NROTC to Med school

Ew3081

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Jul 16, 2018
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Good morning all,

Recently I have been pretty certain that I wanna go to medical school. I’m currently a 4/C in my NROTC program so I have no obligation until next year. NROTC has so far been great. NSI was rewarding, I love Thursday drill, and overall it’s been awesome and I really wanna stay in the program. I was originally a chem major wanting to go Subs but I’ve been up at night thinking what am I going to do when I get out. I have recently turned to the idea of going to medical school has the best career for me. I have no intention as of right now to make the navy my career. So my question is can you go to medical school for NROTC? What would you suggest for someone who wants to be a doctor? Am I not in the right program? I really don’t wanna drop because I enjoy it so much so I’m hoping deep down there is a way. I just seriously worry about what the hell I’m going to do with a chem degree after 5 years on a sub.
 
Good morning all,

Recently I have been pretty certain that I wanna go to medical school. I’m currently a 4/C in my NROTC program so I have no obligation until next year. NROTC has so far been great. NSI was rewarding, I love Thursday drill, and overall it’s been awesome and I really wanna stay in the program. I was originally a chem major wanting to go Subs but I’ve been up at night thinking what am I going to do when I get out. I have recently turned to the idea of going to medical school has the best career for me. I have no intention as of right now to make the navy my career. So my question is can you go to medical school for NROTC? What would you suggest for someone who wants to be a doctor? Am I not in the right program? I really don’t wanna drop because I enjoy it so much so I’m hoping deep down there is a way. I just seriously worry about what the hell I’m going to do with a chem degree after 5 years on a sub.

If you’re in NROTC and want to go directly to medical school, then you are definitely in the wrong program.

NROTC allows zero mids to go to medical school upon graduation from college. They have allowed in the past and may in the future, but not now.

If you really don’t want to serve in the unrestricted line, then you need to drop NROTC.

Serving your obligated time in the USN after NROTC as an officer before going to medical school is not a bad plan. Many doctors have done it.
 
If you’re in NROTC and want to go directly to medical school, then you are definitely in the wrong program.

NROTC allows zero mids to go to medical school upon graduation from college. They have allowed in the past and may in the future, but not now.

If you really don’t want to serve in the unrestricted line, then you need to drop NROTC.

Serving your obligated time in the USN after NROTC as an officer before going to medical school is not a bad plan. Many doctors have done it.

/end thread.
 
My husband started college back in 1986 with an NROTC scholarship. He DOR’d after Freshman year. Came from several generations of Naval
Officers and was blindly following that path. Continued his sophomore year and was just lost. Dropped out. He ended up enlisting into the Navy, went to DLI and learned Russian. Years later, went BACK to his original university. Changed major from Chem to Russian Literature—-ended up graduating with a BA in Russian Lit and Spanish. Took the MCAT after graduation. Scored very well.
I cannot tell you how important it was that he was diverse during the medical school interviews. It came up at every interview that he’d been in the Navy and spoke Russian. Medical schools love diverse applicants. He was one of the oldest graduates in his class. But he was also so experienced. He’s been happily practicing medicine for a long time. More than one path to get where you want to be.
 
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I am in a similar boat but in a different line. For me, I've come to the realization that JAG seems like more of a career for me but I'm also a 4/c in NROTC. Still trying to figure out what my path should be right now.
 
I am in a similar boat but in a different line. For me, I've come to the realization that JAG seems like more of a career for me but I'm also a 4/c in NROTC. Still trying to figure out what my path should be right now.

There have been several threads about the JAG path over the years. There is not one, to the best of my knowledge, that goes directly from NROTC to Law school and JAG. NROTC produces unrestricted line officers (URL) for warfare communities. The JAG Corps is a staff corps.

Most Navy JAGs come via the direct commission route from a civilian undergraduate school and then law school. No ROTC, OCS or USNA. They go to another post-law school officer indoc course and then JAG.

From active duty, you can commission as a line officer, excel, and apply for the handful (truly, it is a handful) of highly sought after Law Education Program (LEP) slots available. The Navy sends you to law school (you have to get in), and after graduation, you are transferred into JAG Corps. You have to know you’ll be content to continue to serve as a URL officer if you don’t get selected during the couple of years you are eligible to apply. This program cherry picks top performers.

You can commission, complete your obligated service time for ROTC and the extra time for your post-9/11 GI Bill, use it for law school, apply to come back in as a JAG, but no guarantees there. That’s the long path.


 
I just seriously worry about what the hell I’m going to do with a chem degree after 5 years on a sub.
The answer is almost anything you want. I have peers/shipmates who have gone into finance, tech, civilian nuclear energy, defense contracting, and consulting. Many UMO's (Undersea Medical Officers) in the navy are prior submarine JOs. As a nuclear trained officer you will get contacted by multiple headhunting groups (Lucas Group being the most popular) that have an array of opportunities.

The experience you will gain in your 5 years on a boat sets you apart for your second career. Companies and higher educational institutions are looking for people with broad experiences, leadership skills, and your veteran status is a plus. In today's workforce, changing jobs every few years is the norm; you are not signing your life away by staying with the program.
 
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