Medical Opportunities after KP

tlbreen1

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Oct 15, 2018
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I am currently a midshipman at usmma going for a deck degree. I was wondering if there are any alumni who gone into the medical field who could give me information. I've had a few alumni talk to me about their experience with sailing and then doing their pre-med with a post bacc program and then going to med school. I'm really intrested in what the Navy Medical Corps, Army Medical Corps, and US Public Health Service has to offer.
 
I am currently a midshipman at usmma going for a deck degree. I was wondering if there are any alumni who gone into the medical field who could give me information. I've had a few alumni talk to me about their experience with sailing and then doing their pre-med with a post bacc program and then going to med school. I'm really intrested in what the Navy Medical Corps, Army Medical Corps, and US Public Health Service has to offer.

If you want to be a doctor and you haven't started your 2nd Class year, quit KP. It's as simple as that. I see what people complaining about not getting admitted are talking about now. Someone who wanted to be a deck officer or engineering officer could have attended in your place.
 
If you want to be a doctor and you haven't started your 2nd Class year, quit KP. It's as simple as that. I see what people complaining about not getting admitted are talking about now. Someone who wanted to be a deck officer or engineering officer could have attended in your place.
I want to sail on my license I just don't want to do it forever. God forbid I ask about options at a military service academy.
 
Disregard Mr2020 AKA MrNegative. I know there are a couple of KP alumni on this forum who went the medical school route. Hopefully they will see your post. For example, as I recall, @kp2001 went to dental school after USMMA. You might try a pm to him. Good luck!
Thank you!
 
I want to sail on my license I just don't want to do it forever. God forbid I ask about options at a military service academy.

You don't go to a military service academy. You go to a service academy/maritime academy. And I doubt you should disregard the advice of a graduate and take advice from a non-graduate.
 
I am currently a midshipman at usmma going for a deck degree. I was wondering if there are any alumni who gone into the medical field who could give me information. I've had a few alumni talk to me about their experience with sailing and then doing their pre-med with a post bacc program and then going to med school. I'm really intrested in what the Navy Medical Corps, Army Medical Corps, and US Public Health Service has to offer.

@kp2001 is someone to connect with. He graduated KP and then went on to get a medical degree.He is a great source of information and will be able to tell you the path he took. Go for it!
 
The question if someone leaves the Academy shortly after arriving is cheating someone who was qualified but rejected. This has been discussed on SAF at length and opinions range from yes to no. Not going there. Going AD rather than sailing is openly expressed as an option from the get go. Thus, that is not "cheating." I can, however, speak to medicine. First, can a KP graduate, commissioned as an Ensign, apply to the Uniform Services Medical School, competing against USNA grads; you had better be a whole lot smarter than me. Don't know but I doubt it. Ask the naval advisor . But starting medical school at 26 and finishing training in the mid 30's is not so unusual any more. Sail, live a bit, study for MedCATS, get some prerequisite courses, save some money. On other threads I have said KPers enter many fields, so why not medicine. Changing' one's direction in life is OK. I have also said "Follow your dream."
 
Thank you @azmilmom as usual your memory is better than mine. Don't know why I was thinking dental instead of medical. Anyway, I think I remember @kp2001 writing once how he had to take a couple additional classes after KP in order to take the MCAT and get into medical school, but it is definitely doable.
 
Disregard Mr2020 AKA MrNegative. I know there are a couple of KP alumni on this forum who went the medical school route. Hopefully they will see your post. For example, as I recall, @kp2001 went to dental school after USMMA. You might try a pm to him. Good luck!
kp2001 is actually an active duty Navy ophthalmologist.. I believe he said in one of his posts that he sailed commercially for two or three years before he entered USUHS.
 
I am curious what % of graduates stay in the Maritime industry beyond the minimum required. Anecdotally ... I am willing to bet it's less than 50% at the 10 year mark.

Going in I intended to sail for a career but ended up far short of it. 23 years later I am still in the industry, internationally recognized in my niche of the industry, and couldn't be happier where I ended up. Should I have not gone to KP because life took me in a different direction than to sea? How many going to KP planned on something different and ended up sailing for 20 years, should they have gone elsewhere?

My view is that the rules are not my rules so it's not my job to be an internet enforcer of a standard that doesn't exist. As a taxpayer, I want everyone to live up to their side of the bargain they make with MARAD. Beyond that ... have a good life and welcome to the KP club brother/sister.

To the OP ... in your position I would spend as much time at sea as I could for a few years, live cheap and hoard your money, then pay cash for med school.
 
I am curious what % of graduates stay in the Maritime industry beyond the minimum required. Anecdotally ... I am willing to bet it's less than 50% at the 10 year mark.

Going in I intended to sail for a career but ended up far short of it. 23 years later I am still in the industry, internationally recognized in my niche of the industry, and couldn't be happier where I ended up. Should I have not gone to KP because life took me in a different direction than to sea? How many going to KP planned on something different and ended up sailing for 20 years, should they have gone elsewhere?

My view is that the rules are not my rules so it's not my job to be an internet enforcer of a standard that doesn't exist. As a taxpayer, I want everyone to live up to their side of the bargain they make with MARAD. Beyond that ... have a good life and welcome to the KP club brother/sister.

To the OP ... in your position I would spend as much time at sea as I could for a few years, live cheap and hoard your money, then pay cash for med school.
Very good advice here ^^^^
 
To the OP. Yes. You can go med school through the Navy after KP. Please do a search on this forum. There are plenty of discussions as to how.
 
Should I have not gone to KP because life took me in a different direction than to sea? How many going to KP planned on something different and ended up sailing for 20 years, should they have gone elsewhere?

Were you at KP as a midshipman, sounds like a freshman or sophomore, thinking about your next career path? My point wasn't not to pivot out of the maritime industry when it makes sense for you and you've done your time. I don't have a beef with all of the people who got waivers from MARAD to not sail on their license or serve on AD for a single day. But, to be thinking about your next career in a completely different sector as an underclass at KP? not gonna end well. Say what you like. The answer to that situation is to quit. I know several who did as freshmen, and they made the right call.
 
To the OP ... in your position I would spend as much time at sea as I could for a few years, live cheap and hoard your money, then pay cash for med school.

A lot of people say this. But I think it's not the best advice. hypothetical: I want to go to NYU law school, 3 year program. My expenses will be 100k a year, 300k in expenses. Currently sailing deepsea 100k is gross pay and after taxes i'd be lucky to put 60 in the bank with no expenses. It would take 5 years of work to save enough to cover it, just to burn all that cash in the next 3.

Instead I go active duty for 5 years, pick up my post 9-11 GI bill. NYU law is a yellow ribbon program which will match the VA to cover my entire tuition bill, and I get the E-5 BAH for living in NYC. And instead of working on a tanker, I have a more comfortable life collecting BAH and AD pay.
 
A lot of people say this. But I think it's not the best advice. hypothetical: I want to go to NYU law school, 3 year program. My expenses will be 100k a year, 300k in expenses. Currently sailing deepsea 100k is gross pay and after taxes i'd be lucky to put 60 in the bank with no expenses. It would take 5 years of work to save enough to cover it, just to burn all that cash in the next 3.

Instead I go active duty for 5 years, pick up my post 9-11 GI bill. NYU law is a yellow ribbon program which will match the VA to cover my entire tuition bill, and I get the E-5 BAH for living in NYC. And instead of working on a tanker, I have a more comfortable life collecting BAH and AD pay.


May I add to your hypothetical above for the post 9/11 GI scenario?

Anyone considering this path should be clear on whether USMMA is included in the eligibility of service academy graduates. The link I include below just notes service academy graduates’ 5 service obligation AD years do not count toward the education benefit, without naming them. I know it is true for USMA, USNA, USAFA and USCGA, those grads have to do an additional 36 months AD to get 100% of the educational benefit. I do not know if this applies to USMMA. Otherwise, that’s a great path for AD after KP, making good use of the Post 9/12 GI Bill.

 
Anyone considering this path should be clear on whether USMMA is included in the eligibility of service academy graduates. The link I include below just notes service academy graduates’ 5 service obligation AD years do not count toward the education benefit, without naming them. I know it is true for USMA, USNA, USAFA and USCGA, those grads have to do an additional 36 months AD to get 100% of the educational benefit. I do not know if this applies to USMMA. Otherwise, that’s a great path for AD after KP, making good use of the Post 9/12 GI Bill.

USMMA isn't included. After 3 years AD in the reserve unit you get the full (100%) of the post 9/11 GI bill. If you complete 90 days of AD you get 40%. We went over this exact question in Navy science class.
 
The answer to that situation is to quit. I know several who did as freshmen, and they made the right call.
The answer to that depends on the person.

Instead I go active duty for 5 years, pick up my post 9-11 GI bill. NYU law is a yellow ribbon program which will match the VA to cover my entire tuition bill, and I get the E-5 BAH for living in NYC. And instead of working on a tanker, I have a more comfortable life collecting BAH and AD pay.
Sure, more than one way to skin a cat.
 
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