There are threads upon threads about the medical school path via DoD SA each year. Your son should browse them as he thinks through his decision. It can be easier to find them if he does a targeted search using Google or similar:
Site:
www.serviceacademyforums.com medical school doctor programs
Some common nuggets:
- Army, Navy and Air Force get the vast majority of their Medical Corps officers from direct commissioning programs. That is civilian college and medical school, often with the generous HPSP med school scholarship. Not the SAs or NROTC, whose job it is to produce warfare officers.
- Only a small handful of SA grads go the med school path. It is narrow, extraordinarily competitive, and difficult. USNA, for example, does not really have a pre-med major, and mids must often give up summer leave to accomplish things needed to be competitive. USNA has a quota - usually about 13-15 each year, dependent on class size. They have a description of the program on USNA.edu. They can be any major as long as they meet med school requirements, score well on the MCAT, and excel in leadership and military performance as well as academics. There is no guarantee for that path.
- For USNA, and I am fairly sure for the other DoD SAs, the active duty service obligation is years and years. There is the 5 year payback for the SA, payback for the 4 years of med school, payback for residency years, AND the clock does not start until after residency. That is a rough description. SA gads who go this path will be in uniform quite some time, so they have to really, really want it as a military career. These mids and cadets get throughly briefed and mentored. Usually there are several dozen who start out in the interest group, but it quickly drops down to 20 or so.
- Another option is attending USUHS, the military medical school on the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center campus, either from undergrad, SA or ROTC. All are commissioned officers in the program.
- For all the SAs, the prudent cadet or mid thoroughly researches all available career fields for officers out of each SA, as well as the culture and mission, to see what appeals. The true decision your son needs to make is what service is his best fit, and are there officer specialties he could see himself doing if he changes his mind about becoming a doctor or is not selected.
- All the SAs offer briefings on various specialties, exposure to officers from that community, summer training opportunities to see it up close.
- No matter what, he must be prepared to lead people into harm’s way for at least 5+ years. It’s time for him to make his decision after a careful comparative analysis. The SA is a way station to the real goal of living and working as a military officer for at least 5+ years.
