Career Goals

gke19

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Joined
Feb 3, 2015
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6
Hi everyone,

I received a LOA contingent upon successful completion of a medical remedial. From what I understand I have passed the remedial, so I hoping to receive an appointment soon. The only problem is I'm not entirely sure if attending USNA is completely in line with my career goals. I am very interested in pursuing either medicine or dentistry as a career, and I understand that USNA allows a very limited number of graduating mids to enter into the medical corps. I have attended a CVW and I really loved USNA and Annapolis in general. I really want to attend the academy, and the only thing holding me back from this is the difference between my career goals and the ones offered at USNA. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
If anything but a military job after graduation is on your mind then USNA isn't for you.


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You have to be prepared to enter into any community within the Navy OR Marine Corps. You don't necessarily have to like it, as some MIDN do not get their first choices, but you have to be able to work hard and do whatever job the Navy or Marine Corps assigns you.
In other words, if you were told you had to be on a ship, submarine, be an infantry Marine, etc. you would have to be "happy" with that. In all honesty, it is definitely possible you might not be selected for a medical corps billet. If plan B, C, D, etc. isn't something you would want to do in your career, you really need to think hard and long about military service. Remember, you will be leading Sailors and Marines...so if you weren't working to your potential, you would be letting them down, as well as the Navy/USMC.
 
Medical Corps is hard to get, but not impossible. I had several buddies get Medical Corps out of USNA. They worked really hard and did well. But they were also all prepared to be line officers in case they do not get selected. If this isn't something you are prepared to do, then I do not recommend attending USNA. I actually had one friend leave Medical School because they hated. They are now a very successful SWO and love life. I also have a friend who was an NFO and is now a Navy Dentist. My room mate married a West Point grad who was an Army Ranger and is now an Army Pediatrician. I have a friend who was a SEAL and is now a Navy Doctor. There are lots of paths to Navy Medicine, not all of them start with medical school immediately out of USNA. Most of these folks did not want Medical School out of USNA, they wanted to be Unrestricted Line Officers first then transition. Not sure what the rules are today, but grads could not go directly to Dental School, not sure if this is true today or not.
 
Thanks for the information guys. I think I would enjoy being an officer in the navy but I'm not certain. I'm also not dead set on going into medicine or dentistry, so I'm really open to different career paths. Do you think I could get a good enough understanding of whether or not the navy would be a good path for me within the first two years of attending? While I don't want to leave after two or less years, or plan on it, I would wants know before the first two years are up if it is a path I want to follow in life.
 
While I don't want to leave after two or less years, or plan on it, I would wants know before the first two years are up if it is a path I want to follow in life.

Here's the problem, and there's no escaping it: You have to commit to the Navy before the Navy commits to you. In other words, you have to decide whether you want to serve in the Navy before you begin your 3rd year but you will not know your service assignment until after you begin your final year. This can be very stressful for those who have their heart set on one, particular community - especially for the highly selective communities. You have to work very hard to get selected for Medical Corps and, as is human nature, the harder you work toward a specific goal, the less you can imagine doing something else.

It's like a game of Vegas Blackjack. Have you ever wondered what the house advantage is in Blackjack? If the dealer has to play like a machine with no latitude on what to do - what if you played by the same "rules" as the dealer? Well, the advantage the dealer has is huge because you have to make your decision BEFORE the dealer has to make his. If you hit on a 12 and get a Queen - you bust. The dealer takes your money. In that some round, if the dealer also has a 12 and hits with a Queen - he also busts. But the house already has your money! You lose.

The Naval Academy makes you decide before they "hit" you with your service assignment. Most win. Some lose.

"A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess?"
- Joshua (the computer from the movie "War Games") ;)
 
Yes, I think you will get a good idea if the Navy is for you in those two years. You will do summer training that exposes you to the fleet and what life is like beyond graduation. I have never looked at stats, but alot of doctors in the military started out as something else before they went to Med School. So just because you don't get Medical School out of USNA doesn't mean its the end of the road. The options are pretty cool too, Flight Surgeon... I mean you get to be a doctor and go to flight school. Not too many people can say that. Also remember in military medicine your future specialty is also at the "needs of the Navy." Just because you may have desire to be a Orthopedic Surgeon, doesn't mean that is what the Navy needs. You put a list of what you want to do and the Navy matches that up to what they need, its sort of like a mini 'service assignment' for doctors.
 
You might also explore going NROTC at a civilian college. That way you can go pre-med and still be commissioned an officer when you graduate.
 
USNA is for those that want to serve our country and be a part of the Navy. If that is not your intention and only medicine and dentistry is USNA is not for you. It's also not fair to those that want to attend USNA because they want to serve this country. There are tons of universities that you can attend that will help you reach your career goal. Also only 12 mids last year were accepted for med school out of 1200. You have to be the best of the best.


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USNA is for those that want to serve our country and be a part of the Navy. If that is not your intention and only medicine and dentistry is USNA is not for you. It's also not fair to those that want to attend USNA because they want to serve this country. There are tons of universities that you can attend that will help you reach your career goal. Also only 12 mids last year were accepted for med school out of 1200. You have to be the best of the best.


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Yes, you have to be the best of the best, but not all 1200 (1000 by graduation) want to go to medical school. What NavyHoops said is great advice--plus the Navy also needs great doctors and they are serving our sailors and our country.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone.
You might also explore going NROTC at a civilian college. That way you can go pre-med and still be commissioned an officer when you graduate.
I received word yesterday that I received a NROTC Scholarships to the University of Wisconsin, and I am also considering this offer.
USNA is for those that want to serve our country and be a part of the Navy. If that is not your intention and only medicine and dentistry is USNA is not for you. It's also not fair to those that want to attend USNA because they want to serve this country. There are tons of universities that you can attend that will help you reach your career goal. Also only 12 mids last year were accepted for med school out of 1200. You have to be the best of the best.
I do want to serve my country, and I do want to be part of the Navy. The main reasons I am interested in dentistry/medicine is that I feel these would be great uses of my skills. That is not to say that I couldn't see myself majoring in something such as naval architecture, and serving my country as a SWO, aviator or any other path. At this point in time (as a 16 year old) I don't know exactly what I want to do in life, but I do know that I would love to serve my country in some way, regardless of what path USNA sends me down.
 
It sounds like you are a very mature and thoughtful 16 year old. I am sure you will be a success at anything.
 
So as a 16 year old, how is it that you are a member of the class of 2019 when:
Basic Requirements for Eligibility:

  • United States citizen:
  • Good moral character;
  • At least 17 and.....
Do you mean entering in 2019 or graduating in 2019?
Does USNA give age waivers?
 
The eligibility requirement is to be 17 by July 1 - not at the time of appointment.
 
I do want to serve my country, and I do want to be part of the Navy. The main reasons I am interested in dentistry/medicine is that I feel these would be great uses of my skills. That is not to say that I couldn't see myself majoring in something such as naval architecture, and serving my country as a SWO, aviator or any other path. At this point in time (as a 16 year old) I don't know exactly what I want to do in life, but I do know that I would love to serve my country in some way, regardless of what path USNA sends me down.

There you go. You are actually at the point many of my class are at right about now. Most of us have specific career goals in mind, but would ultimately be fine in any community. Many of us desire competitive communities (nuke, pilot, IDC, SEAL, EOD) but recognize that we may just get SWO or NFO per needs of the Navy. Some have already given up the dream (botched SEAL screener, not the right sitting height for pilot, QPR just not getting up there), but they get comfortable with other options instead.

Some doubt and apprehension is fine. All you need is the desire to lead and serve Sailors and Marines. If you have that desire, you will do well.

Even if you have specific career goals in mind now, they might change. I've seen a prior Marine go SWO. You will be well educated about the Navy and Marine Corps before 2 for 7 signing, and there are many opportunities out there.
 
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So as a 16 year old, how is it that you are a member of the class of 2019 when:
Basic Requirements for Eligibility:

  • United States citizen:
  • Good moral character;
  • At least 17 and.....
Do you mean entering in 2019 or graduating in 2019?
Does USNA give age waivers?
I will be turning seventeen before the July 1st cut-off date, so I will hopefully be joining the brigade with the class of 2019.

There you go. You are actually at the point many of my class are at right about now. Most of us have specific career goals in mind, but would ultimately be fine in any community. Many of us desire competitive communities (nuke, pilot, IDC, SEAL, EOD) but recognize that we may just get SWO or NFO per needs of the Navy. Some have already given up the dream (botched SEAL screener, not the right sitting height for pilot, QPR just not getting up there), but they get comfortable with other options instead.

Some doubt and apprehension is fine. All you need is the desire to lead and serve Sailors and Marines. If you have that desire, you will do well.

Even if you have specific career goals in mind now, they might change. I've seen a prior Marine go SWO. You will be well educated about the Navy and Marine Corps before 2 for 7 signing, and there are many opportunities out there.
Thank you for this information.
 
GKE,
My apologies, I did not see the by July date and wish you all the best.
MJP
 
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