<p>Hey, everybody! I'm want to become a doctor, so I'm trying to figure out which service academy is best for me. Someone told me I should look at the Naval Academy because of Bethesda Hospital. But I was looking at the majors they have to offer and I would have to major in chemistry. My dad is a doctor and he said that sure would be a TON of chemistry for doctor to learn. West Point also only offers chemistry, but I don't know what kind of hospitals and other things they could offer. I know USAFA also has a biology major, which I think I would be more interested in, but I don't know what kind of hospitals and other stuff they could offer. What do you guys think?</p>
<p>I think if your dad is a physician and you are doing this for passion of service it makes sense otherwise you can major in history and go to medical school.</p>
<p>My BGO informed me that if I had the desire to be a physician, my chances would be very slim, after graduation, to go on to med school. You have to graduate top of your class and even then the chances aren't great.</p>
<p>i heard its like the top 2% of the class for navy from my b&g. when i was at my cogress interview for USMA they said the same thing.</p>
<p>The academies are basically engineering schools that prepare you for the military. While the military definately need good doctors, I am not sure this is the best route to medical school. There are very few billets for med school, and unless you are at the top of your class, it is a gamble, and the academy is not short on competetion at every level. Might want to reconsider this one.</p>
<p>If I wanted to be a doctor, I wouldn't go to an academy. </p>
<p>Just my opinion.</p>
<p>What's with this only taking 2% stuff? Why can't I just go to WP for my undergraduate and then choose to go to a regular civilian medical school? Wouldn't that increase my chances? Is the 2% thing only if you want the army to pay for med school for you? If all this is right, when would I serve my four years? If what I've said is NOT true, what happens if I am not one of the people chosen for medical school?</p>
<p>You need to do some serious research. First you are in the Navy forum. Second, the Army/Navy owns your for five years, so if they want you to go to med school, you will go, and if not, you will serve as an officer. You cannot pay for your med school. You obviously know absolutely nothing about the service academies. Go to usna.edu or usma.edu <-(preferably this one :)) and read the prospectus and become a little bit more educated.</p>
<p>michaelburt:
A little abrupt, but on target. Eviltwin, I find it amazing that you will take the word of anonymous posters on which to base your life decision.</p>
<p>There is plenty of tangible and factual information available from the various academies regarding post graduate study. If you want to go to med school, and you are not offered the opportunity after graduating from a Service Academy, (very slim chance of this happening) you then put in your time (5 years) doing whatever they tell you to do, and apply to med school after you have fulfilled your committment and pay for it on your own dime. </p>
<p>If your passion is to go to med school, this is not the place to do your undergraduate work.
CM</p>
<p>Eviltwin: here's some info, but please do the research for yourself.</p>
<p>If you attend USNA you can request a medical school billet after graduation, and IF you are at the top of your class and IF the Navy doesn't need you elsewhere, you might get selected. Usually 5 to 8 of the 1200 that enter each class have this opportunity. If selection, the Navy pays for your medical school, but your service requirement doesn't start to be filled until after you have completed your residency and adds an additional 4 or 5 years to the 5 that you are committed to for attending USNA. Add it up and you will be endebted to the Navy until you are about 38.</p>
<p>USMMA has an EMT class you can take, and then ride with a fire dept in Great NEck and with the schools squad, which is good experience. I'm not completely sure how it works excatly, but I do know of people who have graduated and then gone to medical school.</p>
<p>Wanna be a doc?</p>
<p>Go to Johns Hopkins, not a Service Academy.</p>
<p>The United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point might be your best bet. Upon graduation you can take an active duty commission in any of the services or take a Naval Reserve Commission and work anywhere in the US maritime industry. It is very flexible.</p>
<p>Check out the USMMA forum, there is a KP grad -- KP2001 -- who is currently in med school and having it paid for by the Navy. PM him and he should be able to give you some good advice.</p>
<p>Does the same speak for business school? I'm at a situation where I'm debating 4 year ROTC scholarship or a service academy. I think I would like to go onto business school, but I wouldn't feel any regret serving the Navy instead. I know ROTC is a better route if I do want to go on, but I'm still searching for all options possible.</p>
<p>"but I wouldn't feel any regret serving the Navy instead."</p>
<p>Is this a joke? In fact, is this whole thread just a sick joke? The soft cushions of my Lazyboy are the only things keeping me from having an apoplectic fit!</p>
<p>DeepThroat</p>
<p>Um...no. I'm a college student and I have set majors and aspirations that I wish to achieve. I'd love to go into the military and have a career, but I'm not sure if I would like to become just a soldier and stay active in the military until I'm 50 years old for my entire career without having anything else. I want to go to graduate school, continue my studies and support the navy as much as I can. Even for business school, I would love to be one of personnels who are in charge of the Navy's commercial businesses with other companies. Am I making a big mistake in thinking so? It's not "I'm going to Naval Academy for its free education and for the sake of putting it on my future resume," it's more double-sided in that while I want to support the Navy, I also want to serve my community in a way that is professional and can be a useful to the Navy in some way.</p>
<p>"I want to go to graduate school, continue my studies and support the navy as much as I can"</p>
<p>Even if you don't go to grad school right after the Academy, or ROTC, the Navy will be more than willing to send you to school for an MS or other education on your first shore tour. Don't make the mistake of thinking that once you're in the Navy, you're stuck with that job of being "just a soldier." </p>
<p>Through ROTC I've learned that the Navy is one of the best places in the world to get your education, and continue through the years.</p>
<p>A service academy isn't for you.</p>
<p>DMeix, that's what I mean. I think DeepThroat was upset about my comment regarding whether I can go onto business school after graduating from the naval academy. I'm saying, I don't necessarily have to make a professional soldier's career throughout, but that I wanted to know the chances of entering a professional field, such as business, upon graduation from the USNA. I will feel very obligated to the Navy regardless of which path I choose, but I felt that I could be both utililizing my best talent and be very useful to the Navy if I can go onto that field. If not, that's fine because I feel that my dedication to naval service is stronger than my willingness to continue studies at a business school. That's how I feel right now.</p>
<p>Time out! </p>
<p>There is a way to do both. Its called becoming a Supply Officer. When you are at the Academy you select where you want to go after graduation. Aviation, SWO, Subs, Marines, etc. One of your options is to go into the Supply Corps. You will go to Supply School in Athens, GA where you will learn about the business side of making the Navy run. And most likely, after two or three asignments, if you have high potential, the Navy will send you to B School. </p>
<p>If you decide to leave after your commitment, you will have a leg up on your B School counterparts because you will have been part of running a large complex organization. Again, most big B Schools like to have students who have been out in the world before they get there.</p>
<p>Finally, talk to the folks at Kings Point. Because of the options you have to serve upon graduation are more broad, it might be a better fit than USNA.</p>