Why Military Medicine?

[quideam]

To everyone who is currently in med school or residency, why did you guys decide to do it with the military? I don't care all that much about the money; it would be nice to be independent during school, but my primary reason is that I want to get a lot of experience with field medicine, international research, and humanitarian aid missions. Is that a good reason to do military? Any feedback/opinions would help!

Thanks!

- Quid

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[DD214_DOC]

Because most of my generation are ******* and refuse to serve their country in any capacity.

 

[Primate]

JKDMed - of note, we have an all volunteer force at the moment....

Anyway, my interest stems solely from a desire to serve my country. Others did so to ensure my freedoms, and I feel a sense of obligation to contribute. Perhaps outdated, corny or hokey, but that's why for me.

 

[Megalofyia]

Originally posted by JKDMed
Because most of my generation are ******* and refuse to serve their country in any capacity.

And despite this we still have the largest military in the world.


On another note most of the people near my age that I know have voluntarily joined the military to serve their country. It might just be my experience living in a military city though.

 

[DD214_DOC]

Could be. Most of my friends joined the military, but I don't think "serving my country" was the top of their list.

It could just be because I attend a liberal arts college. You should have seen it when this Iraq business first started. Hippies, I mean, anti-War protestors sprayed all sorts of stupid anti-war and anti-military messages around campus.

Of course, during the night the ROTC cadets sprayed pro-military and patriotic stuff over it all.

 

[Homunculus]

I was a 4 year Army ROTC scholarship recipient for undergrad, then I decided since I owe the Army anyway I may as well let them pay for medschool, too.

I planned to go to medschool all along, and joining the military was something I wanted to do. It's hard to describe. Yeah, there's some patriotic reaons, but I felt like serving a larger purpose with my medical career-- to help those who I felt deserve it more than anyone. If i ever get it succintly worded I'll let you know.

 

[Primate]

Originally posted by Megalofyia
On another note most of the people near my age that I know have voluntarily joined the military to serve their country. It might just be my experience living in a military city though.

Here in the hallowed halls of academe, the military is something to be derided. The ivory tower does not have, in the vast majority of cases, a positive view of the military - at least from the top. Very discouraging, all things considered.

I'm continually amazed how one sided the view can be from within a university - especially on the graduate school side (vs. med school). Those preaching tolerance are perhaps the most intolerant when it comes to the military.

Apologies for the diatribe, but this gets under my skin.

 

[Caffeinated]

Primate,

After 3 years of active duty, and now being at USUHS, I can honestly say that the civilian academe culutre does not, and may not even want to understand the military (who they are, what they really do, why we need a military force, etc). There is a stereotype amongst the ivory tower elite (and possibly in the general public) that the military picks from the bottom of the barrel, and that nobody who is intelligent, creative, or resourceful would join the military unless they were drafted and dragged away against their will. I have heard such sentiment directly from the mouths of academics who were astonished when they meet military professionals and found out they are {gasp!} intelligent people. The irony is that the program at USUHS is run much more effectively and efficiently than many of the civilian schools I visited.

So to answer the original question, why did I choose military medicine? I don't think I am going to say anything that hasn't already been said. Serving the military population is extremely rewarding, and I already knew that from my 3 years of prior service. Combine that how impressed I was with USU when I visited/interviewed, and it was an easy choice to make. Sure the paycheck now is nice, and I would be lying if I said that didn't enter into it at all. But it's only one of many reasons...

Originally posted by Primate
Here in the hallowed halls of academe, the military is something to be derided. The ivory tower does not have, in the vast majority of cases, a positive view of the military - at least from the top. Very discouraging, all things considered.

I'm continually amazed how one sided the view can be from within a university - especially on the graduate school side (vs. med school). Those preaching tolerance are perhaps the most intolerant when it comes to the military.

Apologies for the diatribe, but this gets under my skin.