Rated (Pilot) Positions and Med School??

[PalmettoGuy]

Hey everyone,
I am going to be finishing up school in May, and up until this semester I was 99% sure I wanted to go for a UPT slot in the Air Force. However, I am currently taking a biology course and love it, so I am now also thinking about medical school. Does anyone know of any military programs that both allow you to go to med school and attend flight training?
Thanks

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[Monty Python]

Hey everyone,
I am going to be finishing up school in May, and up until this semester I was 99% sure I wanted to go for a UPT slot in the Air Force. However, I am currently taking a biology course and love it, so I am now also thinking about medical school. Does anyone know of any military programs that both allow you to go to med school and attend flight training?
Thanks

Doesn't mean that it doesn't exist somewhere, but I've never heard of it.

I do know of numerous pilots/RIOs/WSOs/etc who later went to med school and back on active duty as a physician. A few actually went back in the cockpit, carrying dual designators as pilots/physicians (not just flight surgeon). Interesting Geneva Conventions applications there.

 

[Heeed!]

Hey everyone,
I am going to be finishing up school in May, and up until this semester I was 99% sure I wanted to go for a UPT slot in the Air Force. However, I am currently taking a biology course and love it, so I am now also thinking about medical school. Does anyone know of any military programs that both allow you to go to med school and attend flight training?
Thanks

Good thing there's not much biology in medicine or I'd be in trouble

There's about zero chance of going to UPT after becoming a residency trained military doc. Your age will be a factor and there's not much benefit to the military in having you dual-qualified. You could do the flight doc thing, but that's not quite the same. The chances of becoming a doc after being and aviator are much greater, as many of us on this board can testify. Can I get a witness?!

 

[Spang]

Good thing there's not much biology in medicine or I'd be in trouble

There's about zero chance of going to UPT after becoming a residency trained military doc. Your age will be a factor and there's not much benefit to the military in having you dual-qualified. You could do the flight doc thing, but that's not quite the same. The chances of becoming a doc after being and aviator are much greater, as many of us on this board can testify. Can I get a witness?!

Amen.

PS: Sweet dickies.

 

[Heeed!]

 

[dpill]

Yes, the opportunity exists. You definitely have a better chance (maybe the only chance) by going to UPT first. Here is a link for more info on the pilot physician program: http://ci.afit.edu/cimj/pilot_program.asp

 

[MoosePilot]

Yes, the opportunity exists. You definitely have a better chance (maybe the only chance) by going to UPT first. Here is a link for more info on the pilot physician program: http://ci.afit.edu/cimj/pilot_program.asp

This happens on a timeline not palatable to many.

UPT = 1 year
Pilot commitment = 10 years these days
So you can go to med school 11 years after you start UPT if all goes well. Here I am 9 years later and I would never have planned it this way.

 

[jetproppilot]

Hey everyone,
I am going to be finishing up school in May, and up until this semester I was 99% sure I wanted to go for a UPT slot in the Air Force. However, I am currently taking a biology course and love it, so I am now also thinking about medical school. Does anyone know of any military programs that both allow you to go to med school and attend flight training?
Thanks

I came from an airline family...dad a 747 captain, mom a flight attendant...always wanted to fly...but instead took the MD route.
Got my pilots license after going into private practice, instrument, multi engine, etc
Am thankful for the opportunity to fly turboprops (PAY-1, BE200) frequent enough that my rich buddies who own/maintain these million-plus birds dont get the look too much when I'm in the left seat sliding down the ILS in the soup.

Had I followed my dads path, my career may be unstable/nonexistent now, with all the instability in the airline industry.

I went the MD route first, and flew second. And I'm pretty happy with it.

Although I still ponder what it wouldda been like flying inverted in an F-16 over St Louis sometimes...

 

[dpill]

This happens on a timeline not palatable to many.

UPT = 1 year
Pilot commitment = 10 years these days
So you can go to med school 11 years after you start UPT if all goes well. Here I am 9 years later and I would never have planned it this way.

The requirements to join the program are UPT then 3 years of operational flying plus one year as a flight surgeon- so I doubt many people would finish their UPT commitment, attend med school, then become a pilot-physician. I think the idea is that someone interested in the program would apply to be released from line after one operational tour, attend med school, then enter the program after a year as a flight doc (GMO). Being released from the line is not guaranteed, as you unfortunately know. But several people are in the program, so it has worked for some- the current Med GP/CC at Andrews is a pilot-physician (flew F-15s and went to TPS in England). I am sure whether or not you are released from the line at any given time depends a lot on the manning in your airframe (and current world events). Worst case- you’d better be prepared to fly until your commitment is up because nothing is guaranteed. With that being said, I know an Eagle Lt that was allowed to Palace Chase this year- he just joined the Va ANG. I have never heard of a Lt being allowed to Palace Chase before! Bottom line: this program is as uncertain as the rest of military medicine.

 

[PalmettoGuy]

Thanks for the replies ya'll,
So if I decided to go to UPT, serve my 10 years, after which I get the AF to pay for me to go to Medical school, would the 4 years I spent in medical school count towards my 20 years in the AF for retirement?
Thanks

 

[Heeed!]

Thanks for the replies ya'll,
So if I decided to go to UPT, serve my 10 years, after which I get the AF to pay for me to go to Medical school, would the 4 years I spent in medical school count towards my 20 years in the AF for retirement?
Thanks

Not unless you go to USUHS...and even then, you still need to do the 20 but you'll retire w/ 24 yrs.

 

[jetproppilot]

Not unless you go to USUHS...and even then, you still need to do the 20 but you'll retire w/ 24 yrs.

Coming from an envious civilian pilot, what kinda hardware are you guys (Heeed, etc) flying?

What makes a military pilot flying jets wanna quit and start another career?

My dad loved flying so much he kinda died emotionally when he was forced to retire at 60. That was the airlines, though.

Would be very interested in your comments.

thanx!

 

[MoosePilot]

The requirements to join the program are UPT then 3 years of operational flying plus one year as a flight surgeon- so I doubt many people would finish their UPT commitment, attend med school, then become a pilot-physician. I think the idea is that someone interested in the program would apply to be released from line after one operational tour, attend med school, then enter the program after a year as a flight doc (GMO). Being released from the line is not guaranteed, as you unfortunately know. But several people are in the program, so it has worked for some- the current Med GP/CC at Andrews is a pilot-physician (flew F-15s and went to TPS in England). I am sure whether or not you are released from the line at any given time depends a lot on the manning in your airframe (and current world events). Worst case- you’d better be prepared to fly until your commitment is up because nothing is guaranteed. With that being said, I know an Eagle Lt that was allowed to Palace Chase this year- he just joined the Va ANG. I have never heard of a Lt being allowed to Palace Chase before! Bottom line: this program is as uncertain as the rest of military medicine.

I can only go by my experience, which was that there was no way there were going to let me go prior to my commitment was up. If I'd had a medical problem that left me commissionable but not qualified to fly, that might have helped, but otherwise there was no way.

As for the F-15 pilot, they realized that Eagle pilots are worthless?

 

[MoosePilot]

Coming from an envious civilian pilot, what kinda hardware are you guys (Heeed, etc) flying?

What makes a military pilot flying jets wanna quit and start another career?

My dad loved flying so much he kinda died emotionally when he was forced to retire at 60. That was the airlines, though.

Would be very interested in your comments.

thanx!

I fly C-17s. The ops tempo is ridiculous, which means too much time away from home. There is no such thing as support. The Air Force knows that pilots can shoulder a huge burden, so they cut our support whenever they need to cut costs. Now we do our own travel vouchers for any CONUS trip, relieving stress on finance and putting it squarely on our shoulders. Everything is more with less. There is no job security on the outside, so after all this crap from the military, there's no prospects that I'm willing to risk on the outside. No, thanks. They can keep idiotic young people filling cockpits as far as I'm concerned (and only the ones I can't talk to or who don't listen when I tell them to run very fast away from UPT).

 

[jetproppilot]

I fly C-17s. The ops tempo is ridiculous, which means too much time away from home. There is no such thing as support. The Air Force knows that pilots can shoulder a huge burden, so they cut our support whenever they need to cut costs. Now we do our own travel vouchers for any CONUS trip, relieving stress on finance and putting it squarely on our shoulders. Everything is more with less. There is no job security on the outside, so after all this crap from the military, there's no prospects that I'm willing to risk on the outside. No, thanks. They can keep idiotic young people filling cockpits as far as I'm concerned (and only the ones I can't talk to or who don't listen when I tell them to run very fast away from UPT).

geez. With the cost so high to train aviators, and the job security nonexistent with the airlines, seems like the military would take advantage of the airline unattractiveness and up the ante a little, making it attractive for you guys to stay in...

 

[dpill]

I can only go by my experience, which was that there was no way there were going to let me go prior to my commitment was up. If I'd had a medical problem that left me commissionable but not qualified to fly, that might have helped, but otherwise there was no way.

As for the F-15 pilot, they realized that Eagle pilots are worthless?

I knew you were in that situation- you guys probably have it worse than any other airframe right now. My friends in the C-17 Reserves have all been activated the max time allowable by law. Can't imagine that it is going to get better, either. Good news ahead... I have more quality time at home now (in med school) than I ever had on active duty. So you will really appreciate the change!

 

[MoosePilot]

geez. With the cost so high to train aviators, and the job security nonexistent with the airlines, seems like the military would take advantage of the airline unattractiveness and up the ante a little, making it attractive for you guys to stay in...

I think they're counting on the airline hiring situation to make it "impossible" for us to get out. They didn't consider the fact that if you can be a successful military pilot, you can do anything. Many of my peers are getting out to continue successful businesses. I'm the only one doing medicine right now, but many of the younger pilots are asking me how I did it...

Screw them. I'm not "stuck" and I will never allow myself to be.

 

[MoosePilot]

I knew you were in that situation- you guys probably have it worse than any other airframe right now. My friends in the C-17 Reserves have all been activated the max time allowable by law. Can't imagine that it is going to get better, either. Good news ahead... I have more quality time at home now (in med school) than I ever had on active duty. So you will really appreciate the change!

Awesome! The next four years is one thing I'm looking forward to more than anything else. I know I won't be deployed for 4 years. I haven't been in the CONUS that much in the last 4, so it'll be a nice change.

 

[roboyce]

The Air Force knows that pilots can shoulder a huge burden, so they cut our support whenever they need to cut costs. Now we do our own travel vouchers for any CONUS trip, relieving stress on finance and putting it squarely on our shoulders.

Moosepilot,

I realize that there are probably a hundred other more serious issues you could have raised (and you did mention optempo, which is probably the most important), but I just can't wipe the grin off my face thinking that this is one of the first things that came to your mind. I'm sorry, I just had to pull myself up off the floor after this one. This just goes to show you how everything in the military is about perspective. Of all the things about the Air Force, this is what you complain about? In the army, the finance unit would laugh you out of the building (assuming you there during business hours, which of course is when the line units are working or in the field) if you asked them to fill out a travel voucher for you. I filled out every one of my travel vouchers, even the one-star that I worked for filled out his own vouchers. Seriously, is this something that is really bothering pilots? We used to gripe about not having armor on our Humvees, not having enough bullets, or having to **** in an MRE bag while on patrol...of course, we also used to bitch about how the Air Force got paid "substandard housing allowances" when they were "forced" to live in Army housing. How can housing for the army be considered substandard by another branch of the military? I swear...damn flyboys.

This reminds me of a cartoon that used to circulate widely in the infantry circles...it showed a grunt walking through the a heavy storm carrying a heavy ruck and he's saying "this sucks." Next it shows a paratrooper doing the same thing and he says "I think I like that this sucks." Then it shows a ranger doing the same thing with the caption "I wish this would suck more." Next is an army aviator in a helicopter looking down on the grunt and he says "it sure looks like it sucks down there." Finally it shows an AF pilot , grounded due to the weather in his trailor and he says "the cable's out, this sucks!"

With interservice love,
R

Edit - I do want to add how much I do love the Air Force...the AC-130, truly the most beautiful sound an infantryman can hear...like angels from above. Also, it was a C-130 that picked my happy ass up and flew me out of Baghdad for the last time. Nothing but respect.

 

[jetproppilot]

Moosepilot,

I realize that there are probably a hundred other more serious issues you could have raised (and you did mention optempo, which is probably the most important), but I just can't wipe the grin off my face thinking that this is one of the first things that came to your mind. I'm sorry, I just had to pull myself up off the floor after this one. This just goes to show you how everything in the military is about perspective. Of all the things about the Air Force, this is what you complain about? In the army, the finance unit would laugh you out of the building (assuming you there during business hours, which of course is when the line units are working or in the field) if you asked them to fill out a travel voucher for you. I filled out every one of my travel vouchers, even the one-star that I worked for filled out his own vouchers. Seriously, is this something that is really bothering pilots? We used to gripe about not having armor on our Humvees, not having enough bullets, or having to **** in an MRE bag while on patrol...of course, we also used to bitch about how the Air Force got paid "substandard housing allowances" when they were "forced" to live in Army housing. How can housing for the army be considered substandard by another branch of the military? I swear...damn flyboys.

This reminds me of a cartoon that used to circulate widely in the infantry circles...it showed a grunt walking through the a heavy storm carrying a heavy ruck and he's saying "this sucks." Next it shows a paratrooper doing the same thing and he says "I think I like that this sucks." Then it shows a ranger doing the same thing with the caption "I wish this would suck more." Next is an army aviator in a helicopter looking down on the grunt and he says "it sure looks like it sucks down there." Finally it shows an AF pilot , grounded due to the weather in his trailor and he says "the cable's out, this sucks!"

With interservice love,
R

Dude,

I just read your profile.

You're a stud.

Good luck with your medical career.

 

[MoosePilot]

Moosepilot,

I realize that there are probably a hundred other more serious issues you could have raised (and you did mention optempo, which is probably the most important), but I just can't wipe the grin off my face thinking that this is one of the first things that came to your mind. I'm sorry, I just had to pull myself up off the floor after this one. This just goes to show you how everything in the military is about perspective. Of all the things about the Air Force, this is what you complain about? In the army, the finance unit would laugh you out of the building (assuming you there during business hours, which of course is when the line units are working or in the field) if you asked them to fill out a travel voucher for you. I filled out every one of my travel vouchers, even the one-star that I worked for filled out his own vouchers. Seriously, is this something that is really bothering pilots? We used to gripe about not having armor on our Humvees, not having enough bullets, or having to **** in an MRE bag while on patrol...of course, we also used to bitch about how the Air Force got paid "substandard housing allowances" when they were "forced" to live in Army housing. How can housing for the army be considered substandard by another branch of the military? I swear...damn flyboys.

This reminds me of a cartoon that used to circulate widely in the infantry circles...it showed a grunt walking through the a heavy storm carrying a heavy ruck and he's saying "this sucks." Next it shows a paratrooper doing the same thing and he says "I think I like that this sucks." Then it shows a ranger doing the same thing with the caption "I wish this would suck more." Next is an army aviator in a helicopter looking down on the grunt and he says "it sure looks like it sucks down there." Finally it shows an AF pilot , grounded due to the weather in his trailor and he says "the cable's out, this sucks!"

With interservice love,
R

Edit - I do want to add how much I do love the Air Force...the AC-130, truly the most beautiful sound an infantryman can hear...like angels from above. Also, it was a C-130 that picked my happy ass up and flew me out of Baghdad for the last time. Nothing but respect.

I misled by being too short.

It's not just filling out our own travel voucher, which is standard. I would never complain about filling out paperwork to get money. What the Air Force is trying to do is cut out the finance office altogether. They're making an automated system that is supposed to allow the user to make inputs to a computer program that will then be equivalent to the product that finance used to turn your travel voucher into. The system sucks, though. You have to input your own orders (ok, listen to that... how is it an "order" if I fill it out myself?! how can I order myself to go somewhere?!) reserve your airline tickets through the system, and then when you return file your voucher through the system. Each time I've done it has taken approximately 10 Moose hours of work. Unfortunately, I don't have 10 free hours at work, so that means that I work 10 more hours that week. Everything is like that. If something involves added effort, it's just added onto the work I already do. It's also the principle of it. If I'm doing finance's work, what is finance doing? If I'm doing personnel's work (which I am through online personnel records), what are they doing? I haven't seen any of them volunteering to fly a mission for me during all this spare time I'm making for them...

Why is Army housing considered substandard? I dunno, they've always seemed to think that slogging around the ground with a gun takes less sleep and comforts than flying a $220 Million airplane. You guys need a better union...

 

[roboyce]

I misled by being too short.

Ok, I'm with you now. At first it just sounded like you told somebody else to fill out your vouchers. That was funny to me. I think you're talking about DTS, at least that's what we call it. Yeah, it was mandated for all travel in the Army too. It made making travel arrangements a real pain in the ass, especially if you had change plans at the last minute. It was so easy to just do everything through real people at the travel office. Of course, this is all part of Rummy's "civilianizing" the military, by which we are going to reduce the number servicemembers doing jobs that could be outsourced or automated. The goal of this plan was to allow for more people to become front line combatants without increasing the overall number of servicemembers and thereby preventing cost increases. Yeah, that's working out well. Just look at how we pay all of these "blackwater" dudes $250,000 a year to be personal protection services for our VIPs in Iraq. What happens next, all of the good soldiers in the SF community leave the military to get paid the big bucks by contractors. So, now, in order to compete with these contract services that we created, the army is offering $125,000 bonuses to senior enlisted SF soldiers to stay in the service. Somehow, I think we missed the whole cost saving thing somewhere along the line. Not to mention the "outstanding" level of service we get when dealing with DOD civilians!

 

[Heeed!]

Moosepilot,

I realize that there are probably a hundred other more serious issues you could have raised (and you did mention optempo, which is probably the most important), but I just can't wipe the grin off my face thinking that this is one of the first things that came to your mind. I'm sorry, I just had to pull myself up off the floor after this one. This just goes to show you how everything in the military is about perspective. Of all the things about the Air Force, this is what you complain about? In the army, the finance unit would laugh you out of the building (assuming you there during business hours, which of course is when the line units are working or in the field) if you asked them to fill out a travel voucher for you. I filled out every one of my travel vouchers, even the one-star that I worked for filled out his own vouchers. Seriously, is this something that is really bothering pilots? We used to gripe about not having armor on our Humvees, not having enough bullets, or having to **** in an MRE bag while on patrol...of course, we also used to bitch about how the Air Force got paid "substandard housing allowances" when they were "forced" to live in Army housing. How can housing for the army be considered substandard by another branch of the military? I swear...damn flyboys.

This reminds me of a cartoon that used to circulate widely in the infantry circles...it showed a grunt walking through the a heavy storm carrying a heavy ruck and he's saying "this sucks." Next it shows a paratrooper doing the same thing and he says "I think I like that this sucks." Then it shows a ranger doing the same thing with the caption "I wish this would suck more." Next is an army aviator in a helicopter looking down on the grunt and he says "it sure looks like it sucks down there." Finally it shows an AF pilot , grounded due to the weather in his trailor and he says "the cable's out, this sucks!"

With interservice love,
R

Edit - I do want to add how much I do love the Air Force...the AC-130, truly the most beautiful sound an infantryman can hear...like angels from above. Also, it was a C-130 that picked my happy ass up and flew me out of Baghdad for the last time. Nothing but respect.

We chose WISELY. You chose POOOOORLY.

 

[MoosePilot]

Ok, I'm with you now. At first it just sounded like you told somebody else to fill out your vouchers. That was funny to me. I think you're talking about DTS, at least that's what we call it. Yeah, it was mandated for all travel in the Army too. It made making travel arrangements a real pain in the ass, especially if you had change plans at the last minute. It was so easy to just do everything through real people at the travel office. Of course, this is all part of Rummy's "civilianizing" the military, by which we are going to reduce the number servicemembers doing jobs that could be outsourced or automated. The goal of this plan was to allow for more people to become front line combatants without increasing the overall number of servicemembers and thereby preventing cost increases. Yeah, that's working out well. Just look at how we pay all of these "blackwater" dudes $250,000 a year to be personal protection services for our VIPs in Iraq. What happens next, all of the good soldiers in the SF community leave the military to get paid the big bucks by contractors. So, now, in order to compete with these contract services that we created, the army is offering $125,000 bonuses to senior enlisted SF soldiers to stay in the service. Somehow, I think we missed the whole cost saving thing somewhere along the line. Not to mention the "outstanding" level of service we get when dealing with DOD civilians!

Yes, I didn't know the Army dealt with DTS, too. The problem is that I could be delivering cargo during the time I'm creating orders. How does that help anything, to waste a pilot's time on something that before was done by a finance rep? The finance rep does it more often, so is supposedly better at it, and they're also enlisted, so they make about half what I do, so their time is a better value for the taxpayer. I'll use my time for whatever the Air Force wants, but I won't pretend like it's not an entire day's work, or they get the mistaken impression that it helped them in some way...

 

[island doc]

I went to UPT first, then almost a decade later went to med school.

 

[MoosePilot]

I went to UPT first, then almost a decade later went to med school.

That's going to be me, too. I'll start med school just about at the 8 year commitment point.

 

[Heeed!]

You guys are old.

 

[MoosePilot]

You guys are old.

Oh? How old are you, sir?

 

[island doc]

You guys are old.

Please don't remind me.

 

[Heeed!]

Oh? How old are you, sir?

Ya got me. I'm old, too.

 

[MoosePilot]

Ya got me. I'm old, too.

I enjoy some aspects of being a little older. I've got enough money (at least for the next 6 months, getting paid as a 2Lt again will take some getting used to, but better than most med students), I've got some good life experience, and I'm just more comfortable with life. The whole application process would have been a lot tougher had it all happened the first time, when I was a pup.

 

[PalmettoGuy]

A few more questions....

For pilots whom want to go to medical school, does clinical experience still play a big role in admission? When did you all get any clinical experience? I currently have no clinical experience and was wondering if getting some b/t graduation in May and whenever I (hopefully) start OTS (I will probebly apply to the April Board) should be high on the priority list.

Also, would there be any point in taking the MCAT this April? I feel like this would be the time that I am best prepared (since I am finishing up alot of premed prereqs). However, don't most schools not consider scores that are over 3 years old?

Finally, when I have my officer interview for the OTS board (it will probebly be with someone from the ROTC detachment at my university), would it be a bad idea for my interviewer to know about my desire to get into the pilot-physician career track?

Thanks everyone

 

[MoosePilot]

A few more questions....

For pilots whom want to go to medical school, does clinical experience still play a big role in admission? When did you all get any clinical experience? I currently have no clinical experience and was wondering if getting some b/t graduation in May and whenever I (hopefully) start OTS (I will probebly apply to the April Board) should be high on the priority list.

Also, would there be any point in taking the MCAT this April? I feel like this would be the time that I am best prepared (since I am finishing up alot of premed prereqs). However, don't most schools not consider scores that are over 3 years old?

Finally, when I have my officer interview for the OTS board (it will probebly be with someone from the ROTC detachment at my university), would it be a bad idea for my interviewer to know about my desire to get into the pilot-physician career track?

Thanks everyone

Just checking, but you did understand that once you start pilot training, it will probably be about 11 years until you get the chance to do anything else? If the atmosphere changes and they stop needing pilots so much, then you can look into it.

Because of that, it basically doesn't much matter that you want to be a doctor someday. Don't worry about it for the next 8 years. 3 years is plenty to get back up to speed.

It was easy for me to get clinical experience. Cultivate a relationship with your flightdocs, then shadow them.

Take the MCAT towards the end of your commitment, within 3 years of your planned matriculation date.

I wouldn't mention your intentions. Generally, pilot types want people who want to always be pilots. OTS types are probably line officers, so I'd just focus on your intent to be a pilot, which is plenty for awhile.

Feel free to PM me with pilot questions.

 

[PalmettoGuy]

Just checking, but you did understand that once you start pilot training, it will probably be about 11 years until you get the chance to do anything else? If the atmosphere changes and they stop needing pilots so much, then you can look into it.

Because of that, it basically doesn't much matter that you want to be a doctor someday. Don't worry about it for the next 8 years. 3 years is plenty to get back up to speed.

It was easy for me to get clinical experience. Cultivate a relationship with your flightdocs, then shadow them.

Take the MCAT towards the end of your commitment, within 3 years of your planned matriculation date.

I wouldn't mention your intentions. Generally, pilot types want people who want to always be pilots. OTS types are probably line officers, so I'd just focus on your intent to be a pilot, which is plenty for awhile.

Feel free to PM me with pilot questions.

Yeah, I understood that getting into the program before your commitment is up is a long shot, but just asking.

One other question, is there a maximum age at which the AF will pay for med school. I turn 25 this May so my commitment wouldn't not be up until I am 35 or 36. Would that be to old to be competitive for HPSP/USUHS?

Thanks

 

[Mirror Form]

One other question, is there a maximum age at which the AF will pay for med school. I turn 25 this May so my commitment wouldn't not be up until I am 35 or 36. Would that be to old to be competitive for HPSP/USUHS?

Thanks

Upon starting med school, you're looking at a minimum of 7 years training (if you want to specialize, plan for longer, like 10). Starting a long and rigorous training path like that when you're in your upper 30's is not going to be ideal. If I were you I'd decide right now: Do you want to be a doctor? If so, don't put it off! The longer you wait, the less and less worthwhile that decade you must sacrifice for training is.

 

[MoosePilot]

Yeah, I understood that getting into the program before your commitment is up is a long shot, but just asking.

One other question, is there a maximum age at which the AF will pay for med school. I turn 25 this May so my commitment wouldn't not be up until I am 35 or 36. Would that be to old to be competitive for HPSP/USUHS?

Thanks

Will you be commissioned the whole time? If so, then there's an automatic waiver to 35 of an equivalent number of years. So if you have 10 years of commissioned service you'll be eligible. Otherwise you'd have to look at an age waiver and those fluctuate as to availability. Recently they were easy, but someone on here said they're becoming otherwise.

 

[dpill]

Yeah, I understood that getting into the program before your commitment is up is a long shot, but just asking.

One other question, is there a maximum age at which the AF will pay for med school. I turn 25 this May so my commitment wouldn't not be up until I am 35 or 36. Would that be to old to be competitive for HPSP/USUHS?

Thanks

I am HPSP and was 36 yrs old when I was accepted into the program. I had 13 yrs of commissioned service (10 AD) and got an exception to policy for my age. There was a debate if I even needed the exception to policy since my prior time was all commissioned service. I don't think your age will be a problem for HPSP and in general, prior service (commissioned and non-commissioned) is a positive for your application. Also, if you apply for the scholarship while you are on active duty, you meet a different board than the civilian/ Reserve applicants. This past year all of the active duty slots weren't filled and the remaining were given to the civilian board (the one I had to meet).

 

[PalmettoGuy]

Will you be commissioned the whole time? If so, then there's an automatic waiver to 35 of an equivalent number of years. So if you have 10 years of commissioned service you'll be eligible. Otherwise you'd have to look at an age waiver and those fluctuate as to availability. Recently they were easy, but someone on here said they're becoming otherwise.

Yes, basically I would apply to the 06-03 (April) board, hopefully get accepted and go to OTS late this year/early next year. Get done with pilot training and plan on making a career of the AF. If the opportunity presents itself I would go to Med School.

After doing engineering work as a co-op I decided that I wanted to fly (for the AF, I don't have any commercial aspirations). Then I took Biology because I needed some extra credits and really liked the biochem and physiology that we were getting into (I know that Gen Bio can't be compared to Med School) so I thought about going to Med School. So the pilot-physician career path sounded like the greatest thing in the world to me.

So MoosePilot, when you say that there is an automatic waiver to 35, does that mean that the waiver does not extend past 35? If so then I would definitely be pushing the limit since I would be 25 (maybe 26) when I go to OTS. But then again who knows... Maybe after 10 years of flying I would decide that I didn't have any desire to go back to (Med) School. I'm just making sure that I have that option if I decide I do want to take it.

 

[MoosePilot]

So MoosePilot, when you say that there is an automatic waiver to 35, does that mean that the waiver does not extend past 35? If so then I would definitely be pushing the limit since I would be 25 (maybe 26) when I go to OTS. But then again who knows... Maybe after 10 years of flying I would decide that I didn't have any desire to go back to (Med) School. I'm just making sure that I have that option if I decide I do want to take it.

It's tough making the decision to switch for me. Right now, at the 8.5 year mark is where my career is starting to build up steam. I'm waiting to hear if I was selected for Major during last month's board, I'm a senior pilot, a C-17 instructor pilot, I've got a lot of combat time, an air medal (more if I ever sat down and submitted the paperwork), etc. I'm going to put all that aside and become a 2Lt, about halving my salary, and get treated like a noob for 4 years (which I will be, in that career). It's tough and there aren't many of us that are dumb enough to want to do that. If flying and medicine are about evenly matched, I'd bet you won't do it. I originally wanted to be a doc and just blundered into flying.

http://www.usuhs.mil/adm/catalog/AdmApp0406.pdf

Applicants to the School of Medicine must:

Be at least 18 years old at the time of matriculation, but no older than 30 as of 30 June in the year of admission (civilians and enlisted personnel). Applicants older than 30 years of age may apply to the School of Medicine. If they are recommended for a position by the admissions committee and approved by the dean, an age waiver is requested from the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs), prior to extending an offer.

The age limits for entrance parallel those governing appointment in the regular medical corps of the armed forces (Section 532, Title 10, United States Code). The age of any student who has served on active duty as a commissioned officer in the uniformed services, however, may exceed the age limit by a period equal to the time served on active duty, provided the student is no older than 35 as of 30 June in the year of admission.

 

[PalmettoGuy]

Hmmm....
Well this throws a loop in my plans then. I was ready to go ahead and apply to the rated board this April, but now I am concerned about that preventing me from going to med school in the future. So from what I am gathering, if I choose to fly, I'll probebly end up needing a waiver (which is dependant on the "needs" of the AF at the time) for them to pay for Med School.

Thanks for the advice and info. I am trying to figure out exactly what I want to do before I head back to the recruiter and tell him that I decided that I do want to fly (I was originally going to meet the Jan rated board, stopped the process when I started thinking about grad/med school).

 

[dpill]

Hmmm....
Well this throws a loop in my plans then. I was ready to go ahead and apply to the rated board this April, but now I am concerned about that preventing me from going to med school in the future. So from what I am gathering, if I choose to fly, I'll probebly end up needing a waiver (which is dependant on the "needs" of the AF at the time) for them to pay for Med School.

Thanks for the advice and info. I am trying to figure out exactly what I want to do before I head back to the recruiter and tell him that I decided that I do want to fly (I was originally going to meet the Jan rated board, stopped the process when I started thinking about grad/med school).

Nothing will prevent you from going to med school in the future- the only question is when you will have the opportunity to go and who will pay for it. Chances are you can at least do HPSP. If you are really interested in USHUS- then you should probably not take the risk. On another important note, I would think very carefully about your motivation to become an AF pilot- it sounds like you aren't very committed to the idea and you may be in for a big disappointment (one that is hard to get out of with a 10 yr commitment). The ops world isn't what it used to be- ask MoosePilot how many pilots enjoy their lifestyle right now. Have you looked into the Air National Guard or Reserves? Still some downsides, but probably not as many as active duty.