to be doctors or as what?
Will the Navy sent them to
http://www.usuhs.mil/ or any medical school?
Basically, the midshipmen selected for the Medical Corps by the Naval Academy's Medical Selection Board are qualified for
two military scholarships. One is
USUHS (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences) which is located in Bethesda, MD. This is the pure military route. While going through medical school, these students are Ensigns on full military pay and benefits. Their commitment (in addition to the five they owe for attending USNA) is
seven years. Therefore, their total service obligation is 12 years. The clock for this commitment doesn't start ticking until
after they finish their residency.
Then there is
HPSP (Health Professions Scholarship Program). Their medical education is at a civilian university. These students get a $20,000 bonus upon graduation and are immediately released from all military duty and obligations. They do not get military pay or benefits. All their medical school tuition, books and equipment is paid for and they are given a monthly stipend. (currently $2157.30). Their commitment (in addition to the five they owe for attending USNA) is
four years. Therefore, their total service obligation is 9 years. [Note: HPSP students are on full military pay and benefits for 6 weeks of each year during medical school. Plus, on occasion, they get "uniform allowances" thrown into their pay.]
Of course, in both cases, whether going the USUHS or HPSP route, they must get accepted into the medical school just as all those seeking a medical education must do. I don't think USUHS has ever turned down an academy graduate (there is probably an exception out there) but the civilian colleges certainly do.
The midshipmen who are selected into the Medical Corps can go to any medical school to which they've been accepted.
Upon graduation from medical school, they will automatically be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant (O-3).
There is no minimum quota for the Medical Corps. There is a
maximum limit, however. If nobody applies to the program, the academy will send
zero into the Medical Corps. This is in great contrast to the other communities. For instance, if the submarine community needs 135 midshipmen from the academy and only 127 have preferenced it - they
will get the additional 8 midshipmen to enter that program, one way or the other.
Recent history indicates the academy (actually the Navy) seems to have established a limit of 10 for the Medical Corps. They have sent less. However, I noticed that they sent 12 with the class of 2014 indicating that there is
some flexibility if the applicants are particularly outstanding.
By the way, both USMA and USAFA send
double the number into the medical field as USNA. If you want to attend a service academy
and be a military doctor, the Naval Academy is the route that affords an aspiring doctor the
lowest odds of achieving this.