Medical School and the Navy

[Webster]

I will be reporting to the United States Naval Academy in July. When I graduate a seemingly long time from now, I would like to then go to medical school and be doctor in the Naval Medical Corps. However, I will have a service obligation after graduating. Does anyone know if I can delay that obligation until after medical school or if this is even feasable?

[Jango]

Just be glad its Navy and not Army....

[CFRBryan347768]

Just be glad its Navy and not Army....

whats wrong with the army? I believe you should join the ARMY to fight with your country, not so they can pay for schooling? Which seems to be the problem with everyone that joins the ARMY and expects school right away.

[Arkymedic]

I will be reporting to the United States Naval Academy in July. When I graduate a seemingly long time from now, I would like to then go to medical school and be doctor in the Naval Medical Corps. However, I will have a service obligation after graduating. Does anyone know if I can delay that obligation until after medical school or if this is even feasable?

Do not count on this being so and do not count on a recruiter telling the truth but, I do believe that the obligation can be differed until medical school is completed. DO NOT take this to the bank. Anyone that has ever served will tell you that a recruiter will lie and tell you anything. You may also want to consider NROTC.

You can check out this website for a little more information
http://www.navy.com/careers/healthcare/physicians/

[CFRBryan347768]

true, the bit about the recruiter. Do not fall for it, like they say if its too good to be true it is. AND IF THEY DO PROMISE YOU SOMETHING GET IT IN WRITING AND MAKE SURE THEY CANT GET OUT OF IT!!!

[Jango]

whats wrong with the army? I believe you should join the ARMY to fight with your country, not so they can pay for schooling? Which seems to be the problem with everyone that joins the ARMY and expects school right away.

I have, I have spent the last 16 years in the Air Force. I have spent a LONG time in the Iraq back filling the Army and working with them, doing their job. Trust me....I speak from experience. If you want good schooling, the Navy or the AF is the best way to go. So kid....thank you for your knee jerk response....meanwhile, the Army is have recruiting and retention issues, finding a recruiter should be no problem for boy your age.

[CFRBryan347768]

I have, I have spent the last 16 years in the Air Force. I have spent a LONG time in the Iraq back filling the Army and working with them, doing their job. Trust me....I speak from experience. If you want good schooling, the Navy or the AF is the best way to go. So kid....thank you for your knee jerk response....meanwhile, the Army is have recruiting and retention issues, finding a recruiter should be no problem for boy your age.

Allready set up to leave, first off

And second off, you came off like you were using the forces for schooling, which i think is wrong as you can tell. So take that knee jerk response and stick it some where.

[Jango]

Allready set up to leave, first off

And second off, you came off like you were using the forces for schooling, which i think is wrong as you can tell. So take that knee jerk response and stick it some where.

Set off to leave? For what branch? Knee jerk response...yes. Look here kid, if the first thing you have to say is pick up a weapon to a statement like that....then you are joining the service for the WRONG reason. And you did not read into what I wrote. No where in my statement did I mention schooling boy. My comment was directed at the fact that the Army treats its troops like unintelligent children(you should do just fine there). Anyone using the military for schooling is misguided at best....just as misguided as the person who signs up for the money. If you want to be a pretty boy glory hound in a uniform....stay outta my military and become a cop instead, you'll live longer.

[CFRBryan347768]

your obviously reading it the wrong way because as YOU said people who join for money and schooling are doing it for the wrong reason! now if you read what i wrote you will notice i said the same thing!!! BOY, so get your crap right. And I leave for boot camp, and than off for 68-w training. BOY!

[CFRBryan347768]

"stay outta my military and become a cop instead, you'll live longer." Sine when is it your military? I believe its Uncle Sams...

[Arkymedic]

I predict a lock on this thread soon...

[Jango]

Oh hell yea....some kids are just too easily spun up...

[Webster]

All right. Thanks for your responses, even though it became a fight. I would like to make this crystal-clear: I do not intend it use the Navy for schooling. I have a desire to serve the country and have since I was very young and apologize if any misconceptions were formed.

[certguy]

Okay , cool down guys . Getting back to the OP , What about medical school in the navy during your active duty ? They have some training hospitals , Balboa , Bethesda , to name a couple . Some of the best EMT's and Medics I've known have come from BOTH the army and Navy . I'm ex - navy myself and though I wasn't a corpsman , I was the first non - corpsman to go through EMT training at Miramar . That was my original certification . My instructors were SEAL corpsmen who also taught avation physiology and aircrew survival there . They were the best I've seen , and I learned a lot from them . Just by way of suggestion , check out all your possibilities . There's some great training out there .

[ffemt8978]

I predict a lock on this thread soon...

Yep, you called it. I will leave it open for now as it seems to have gotten back on track, but want to make a couple of points first.

And for everyone else, this is an EMS forum and not a place to knock on a person for having their own reasons to join the military. It is not a place for you to tell someone they are joining for the wrong reasons, just because it's not your reason.

As the only veteran amongst our Community Leaders, I pay particular attention to these types of threads and will not tolerate any berating, bickering, or fighting on these topics because they strike close to home.

So unless you want MY complete and undivided attention, take the political aspect of this discussion somewhere else.

ffemt8978
USN, 1988-1997
Operation Just Cause (invade a country to serve an arrest warrant)
Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm (the original trip to the sandbox)
:usa:

[Webster]

Certguy,
That's exactly what I'd like to do. I've just never heard of it being done before.

To the forum community and leaders: I apologize for starting a heated argument. I realize that I may have come across as one who uses the military as a vehicle for advanced schooling when that is not at all what I have in mind. I believe that my obligation to the Navy is much more than the minimum listed number of years.

[BruceD]

Thank you for serving our country.

---

I know that if a person is in medical school and signs a commitment, they attend basic training (naval equivalent?) during their first summer, the rest of their obligation is deferred until the end of medical school (with appropriately filed paperwork).

As for once you are in, I am not sure.
They have specific people dedicated to recruiting medical professionals and I really believe they would be the best to contact if there is one in your area, otherwise, I know you've seen it, but here's a link to speed things up, navy healthcare careers (http://www.navy.com/careers/healthcare/) There's a link on the side to send in a question (I did not see any information that would pertain directly to your question).

Good luck
-B

[certguy]

Yep, you called it. I will leave it open for now as it seems to have gotten back on track, but want to make a couple of points first.

And for everyone else, this is an EMS forum and not a place to knock on a person for having their own reasons to join the military. It is not a place for you to tell someone they are joining for the wrong reasons, just because it's not your reason.

As the only veteran amongst our Community Leaders, I pay particular attention to these types of threads and will not tolerate any berating, bickering, or fighting on these topics because they strike close to home.

So unless you want MY complete and undivided attention, take the political aspect of this discussion somewhere else.

ffemt8978
USN, 1988-1997
Operation Just Cause (invade a country to serve an arrest warrant)
Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm (the original trip to the sandbox)
:usa:


Amen brother , thank you for speaking up !


Certguy
USS Kitty Hawk Expeditionary force
Iranian Hostage Crisis

[Paladin]

First off, from one Squid to another, Congrats on the admission to Annapolis.

When it comes to you and Medical School, its up to you and the admission counselor for your obligation. I remember that when I went down and checked it out for myself (Officer life wasn't for me plus I like to work for a living).

If your contract states you attend class and then after your commission, you request your duty station to be Nation Naval Medical Center (NNMC) Bethesda, Md (the place is huge btw) or maybe NMC Great Lakes, IL home of RTC and HM school.

Paladin
HM3, USNR
NAES Lakehurst, NJ
USS OAK HILL LSD-51

[certguy]

Balboa's got great facilities too . They just opened up the new hospital a year or two before I left San Diego . It was an awsome state of the art facility , much better than the old one , and even used robots to deliver supplies to certain areas , so I was told . The Dudly Moore movie " Like father , like son " had the ER scene filmed there before it was opened . The 2 EMT's were from our company , originally on a standby , but got recruited by the director , and got in the movie and earned some extra bucks that day . I was partnered up with the big guy for a while . That was one hospital I liked going into , it was really cool .

[LucidResq]

Be careful. I had a friend who joined the Navy with hopes of them putting her in a health care position and eventually putting her through nursing school. She's very intelligent, has plenty of experience, and already has some college courses under her belt. Recruiter told her she'd get work in health care and would be put through nursing school.

She ended up as an electrician. No word on the prospect of nursing school.

This isn't to say that you will definitely be deceived or end up not doing what you expected, but it happens regularly enough that you need to keep it in mind.

[Webster]

I'm kind of afraid of this. However, I'd rather serve as a naval officer in any capacity then not serve at all. This country is in a tough time right now and I feel a call to serve.

Webster

[certguy]

Webster ,
As a former squid and a shellback ( you'll find out about that later LOL ) it does my heart good to hear someone as motivated as you on the site . I wish you all the best . I wish I could go but I'm too old and banged up to . Keep us posted on how you're doing . I hope it works out so you can go to school on AD .

God Bless ,

Craig

[ltjeremysmith]

No. Going to USNA obligates you to do your 4-year (or 5-year, if you go nuclear or some aviation) commitment in an Unrestricted Line Officer field, i.e. Surface, Subs, Aviator, NFO, Seal. There are programs available for you after the fact, a friend of mine off my first ship left after his first Division Officer tour out of the academy to start medical school at Johns Hopkins, but that was in 2003, and service needs change (as they have recently with the higher attrition rates from those same unrestricted line fields.) Best bet, skip your recruiter (who's job it is to sign people up, not sort out their service careers after the fact) and try and get in touch with the service selection office at USNA. Probably your best bet for the most up to date info out there.

[Paladin]

Webster ,
As a former squid and a shellback ( you'll find out about that later LOL ) it does my heart good to hear someone as motivated as you on the site . I wish you all the best . I wish I could go but I'm too old and banged up to . Keep us posted on how you're doing . I hope it works out so you can go to school on AD .

God Bless ,

Craig

Shellbacked!? I have to admit that I haven't been shellbacked but there is a Retired Senior Chief (MACS) who lives on my block and he was and told me what happened. All I have to say is HOOYAH certguy!

Rich R.
HM3, USNR