USNA > SEAL Corpsman > Medical School?

Hispeed

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I am interested in going to the USNA and I want to be a SEAL. If I become a SEAL after I graduate could I go in as a SEAL Team corpsman and then go to Medical School when I get out, and if I can go to Med School after will the Military pay for it? Thanks.
 
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The short answer is that, yes, you might be able to go to med school directly from USNA. It depends on your grades, MCAT scores, USNA performance, etc. It is NOT guaranteed. You don't have to pay for med school but you will owe an additional 4-7 years of payback, in addition to your USNA payback.

Here is one thread that is very comprehensive on this subject: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/showthread.php?t=13832&highlight=medical+school

If that link doesn't work, just try searching this forum under "medical school." You'll find a lot of great and accurate info.
 
One additional thought: Yes you can go to med school, USN-paid, from SEALS also. I know 2 individuals who've been accepted into med school from the fleet, one a nuke, the other a SWO.
 
So I could be a SEAL corpsman and after I've done that for a while go to Med School?
 
It's the rare exception, but appears doable. I'm unaware of any policy preventing such, and am aware of others making that move from other professional communities. It may be obvious, but such a move, if made, would ensure being a USN lifer, as you'd be about 37 by the time you've finished med school, residencies, and post-doc. :wink:
 
So I could be a SEAL corpsman and after I've done that for a while go to Med School?

Hispeed, take a look at MILPERSMAN 1212-010 concerning lateral transfers (http://www.npc.navy.mil/ReferenceLi...nel/1200Classification/1200_1214/1212_010.htm).

In short, you would have to go through a lateral transfer board to go from a SEAL to Medical Corps designator. With that being said, and like a lot of other things within the military, the decision to ALLOW you to transfer will NOT be in your hands. In essence, the Special Warfare Community would have to agree to let you go and the Medical Corps community would have to agree to pick you up. The SPECWAR community might consider all the effort (time and $$$) to train and qualify you and might not want to give you up. I am not trying to put a damper, but realize that, ultimately, it will not be up to you and it is sometimes rolling the dice. So to answer your question, it is possible to lateral, but with the country actively engaged in GWOT and the need for SPECWAR folks, it might be hard to let you go.

If you intend to go Medical Corps, you probably should try it from USNA. Worst case scenario, should you become a SEAL, you could always put a package in -- if you don't get picked up, then you still remain in the SPECWAR community. I'm sure you could get eventually get a medical billet with one of the SEAL teams, should you go Medical Corps out of USNA.

Hope this makes some sense.

In general, the lateral transfer process is TOUGH, regardless of community.
 
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Now that I'm re-reading the OP . . . mixing apples and oranges. You can go USNA and be a SEAL (if things work out). However, officers aren't corpsmen, as Mongo says.

You can go to USNA and become an MD (if things work out). However, you go to med school OR become a SEAL out of USNA.

I don't know if there are any MD SEALs. I would think not, but could be wrong. If it happens, it's rare.

Thus, I think the OP needs to decide whether his primary desire is being a doctor (officer) or being a SEAL medic (enlisted) or SEAL officer. All are worthy.
 
I don't know if there are any MD SEALs. I would think not, but could be wrong. If it happens, it's rare.
.

I know of a handful of prior SEAL's who are now physicians. One was in my med school class at USUHS. Also to provide some further clarity: the physicians who are assigned to SEAL teams are Undersea/Dive Medical Officers. They go to dive school, but do not attend any part of BUD/s / training at Coronado. They do not go on missions, etc.

As to the OP: your path as mentioned above is not a possibility. You cannot be a corpsman as an officer (already mentioned). Your career path would be this: USNA --> SEAL Officer -->Medical School -->Doctor.

As USNA1985 mentioned you really need to hammer out which of those three things is your goal and go for it.
 
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