Aglahad said:Off topic but this is what happens when you are an unemployed stress out 2LT hoping for someone to give him/her a shot at med school. It sort of relates to the OP because most of these guys can't see themselves doing anything besides medicine and they have worked 4 years for this shot ROTC and academia wise. However, reality might dictate another path not really desired but necessary in order for them to serve their years.
Right, I was typing that into my original post edit while you were typing yours. Whether a person like patesq's son doesn't end up applying ED b/c they know they can't get into Med School with their stats, or gets ED MC granted, but doesn't get into Med School, the end result is that there is some probability that both won't happen together... is that 30%, 50%? 80%? whatever it is, it has to be factored into the risk/reward equation at the outset, b/c is patesq's son isn't hot on Infantry, or Transportaion, or any other form of Active Duty service within the 16 available branches, then patesq's son needs to face that risk and assess it now, rather than later.Everyone of my pre-med buddies got their ed delay but that really isn't the overarching issue. A few of those army ed delays I know are sitting twiddling their thumbs because they did NOT get into med school this cycle. ... reality might dictate another path not really desired but necessary in order for them to serve their years.
Ok, I know I'm going way off topic here but I have a question.
Tuition at John Hopkins is in the neighborhood of $200,000. Expensive neighborhood.
I can't even imagine what tuition would be if someone took a 7 to 8 year ED and spent those years in school.
I am not up on all the in's and out's of the current student loan climate, neither son has had any so were out of the loop on that. Once they finish the Med/PHD and I would imagine since they can not afford the tuition at JH they can't afford the tuition for the other. How long after they complete school would the payments for these student loans start, I would imagine that payment would eat a big chunk of a new officers pay. I understand there is a SLRP that can pay for student loans but again I can't imagine they would pay the entire amount. Even with what they do pay there is an extra obligation due the Army, how may years would that tack on.
I hope the OP understands that even if they do get the ED, tuition is on the students dime, not the Army's
Sorry to derail the conversation, I just started adding up the costs in my head and got dizzy.
what exactly is SLRP, and how does that relate to patesq assessing the risk and reward of using an ROTC scholarship for Hopkins?
I assume you mean that Med/PHd school will cost, say $200k (the PhD part is probably fully funded, so no tuition involved), and that at O-3 pay after the Med/PhD program it would be hard to pay back that $200k. I also infer that perhaps the Department of Defense will relieve some of that loan in exchange for serving as an Army Physician using "SLRP"? Finally, does SLRP apply to a cadet who goes ED for Med School?
Many research oriented PhD programs are fully funded... the student pays no tuition. As to why Hopkins would do that with an MD/PhD program, I don't know, but here is what the Hopkins website says:why would the PHD be fully funded and by whom.
SLRP- Student Loan Repayment Plan, Aglahad is pretty close with his cost estimates.
This has nothing to do with the risk of getting a scholarship, it's just that if they can't afford that tuition how does he expect to pay the rest of it.
If the kid wants to stay on the same pattern of high end schools, @200k would be cheap for med school, and why would the PHD be fully funded and by whom.
I'm sure the Army will pay for some of the cost but at how many years and would that new officer be willing to put in that extra time, which would not be just a couple years.
Even if he was able to use the SLRP for partial med school the outstanding loans would be significant, Military pay is not private practice pay, the loans could take a while considering the extra obligation required by the Army to even take advantage of any repayment.
To me, this would add to the risk of debt vs reward.
OMG, poor patesq, my cranium is hurting now trying to figure out the system!
dunninla said:27k+ per year Stipend, which would cover full living expenses for a family of four.
I've been following this thread with quite a bit of amusement.
Now that everyone has figured out that the MD/Phd program is NOT being funded by Uncle Sam, the question returns to how to get a LONGER deferment on his ROTC payback time.
The problem here is that I don't believe there is a program currently available to allow a ROTC candidate to pursue a PhD in anything. There are various health sciences (MD DO etc) degrees that are paid for by the military that have specific program lengths. Fact is that most PhD programs do not have a proscribed duration - it is done when the thesis is done. I think that would be why you won't find a specific program for this particular type of degree.
I am also betting that there are fewer that 20 such doctors (with the PhD) in the Army today. I would bet that most of them had their degrees coming in. The few who may have acquired their PhD while in the military probably did time as a surgeon before going back to get the PhD.
My short guess is that since this is such a rare situation, there is no "program" to apply to. If the Army wants one of their budding surgeons to develop skills to work on a new generation of prosthetics, they will probably have that person serve his/her tour at that institution with the full knowledge that s/he is working on a specific project (development of the prosthetic) with the PhD being a side benefit.
I am surprised that our resident flight surgeon hasn't chimed in. Must be on vacation???
patesq,
Non-Ducor,
There is a great program that you can get your Masters and PhD through the AF for non-medical. Highly competitive is saying the least. RAND offers it. It is is 3 yrs. Christcorps DS and Hornet are both in the program. Both are AFA grads. They can help you regarding the process.
patesq,
Just curious, what kind of Program is that where they combine the Master's and Doctorate programs into one? 7-8 years, is that counting a residency or something because I had always been told it was 2 years for a Masters and 4 for a PhD. Is this only meant for students going the pre-med route? If not then I might be interested. I also want to continue my education on the doctorate level, only in Nuclear Engineering (attending Ga Tech this year actually), but know that I could only realistically expect to receive an ED for my masters, if that. I'm ok with having to complete my graduate work later on, however, I'd rather get the majority of my education out of the way all at once if there is an opportunity to that is reasonably attainable and if the pros outweigh the the time commitment attached to them. Don't get me wrong, I desperately want to be a part of the military and am more than willing to do my time plus a few years, but I don't feel I'm not prepared to take on something that would likely prevent me from getting a job in my desired field outside of the military until I'm in my mid 40s (If I end up making a career out of the military then I want it to be cause I want to and not because I'm contractually obligated there for another 10 years or so). If that is the case then it would be better to just go to school while serving my time. But I'd like to at least hear about this program if you would be willing to oblige me.