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Started By
Message
re: Medical School Expenses
Posted on 7/14/25 at 1:43 pm to NaturalBeam
Posted on 7/14/25 at 1:43 pm to NaturalBeam
quote:
The Air Force suggestion isn't a bad idea
quote:
if an employer does it for you, you just became an indentured servant for a decade
Well...
It depends on what you're doing. Like an earlier poster said, if you're going into a high paying specialty that's going to be a much longer residency and fellowship, you're better off not doing it.
That being said, there can be some good deals out there to get your school paid for if you're flexible on where you may practice initially. I wouldn't recommend setting up roots too soon though. That way you have negotiating power when that first contract is up. The less you owe, the less time you'll have to pay back. I got all of mine forgiven after 1 year, but my tuition was only $34k for all four years in Arkansas. I graduated in 2000.
1
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:09 pm to AaronDeTiger
Can always be a surgeon and just cut 
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:24 pm to auwaterfowler
quote:
No idea if that guy is an idiot or not, but currently, 71% of med school matriculants take a gap year before applying/getting accepted into med school.
That stat is significantly skewed towards people not getting accepting year 1. I don't know a single person that willingly took a gap year between college and med school.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:26 pm to auwaterfowler
Thats interesting - didn't realize that and at least provides a little perspective.
Part of the conversation we'll be having is whether or not the grind for that specialty will be worth it. He wants to do Psychiatry - so @ least 3 years of residency. Trying to talk through the math of investment/return when compared to 'just' going to PA school.
We have family that is a higher up in a mental health type place that has told us that brand new psychiatrists are making over 200K during first year after residency.
Part of the conversation we'll be having is whether or not the grind for that specialty will be worth it. He wants to do Psychiatry - so @ least 3 years of residency. Trying to talk through the math of investment/return when compared to 'just' going to PA school.
We have family that is a higher up in a mental health type place that has told us that brand new psychiatrists are making over 200K during first year after residency.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:26 pm to SmackoverHawg
The Air Force suggestion doesn't make sense for most people when you look at the numbers logically.
To the OP, there is a Rural Scholars Program that is worth looking into.
To the OP, there is a Rural Scholars Program that is worth looking into.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:29 pm to meAnon
quote:
We have family that is a higher up in a mental health type place that has told us that brand new psychiatrists are making over 200K during first year after residency.
That's probably true, but $200k straight out of residency is not good. That being said, worrying about specialties when he still hasn't graduated high school is pointless. His opinion on what he wants to do will change 100 times between now and 8 years from now when he has to decide what he wants to do.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:37 pm to reds on reds on reds
My wife and a lot her med school friends took a gap year before starting. This was almost 20 years ago though
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:44 pm to reds on reds on reds
quote:
To the OP, there is a Rural Scholars Program that is worth looking into.
There are also plenty of rural hospitals that will pay for med school with a commitment to work there for so many years.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:46 pm to meAnon
quote:
I've got a kid who has been pretty consistently on the "i want to be a doctor" train for a while and he most likely has the ability - academically and personally - to do so.
Him and about every other kid thinks this until they start college. If he can survive freshman year with a 3.5 or higher than he's good to go.
I remember when I started at LSU the incoming freshman class was like 5-6k and almost half started as pre-med or some other health science major. We had intro to biology classes with almost 1k people in them. By the end of the semester we lost over 70% easily.
Freshman year is a doctor killer. Be ware!!
But in reality, yes med school and any other professional school is stupid expensive lately. You'd be lucky if they only came out with 150k in debt. Let them take out loans for med school if they get in and just help pay for living expenses. They will figure it out.
quote:
No idea if that guy is an idiot or not, but currently, 71% of med school matriculants take a gap year before applying/getting accepted into med school.
No one is willingly doing this unless their grades\curriculars are not good enough to be accepted to where they want to go
This post was edited on 7/14/25 at 2:51 pm
Posted on 7/14/25 at 3:02 pm to reds on reds on reds
quote:
That stat is significantly skewed towards people not getting accepting year 1. I don't know a single person that willingly took a gap year between college and med school.
You may be right. That’s just what I found on the innerwebs. My son went straight from undergrad to med school, but it does seem like he’s in the minority of his class. He has been about 100% sure that medicine was his calling since junior year of high school, so he had done all the things necessary to be ready to apply to med school by the time he finished undergrad. If someone decides in the second half of undergrad that they want to go to med school, it is tough to get done what all needs to be done to be a competitive candidate. A good GPA and MCAT score is just a portion of what admissions folks are looking for. Your volunteering and other extracurriculars absolutely must tell them a story that medicine is what you are called to do. Lots of college grads with 4.0 GPA and 515+ on MCAT that don’t get accepted into med school because they are missing elements of a good application.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 3:29 pm to Kingpenm3
quote:
To the OP, there is a Rural Scholars Program that is worth looking into.
Is that Like the VCOM program?
Posted on 7/14/25 at 3:43 pm to Jmcc64
quote:
Is that Like the VCOM program?
No, VCOM just uses rural hospitals as physical locations for Med School training.
The programs I know of the student can work with those hospitals directly to get assistance based on future employment. But they would work with VCOM students in that situation.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 3:45 pm to meAnon
My daughter is the same. Ive sat down with med school administrators and doctors and here are the things Ive come up with.
1. If he is inclined to do med school, he should be smart. Take advantage of all AP and dual enrollment opportunities and cut some time off of undergrad. But, science classes wont count so save those. My daughter's high school offers 45 hours of college credit. Easily turns four years into three years.
2. State school for undergrad. Basically try to get through undergrad debt free.
3. While Biomedical Engineering is all the rage for Pre-Med, majoring in Biology or Chemistry is just as good for Med School Admissions, and will help you keep your GPA up.
4. We started shadowing some physicians this summer. They have been great at sharing insight.
5. The just passed BBB limits loans to $150k. That will be a factor that could drive prices down, or at least keep them the same.
For a well rounded student, 3.7 + GPA and 506+ MCAT is "unofficially safe" at UMMC in Jackson. Its probably higher at LSU Health New Orleans and might be lower at Shreveport.
1. If he is inclined to do med school, he should be smart. Take advantage of all AP and dual enrollment opportunities and cut some time off of undergrad. But, science classes wont count so save those. My daughter's high school offers 45 hours of college credit. Easily turns four years into three years.
2. State school for undergrad. Basically try to get through undergrad debt free.
3. While Biomedical Engineering is all the rage for Pre-Med, majoring in Biology or Chemistry is just as good for Med School Admissions, and will help you keep your GPA up.
4. We started shadowing some physicians this summer. They have been great at sharing insight.
5. The just passed BBB limits loans to $150k. That will be a factor that could drive prices down, or at least keep them the same.
For a well rounded student, 3.7 + GPA and 506+ MCAT is "unofficially safe" at UMMC in Jackson. Its probably higher at LSU Health New Orleans and might be lower at Shreveport.
This post was edited on 7/14/25 at 3:48 pm
Posted on 7/14/25 at 4:01 pm to anc
I will add that there needs to be a significant history of volunteering in a medical setting. Have her find a local free or low cost clinic to serve at on a regular basis. The regular basis part is very important. Summer camps for children afflicted by some medical condition are also great. You can always find info about such camps at your local children’s hospital.
In my mind, volunteering serves two purposes - it lets her know if she really wants to be a physician, and it it a signal to admissions folks that she is serious.
Another great way to separate herself is to get involved in a medical research project or two in undergrad. She should be able to find opportunities by reaching out to different departments (oncology, cardiac, neuro, etc.) at any teaching hospital. She will have to be a bulldog to finally get someone to give her an opportunity, but I cannot emphasize how big of a separator this can be.
In my mind, volunteering serves two purposes - it lets her know if she really wants to be a physician, and it it a signal to admissions folks that she is serious.
Another great way to separate herself is to get involved in a medical research project or two in undergrad. She should be able to find opportunities by reaching out to different departments (oncology, cardiac, neuro, etc.) at any teaching hospital. She will have to be a bulldog to finally get someone to give her an opportunity, but I cannot emphasize how big of a separator this can be.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 4:51 pm to meAnon
You need to budget around $300k at minimum
Posted on 7/14/25 at 4:56 pm to meAnon
Be a PA first.
If that is unsatisfactory, then go back to med school.
Being a doctor ain’t what it used to be.
You work for the electronic medical record and the insurance companies.
Does he want to be a surgeon?
IF he wants to do invasive procedures, going to med school is the path.
Consider working around medicine as a rep for Stryker, Medtronic, or pharma.
If that is unsatisfactory, then go back to med school.
Being a doctor ain’t what it used to be.
You work for the electronic medical record and the insurance companies.
Does he want to be a surgeon?
IF he wants to do invasive procedures, going to med school is the path.
Consider working around medicine as a rep for Stryker, Medtronic, or pharma.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 5:34 pm to makersmark1
quote:
Be a PA first. If that is unsatisfactory, then go back to med school.
Don’t do that.
Some of the ideas in this thread are nuts.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 5:54 pm to meAnon
First off, does he have the grades and scores to have his first 4 years (undergrad) paid for? If not, you want to re-think this doctor thing or seriously entertain the military route.
Scholarships are hard for the med-school part, so he better have the first 4 paid for.
Scholarships are hard for the med-school part, so he better have the first 4 paid for.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 6:31 pm to meAnon
Good to plan but you are a long way out.
Talk to him about the military. In the Army Guard or Reserve he can go 68W (Combat Medic) and with a 6 year deal they will pay for his undergrad. In addition to the educational benefits he will get a nice immersion in to medicine to see if that is his future.
Trust me the Army absolutely has some shite schools but this (68W) is one of the better ones. Lots of nurses, PAs and MDs have gone this route.
Talk to him about the military. In the Army Guard or Reserve he can go 68W (Combat Medic) and with a 6 year deal they will pay for his undergrad. In addition to the educational benefits he will get a nice immersion in to medicine to see if that is his future.
Trust me the Army absolutely has some shite schools but this (68W) is one of the better ones. Lots of nurses, PAs and MDs have gone this route.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 6:39 pm to makersmark1
Lolol great advice.
Instead of doing what you want, spend 7-9 years becoming a PA. If after that you think you still wanna be an MD, go do another 7-10 years of school
Instead of doing what you want, spend 7-9 years becoming a PA. If after that you think you still wanna be an MD, go do another 7-10 years of school
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