Posted on 11/02/2007 4:34:53 PM PDT by rabidralph
I would like to get some advice from FReepers who have served in the military, including guard and reserve. My female cousin, who is 38, has graduated with a degree as a chiropractor. She is in the middle of her board exams but wants more practical experience treating people. One of her high school buddies is in the Army (band) and suggested joining. She told my cousin to join as a National Guard band member for a couple years, get her student loans paid off and then switch to the medical field, either as a chiropractor or go as a physician's assistant. My cousin is a talented musician but she wants to get started in her medical career, even though enlisting and joining the band would help her with her student loans from chiropractor school.
I would like to hear some military FReeper opinions about which branch of service, whether the NG would be a good idea. I'd especially like to hear from military FReepers in the medical field about the career paths for chiropractors and PAs, if anyone has any information. I have given her my opinion, as a Navy vet, but I am biased. I also was enlisted and I have no real insight into officer training/culture.
My cousin lives in Maryland and teaches at an elementary school while she studies for her boards.
Her HS buddy is the band director so I guess she thought joining the band would be a round-about way for my cousin to get into the medical field after training.
I appreciate your advice. I’d also love to hear the advantages of being in one branch over the other when it comes to the medical field. Like I said, I told her the Navy was the best :-)
See #21. Hope you’re doing well!
I would say forego the military route unless she plans on deployment. I believe military bands do require auditions after enlistments (could be wrong).
If she wants good exposure in a variety of clinical and hospital situations with decent pay, respectable benefits that include tuition reimbursement I would suggest that she apply for a job with one of many V.A. hospitals.
A national guard band member?
Thanks, for the link! I’ll pass it along.
LOL! This is why I love you FReepers!
I appreciate your response.
Back when I was assigned to Army Medical units (late 60’s to mid 70’s) a chiropractor’s degree was worthless
So true. One of my classmates in the 91C school was a full-fledged Chiropractor.....he had just come from Ft Sam MTC, 91A training :)
Someone trained in emergency medicine in combat situations, not someone who wants to crack your back
A lot of drivers and cooks see the front lines once or twice a day
In the Marine Corps the paymaster is right behind you by about 1/4 mile...
The part that doesn’t make sense to me is the band - unless she is looking for a NG duty that is unlikely to have to deploy.
I’d opt for being an officer the the regular Army rather than being an EM in the NG band. It’s unlikely that a chiropractor would be sent to the front. But perhaps she has other priorities.
My wife is in the USAF Reserve as a flight medic (Aeromedial Evac). Her Montgomery GI bill picks up the tab for her to go to nursing school.
She was in her early 30s when she joined.
Her degree is for chiropractor. She will go where she's assigned but would love to work at Walter Reed or Beth-Nav.
Again, the National Guard band part is what is not making sense. If she passes her boards, why wouldn't she try to go in to the military doing that, instead of playing weekend warrior in the band?
Just something her HS friend suggested. It’s not relevant.
Might want to consider the USPHS. You would be an officer in a uniformed service that provides medical service to all of the armed services...kk
If she wants to stay in chiropractic, she should find an associate position in a busy partnership that needs more hands.
After all the expense of chiropractic college, it doesn’t make sense to delay utilizing the training and building her experience/client base in her chosen field.
As a side note, we have one of the world’s largest chiropractic colleges in our area. They are required a substantial amount of clinic time in order to graduate. It seems strange to me that she feels she needs more “experience” before gong into practice. I don’t advocate that she immediately hang her own shingle, but she should go to work in her chosen field.
Thanks, I’ll pass it along. USUHS.
I strongly suspect that there is no “Chiropractic” MOS.
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