United States Naval Academy vs Brown BS/MD

[auk]

Brown students start encampment on campus to protest violence in Gaza

As nationwide protest against the violence in Gaza continue to spread on college campuses, students at Brown University have created a similar encampment.

turnto10.com

No such BS at USNA.

I would do the Brown program for sure in this situation since it sounds like medicine is your primary goal.

I wouldn’t worry about perceived “campus politics” at the Ivies when making your decision. Plenty of Ivy League students choose to not get involved in others’ political events or protests. The news makes a big deal about those sort of events, but on campus, it’s very very easy to just avoid them

Campus politics isn't a concern for me. I know I'll encounter different opinions wherever I end up in life. If I end up surrounded by people with different viewpoints, I'll stick it through. Thanks for the response though!

 

[Ivy22]

Campus politics isn't a concern for me. I know I'll encounter different opinions wherever I end up in life. If I end up surrounded by people with different viewpoints, I'll stick it through. Thanks for the response though!

That's the spirit!

 

[usna1985]

Maybe try thinking about this from the opposite end. Where do you want to be 20 years from now? Private practice vs. teaching hospital? Big city vs. small town? Surgeon vs. primary care?

For example . . . Are you looking to be a plastic surgeon in a big city who (for the most part) has rich, cash-paying patients? Are you looking to be a neurosurgeon? Are you looking to work as a primary care provider in an underserved community? Are you looking to work in a teaching hospital full time (as an attending)? Do you want to spend most of your time doing research? Are you considering work in the public health sector?

Do you mostly want to stay in the US or do you want the "adventure" (and drawbacks) of military life -- usually being stationed in lots of places?

For some of the above, the military is really not a viable option. For others, the military can be a great jumping off point.

Finally, the civilian path is not always "better" than the military, though MAY be more lucrative. Know a couple where both were military MDs. One (a surgeon) got out after about 15 years and did another 15 years in the civilian sector. The other (radiologist) talked to colleagues in the civilian side and decided that wasn't what they wanted to do. Too much pressure to bring in business. Too much haggling with insurance companies. Stayed in for 30 years and now only occasionally moonlights at a local military hospital. No desire to jump into the civilian world.

 

[auk]

I may be able to provide some small insight. My husband was completing his application to USNA (many years ago) and received acceptance to a combined BA/MD program similar to Brown. Same guarantee of no MCAT, guaranteed acceptance to the MD portion, as long as you tow the line for the first years. The difference is it didn't have the same price tag as Brown. After researching, he really got cold feet and his concern was not being able to choose his specialty or residency location. He pulled his USNA application and went to the civilian college. After graduation, he chose to do a 5 year double residency - emergency medicine and internal medicine. Something he likely would not have been able to do in the military. However, in his last year of residency, the US Navy was overjoyed to accept him and put him through OCS. He fulfilled his goal of becoming a Naval officer, and being a physician in the specialty he wanted. He was basically told, we'll send you anywhere you want (they REALLY loved the 2 board certifications) I know that the price here may be a deterrent, but it is near impossible to get into medical school nowadays. I know because I have a daughter who is in her second year of med school right now. It's not for the faint of heart. Many kids take a year off after college just to get all the shadowing and work experience in, and to study. Not having to take the MCAT is a major factor, for those who have not taken it. There are many paths to your goal. I like your pros and cons list. Follow your heart and congrats to you for being accepted into 2 amazing institutions!! Feel free to PM me if you'd like to chat with my hubs.

I may be able to provide some small insight. My husband was completing his application to USNA (many years ago) and received acceptance to a combined BA/MD program similar to Brown. Same guarantee of no MCAT, guaranteed acceptance to the MD portion, as long as you tow the line for the first years. The difference is it didn't have the same price tag as Brown. After researching, he really got cold feet and his concern was not being able to choose his specialty or residency location. He pulled his USNA application and went to the civilian college. After graduation, he chose to do a 5 year double residency - emergency medicine and internal medicine. Something he likely would not have been able to do in the military. However, in his last year of residency, the US Navy was overjoyed to accept him and put him through OCS. He fulfilled his goal of becoming a Naval officer, and being a physician in the specialty he wanted. He was basically told, we'll send you anywhere you want (they REALLY loved the 2 board certifications) I know that the price here may be a deterrent, but it is near impossible to get into medical school nowadays. I know because I have a daughter who is in her second year of med school right now. It's not for the faint of heart. Many kids take a year off after college just to get all the shadowing and work experience in, and to study. Not having to take the MCAT is a major factor, for those who have not taken it. There are many paths to your goal. I like your pros and cons list. Follow your heart and congrats to you for being accepted into 2 amazing institutions!! Feel free to PM me if you'd like to chat with my hubs.

This is exactly the situation I'm in, thank you! PMing you.

 

[NavyGirl06]

Sounds like we are/were in similar shoes!

I want to ask about ROTC and medicine- were you also a BS/MD program? To my understanding, you have to apply for an educational gap to do medical school with ROTC. Medicine is not guaranteed when you do ROTC because they may have you serve first/not approve your educational gap. Can you confirm or shed light on this?

Sorry for the random ROTC questions in the USNA thread, they popped up when I saw your response. Thanks!

I wish i could answer this but I have not actually started yet I start this fall. I have been talking with the CO of my ROTC unit and they're planning to do an educational delay for me and send me to med school before I serve, but I am not sure how to answer your question

 

[Ivy22]

Sounds like we are/were in similar shoes!

I want to ask about ROTC and medicine- were you also a BS/MD program? To my understanding, you have to apply for an educational gap to do medical school with ROTC. Medicine is not guaranteed when you do ROTC because they may have you serve first/not approve your educational gap. Can you confirm or shed light on this?

Sorry for the random ROTC questions in the USNA thread, they popped up when I saw your response. Thanks!

Not sure about other branches ROTC, but for NROTC, I know someone who got into Harvard Medical School (#1 med school in the country), and the Navy did not allow them to take that gap to attend it and become a doctor. They went into another warfare community, did their 5 years, got out of the Navy, and attended a different medical school afterwards (HMS didn't allow him to defer for 5 years)...

 

[jebdad]

I have been talking with the CO of my ROTC unit and they're planning to do an educational delay for me and send me to med school before I serve, but I am not sure how to answer your question

With AROTC, I believe a deferment to attend med school is regularly accessible. I have a child who completed her undergrad and is currently deferred while she attends school to attain her DPT.

 

[bethf]

@auk, check your messages