Full time college and full time work? (bachelor, doctor, bachelor degree)

[Tecnomancer]

I am in the military-enlisted and have less than 9 months to my first contract (3.5 yrs total) It will go by quickly. The first year was spent on training for my job and the second year actually mastering. I make roughly 28K but in theory I am making probably 50k (free housing, food, med, 5k a year in tuition discount, and a lot goes to my savings account which should compound itself). I am past the learning curve of the military.

That aside, becoming a doctor is my end goal for a career now. I have less than 10 credits to my name.

I have the GI Bill at hand and thats not going anywhere. But. I think the 20 yr pension plan may not apply to me so I might have to save that for med school only *there may be complications due to my health, or the timing of my commision post 2018, when trying to become an officer*. I may have to use my TA and my money to get my bachelor degree while in the service. So re-enlist.

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I am thinking of switching my job to a medical field job and treat it like a "college student working at a full time job" situation.

Also. I like the lifestyle I live in the military. I will not say I am happy but its alright.

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Should I stay in or get out???

[TabulaRasa]

You might get different perspective if you post this in the military life forum.

What is your current MOS/rating/whatever your branch calls your job? I assume it's not medically-related. Changing may not be an option, as I'm sure you know.

[qwy]

I think it all depends on what you want long term. The military will take care of you (while using you) but depending on your mos, you may not be able to switch. And even if you can switch mos's, it depends if they have any open spots.

If being a doctor is something you really want then you should leave the military and focus on school, if it is something you are only thinking about, then stay.

I joined the military to pay for medical school. Now that I am out, I miss the comfort of knowing that I have a guaranteed check, a guaranteed, meal, and guaranteed bed (even if it was shared with 2 other people), I loved know I always had medical and dental.

But I hated being told what to do and when to do it, I hated the power trips and egos, I hated waking up at 4:30 for the 5:15 roll call before morning PT, I hated being in the field sleeping in the mud or snow for over a month, I hated being talked to like I was 5, and most importantly, I hated getting smoked because of someone else's mistake.

Weirdly enough, I thought about going back as an officer when I graduate med school to be a military doctor because they military will pay for your med school. I crunched the numbers and I would lose a lot of money in the long run going the militay route, but at the same time, I would have that comfort and security of knowing that I have a bed, tuition paid for, money for books, and food, while in medical school instead of having to take out thousands in loans.

So as I said, it depends on what you want long-term. I just know that with my mos 11 Bravo, I could not attend school and that was my ultimate goal.

[redguard57]

If being a doctor is something you really want then you should leave the military and focus on school, if it is something you are only thinking about, then stay.

Pretty much this. It would be prudent to ETS out, use your GI bill for undergrad & then apply for med schools, possibly with the military paying for it if you want to go back in.

Preparing for med school is going to require a lot of concentration. This is a field where grades and your MCAT score really matter, down to the tenths of a point. Other fields require less intensity. Not doctor. If this is what you're determined to, you need to be focused on the mission.

I was a 35F. Depending on the unit, there was time to do some college coursework, but not a full load. The Army was always the first priority & never let me forget it. I recommend getting out if you're serious about this.