How to Become a Doctor in the Military
Many people spend their childhood and adolescence dreaming of becoming a doctor, only to find that a medical education is financially beyond their reach. The U.S. military has several programs that can help you, if you're eligible, to achieve your goals without worrying about the finances. Qualified participants are given full tuition, monthly stipends and compensation for books and supplies, in exchange for military service.
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Instructions
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Join the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). If you are still in high school, you may qualify for a university scholarship. If you are already in college, contact your local ROTC representative and speak to him about joining. Generally speaking, in exchange for every year of military-funded education you receive, you give one year of service.
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Enroll in university military science and leadership courses in addition to the coursework required for medical school. Medical schools require that you have completed 1 year of biology with a lab, 1 year of general chemistry with a lab, 1 year of organic chemistry with a lab, and 1 semester of college-level calculus. Additionally, course work in supporting subjects such as genetics, biochemistry and physics can strengthen your application.
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Maintain a grade point average of 3.5 or better. Retake coursework and hire tutors if necessary. You will not be accepted into medical school with mediocre grades.
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Take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). The MCAT is a multiple-choice, daylong, standardized exam that is used to determine whether a student will perform well in medical school. The test is divided into four basic categories: general chemistry and biology, physical science, verbal reasoning and reading comprehension, and includes two written essay responses. Your score on this test is crucial. Most pre-med students begin preparing for the test at least 2 months before the actual test date.
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Apply to military medical school, the Uniformed Services University (USU; see Resources). The process is lengthy, and you should begin the application process in June the year before you would begin school. If you are not accepted, you can still apply to a local M.D. program and become a military doctor via the Health Professions Scholarship Program, but attending a military school simplifies the process.
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Attend medical school. Upon completion of your program, you will be required to take a commission in the U.S. Armed Forces. If you do not complete your program, the military gives you additional training for an alternative career that would make the most of the education you have received.
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Tips & Warnings
When applying to medical school, do not underestimate the value of your essay. In a stack of applications, where everyone has outstanding academic performance, the essay may be the only way of standing out among the crowd. If you have a singular weak academic subject, USU offers potential candidates who otherwise demonstrate promise (good MCAT scores, strong letters of recommendation, and so on) a postbaccalaureate program targeted at improving specific areas of inadequacy.
Even if you do not complete your academic program, you may still be obligated to serve in the armed forces.
