Become a Physician w/ ROTC?

dlee96

5-Year Member
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Apr 11, 2012
Messages
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Hello all, I've been looking into becoming a physician/doctor (senior in HS this fall, applying to academies/ROTC right now)

I've looked at the requirements for MD school and have looked into HSPS and the USHUHS programs.

However, I am concerned about my undergrad major. Does anyone have experience here?

I want to go into a field (medical/science related) that fulfills the class requirements for MD/grad school. Any suggestions?

Also, does anyone know the workload involved with ROTC? I have heard it's incredibly tough at some schools, easy at others, etc.

It's a lot of questions, but please I ask that you help me here. Thanks :thumb::thumb:
 
I'm just going off the advice I've gotten from my internships, but major in whatever you like as long as you still have room to fit in the pre-reqs for med school. Most people go pre-med because it's just easier, but a lot of people still apply to med school majoring in computer science, nursing, music, biology, etc.

As for ROTC, I'm not starting till the fall, so I can't really provide advice there.
 
What branch? Army, Navy, AF? Different worlds
 
Well frst, you can't major in "Pre-med", you get on a pre-med track with whatever your major is.

Of course most people wanting to go to med school major in Biology or chemistry, but you can major in anything you enjoy because med schools look at your overall GPA, your MCAT scores, and your GPA in their prerequisites. So major in anything and just take those pre-reqs.

Highly suggest you check out the Student Doctor Network forums and ask this question.
 
Major choice doesn't matter and actually a non-science major could be more beneficial. The only downside to a non-science is you really have to make it count with science pre reqs to show the admissions board you can handle med school.

You can be a MD or DO in the Army so look into both. Most Army docs never did ROTC if that tells you anything.

Get into med school and we can talk about hpsp
 
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@V1ViD
Thanks for the input, appreciate it

@Pima
Potentially all three, because I am applying to all three branches ROTC and I don't know how things will turn out.

@Strength and Honor
I will definitely check out SDN

@Aglahad
Ok, Army ROTC doens't look at major choice right?
 
No, they don't care about your major enough to have any substantial effect on whether you get the scholarship or not.

Just remember you're doing ROTC to serve for 8 years after. Most of the time they'll allow you to go to med school, but there's always a chance that they'll want you immediately.
 
There are actually "health sciences" majors that are essentially beefed up pre-med programs (more bio, chem, physics etc) but generally pre-med is not a major.

Eh, tread carefully into SDN it is a forum full of type-A 19-25 year old pre-med cutthroats (and haughty resident/attending physicians) who are nothing but arrogant and competitive. This forum is Barbie's play land (even with Scoutpilot) in comparison. :cool: There is a military subsection that is a bit more helpful but once again you will have direct commission HPSP 2LTs who think they know everything about the WHOLE Army, it's honestly laughable at times. AMEDD is not like the regular Army.

Also remember the Army has other medical jobs that aren't physicians, PAs, nurses etc...

MFA 71 LABORATORY SCIENCES
71A MICROBIOLOGY
71B BIOCHEMISTRY
71E CLINICAL LABORATORY
71F RESEARCH PSYCHOLOGY
72A NUCLEAR MEDICAL SCIENCE
72B ENTOMOLOGY
72C AUDIOLOGY
72D ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
72E SANITARY ENGINEER
 
There are actually "health sciences" majors that are essentially beefed up pre-med programs (more bio, chem, physics etc) but generally pre-med is not a major.

Eh, tread carefully into SDN it is a forum full of type-A 19-25 year old pre-med cutthroats (and haughty resident/attending physicians) who are nothing but arrogant and competitive. This forum is Barbie's play land (even with Scoutpilot) in comparison. :cool: There is a military subsection that is a bit more helpful but once again you will have direct commission HPSP 2LTs who think they know everything about the WHOLE Army, it's honestly laughable at times. AMEDD is not like the regular Army.

Also remember the Army has other medical jobs that aren't physicians, PAs, nurses etc...

MFA 71 LABORATORY SCIENCES
71A MICROBIOLOGY
71B BIOCHEMISTRY
71E CLINICAL LABORATORY
71F RESEARCH PSYCHOLOGY
72A NUCLEAR MEDICAL SCIENCE
72B ENTOMOLOGY
72C AUDIOLOGY
72D ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
72E SANITARY ENGINEER

I "mostly" concur. SDN is the blind leading the blind. The AMEDD is a foreign concept to people who aren't AMEDD (and sometimes people who are AMEDD). Many Army standards don't apply if you have the right specialty (which is sad, but its reality). I know you copied and pasted to give an example, but those AOCs are a terrible representation of the AMEDD (specifically MS). The 2LT DCs usually perpetuate the stereotype of the "ate up doc".

@OP: Do you want to be clinical, tactical, administrative? I've done all three. Each have their strengths and weaknesses. Of the list of AOCs provided, only one of those treat patients (sorta...). I've seen cadets go the ROTC route, not get picked up for HPSP, and get branched Chemical Corps. Always have a Plan B. Remember when you're talking about the Army funding 12ish years of higher education, the planets have to align. In case there's a hiccup, hopefully you can be happy with your Plan B career.


-Dr. G.
 
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Of the list of AOCs provided, only one of those treat patients (sorta...)

I actually went out of my way to find non-clinician medical/science roles because the OP listed he was interested in medical/SCIENCE fields as a result of MD/GRAD school. I do realize these AOCs are very very small but it was just to let him know that AMEDD isn't only the typical clinicians. My roommate is a 70B but I left out the usual MS AOCs just to give other examples.
 
I actually went out of my way to find non-clinician medical/science roles because the OP listed he was interested in medical/SCIENCE fields as a result of MD/GRAD school. I do realize these AOCs are very very small but it was just to let him know that AMEDD isn't only the typical clinicians. My roommate is a 70B but I left out the usual MS AOCs just to give other examples.

I commissioned as a 70B. Its a thankless job, but I thank God for the experience. Some of my best AND worst times were as a 70B. As a 1LT 70B, I was the ground MEDEVAC Officer for East Baghdad and Sadr City. A few months after I returned from deployment, I got a real AOC that required a little bit of talent (70D).

Good times...

Tell your roommate to stay away from 70H and 70K!
 
I commissioned as a 70B. Its a thankless job, but I thank God for the experience. Some of my best AND worst times were as a 70B. As a 1LT 70B, I was the ground MEDEVAC Officer for East Baghdad and Sadr City. A few months after I returned from deployment, I got a real AOC that required a little bit of talent (70D).

Good times...

Tell your roommate to stay away from 70H and 70K!

Sent you a PM
 
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