<p>So how do most kids do it?
Is it advisable to continue straight into med school with considerable undergrad debt?
Is it possible to work enough to pay off some debt while you go along?
Is there an "ROTC equivilent" for med school? Something that would pay for the whole sha-bang as long as you put in lengthy committment afterwards.</p>
<p>2 things I know <em>a little</em> bit about:</p>
<p>military medicine...the military will put you through med school if you, obviously, commit to serving as a doctor in a VA hospital, military bases, and other military stations. They do this for nursing and dentistry too. I don't know the details on this at all, I just watched a presentation on this about a year ago and it sounded interesting if you were willing to make the commitment. I do remember that you precede through the order of officers just as a soldier would. You can be a lieutenant, a sergent, etc.</p>
<p>Another way to pay for med school is to commit to being a doctor at a particular hospital in a very rural area before you enter med school. You're bound to work in that hospital after you finish your residency for a certain number of years...my guess would be anywhere from 4 to 10. This is for areas that desperately need doctors I believe...not sure of details, again.</p>
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Is it possible to work enough to pay off some debt while you go along?
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<p>I would consider this to be practically impossible. You will be working like an absolute dog during med-school and residency. Any time off you get will probably be best spent sleeping to recuperate your energy. </p>
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So how do most kids do it?
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<p>One word - debt. Most newly minted doctors are indebted up to their eyeballs. But that's partly why physician salaries are so high, in that they provide the means to dig yourself out of debt. </p>
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Is it advisable to continue straight into med school with considerable undergrad debt?
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<p>Ceteris parabus, it is more adviseable to not get into considerable undergrad debt in the first place. For example, attending a public undergrad school or a school that gives you significant aid (merit or otherwise). </p>
<p>However, the reality is that most incoming medical students will be carrying quite a bit of undergrad debt with them. </p>
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Is there an "ROTC equivilent" for med school? Something that would pay for the whole sha-bang as long as you put in lengthy committment afterwards.
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</p>
<p>One could go to medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, which is basically a med-school military academy. Not only is everything free there, but you will also be getting paid a salary to attend. But of course, you will be commissioned as an officer with a substantial military commitment.</p>
<p>There are also ROTC equivalents to med-school. </p>
<p>There are many, many programs that will pay for your medical education IF you are willing to do a couple of things.</p>
<p>The two biggest commitments are usually serving for 1 or 2 years for each year of medical school you take part in their program. Examples include the military and a lot of programs to serve in rural, underserved areas.</p>
<p>The other thing is that they typically want you to be a primary care doc: so Medicine, peds, OB/GYN, and family practice are typically the ones that fit the criteria. You may be able to find some programs that include General Surgery in there (not necessarily PC, but necessary). So if you have dreams of being a cardiologist or a dermatologist, then you are pretty much SOL.</p>
<p>The other thing that is difficult about these programs is that to get the full benefit (all you're debt paid off) you have to commit w/in your M1 year. Most people are not ready to choose what type of physician they want to be at that point. But 35k of debt is better than 135k...</p>
<p>There are also a lot of positions (again in underserved areas) that will pay off debt if you come to practice there. There are all sorts of ads for positions in the back of JAMA.</p>
<p>"7 years active duty and 6 years on inactive ready reserve"....quite a commitment</p>
<p>The military has two paths that pay for medical school. They are the Health Professions Scholarship Program (how I paid for med school -- Navy) and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (I didn't think of myself as the long term military type and, oh BTW, I would have been in their second graduating class).<br>
Both pay tuition, fees, etc. HPSP pays a monthly stipend; USUHS pays you O-1 (Ensign - if Navy, 2nd Lt - if AF or Army) pay and benefits while you are in med school. HPSP committment is shorter than USUHS. Time spent in residency/fellowship does not count toward obligation. So the "true" committment is longer than just the payback.<br>
It is a military committment with military obligations.
It was a very good feeling to finish med school with no debt. BUT -- the world has changed and the likelihood of a military obligation separated from your family is much greater than when I graduated.
I wound up staying for a career, but not because I am gung-ho military.
Anyone following this thread may contact me with questions.</p>