allopathic med and Residency Forums, and see the threads about folks wanting to quit medicine because they can't stand sick people and/or due to other reasons like those you've raised, you'd better appreciate the necessity for thoroughly testing one's interest in medicine before starting an expensive investment in time and education.

I once had a mentee who discovered during hospital volunteering that he was a germophobe who got nauseous consistently when exposed to odors and sights of blood/illness. He went the pharmacy route instead.

Taking all your past/present/ and planned experiences together, I think you are highly likely to have a very successful application season, assuming supportive LORs, good essays, decent MCAT, the same humble attitude you have now, and appropriate interview skills.

And thank you for your service to our country.

 

[Goro]

First of all, many thanks for your service to your country.

Military experience is valuable in and of iteself because of the maturity level it brings, as well as the altruism it displays. Any relationship to health-related volunteer experience is a different matter.

For the typical experience we looks for, it's that you're willing to spend your career around sick and injured people. So, patient contact excperience is, while not required, it is necessary.

I hope that answers your question.

However, I have a question that I have not found the answer to yet. "Military experience". What is it good for in an application?



So my question is this. I did a lot of that while in the service (been out a year now) so can I use it? or do I need to quit my job and focus on school only so I can get more volunteer work done? I work at MD Anderson Cancer center now.

 

[SpartanGuy]

As a fellow veteran I am wondering if you filed a disability claim with the VA? If you have done so and received an overall rating of over 20% I believe, then you are eligible for the Vocational Rehabilitation program. Only reason I am telling you this is because you can use Voc Rehab to cover your undergrad and then save what's left of your GI Bill for medical school. Might save you a good chunk of loans in the future, also Voc Rehab has the same BAH monthly allowance as the GI Bill and still covers the cost of books.