Hey, I'm joining university next year and applying to Pre-Medical school to become a family physician. Now I want to become a doctor through the military, I believe that they are called Medical Officers. I want them to pay for my full 8 years of university. What is the best option I have? I also have a local reserve unit, so I could join them. Thanks, as you can see I don't have a lot of information on this topic.
Question about subsidized education.
- Thread starter RyanJames
- Start date
First, I strongly recommend that you search the recruiting website, this site, and talk to a recruiter.
Second, I am not an expert, I'm just an ROTP student who has read a lot on this site (recall that this section can only be posted in by people with less than 250 posts).
I am not aware of a program to take a high school graduate all the way through to practicing doctor. There is MOTP (medical officer training plan), which is for candidates accepted into a Canadian medical school. It pays your tuition, books, salary, etc. After your residency, you would owe four years of service, if you want to specialize, it increases the time you owe.
For your undergrad, you have three options: on your own dime, with the reserves, or ROTP. With the reserves, you work part-time (one night a week and one weekend a month, I believe, possibly more for initial training, with the possibility of summer employment) in some other trade. You can get 2000$/year to a total of 8000$ for university, so long as you are in the reserves while you are going to school. Then you would have to get accepted to medical school and MOTP and transfer (somehow) to Reg force (I've heard it can be complicated to do). The last option is probably the most complicated. You can apply for ROTP for some other trade. ROTP will pay tuition, salary, books, etc., and you do your trade training in the summers. This will incur four years of owed time (if you start in first year). From then I'm not sure if you would have to serve out your owed time in that trade or if you could try to apply for MOTP right away (there is something like MOTP for serving members, I don't know if it has the same name). This is all presuming everything goes according to plan, of course.
If you have any intention of seriously doing this, I highly recommend you not rely on the advice of random strangers on the internet and GO TALK TO A RECRUITER. Search the forum too, I'm sure this has been covered somewhere. But if you are wanting to get into either the reserves or ROTP, get on that, the deadlines are coming up for ROTP (you might not make them in time at this point). The availability of jobs right now doesn't seem to be what it once was!
Second, I am not an expert, I'm just an ROTP student who has read a lot on this site (recall that this section can only be posted in by people with less than 250 posts).
I am not aware of a program to take a high school graduate all the way through to practicing doctor. There is MOTP (medical officer training plan), which is for candidates accepted into a Canadian medical school. It pays your tuition, books, salary, etc. After your residency, you would owe four years of service, if you want to specialize, it increases the time you owe.
For your undergrad, you have three options: on your own dime, with the reserves, or ROTP. With the reserves, you work part-time (one night a week and one weekend a month, I believe, possibly more for initial training, with the possibility of summer employment) in some other trade. You can get 2000$/year to a total of 8000$ for university, so long as you are in the reserves while you are going to school. Then you would have to get accepted to medical school and MOTP and transfer (somehow) to Reg force (I've heard it can be complicated to do). The last option is probably the most complicated. You can apply for ROTP for some other trade. ROTP will pay tuition, salary, books, etc., and you do your trade training in the summers. This will incur four years of owed time (if you start in first year). From then I'm not sure if you would have to serve out your owed time in that trade or if you could try to apply for MOTP right away (there is something like MOTP for serving members, I don't know if it has the same name). This is all presuming everything goes according to plan, of course.
If you have any intention of seriously doing this, I highly recommend you not rely on the advice of random strangers on the internet and GO TALK TO A RECRUITER. Search the forum too, I'm sure this has been covered somewhere. But if you are wanting to get into either the reserves or ROTP, get on that, the deadlines are coming up for ROTP (you might not make them in time at this point). The availability of jobs right now doesn't seem to be what it once was!
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 60
Indeed, talk to a recruiter. These programs change all the time. So data that might have been valid a couple of years ago could be bad data now.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 60
I talked to a Health Services Specialist Recruiter regarding pharmacy subsidization last year and he mentioned that they only had 2-3 positions for the entire country (for pharmacy) and that there would be other students competing for these limited spots. Not sure what the limit is on Medical Officers but I would probably have a back-up plan in case you aren't selected.
- Reaction score
- 2
- Points
- 230
Ryan, there are NO CF programs that take you from undergrad to medical school to postgraduate residency training. Since you haven't even started university yet, you are jumping the gun a bit. My suggestion is to work hard, work smart, don't party too much in your first few years so that you will be able to get into medical school. Have a backup plan to your premed program. The reality is that "premed" programs and 2nd year organic chemistry courses are full of folks who plan on a medical career, yet only a percentage of them will succeed.
Once you're in medical training, if you're still interested in a career as a Medical Officer then that is the time to contact recruiting. Not before. Good luck in university and good luck on achieving your dreams.
Once you're in medical training, if you're still interested in a career as a Medical Officer then that is the time to contact recruiting. Not before. Good luck in university and good luck on achieving your dreams.
There is a way he can get all 8 years subsidized, but it is a long road.
Step 1: Apply for ROTP for your undergrad degree. This is very competitive, so good luck.
Step 2: complete your mandatory service as an officer (not medical officer) then apply to medical schools.
Step 3: IF you get accepted to medical school, apply to MMTP or MOTP (if you release) and then if you are accepted you will have your med school paid for.
All of this will take approx 15 years (or more), so how badly do you want to be a medical officer.
But for the record, you are still a kid. Plans ALWAYS change during your undergrad... relax and enjoy your frosh year.
Step 1: Apply for ROTP for your undergrad degree. This is very competitive, so good luck.
Step 2: complete your mandatory service as an officer (not medical officer) then apply to medical schools.
Step 3: IF you get accepted to medical school, apply to MMTP or MOTP (if you release) and then if you are accepted you will have your med school paid for.
All of this will take approx 15 years (or more), so how badly do you want to be a medical officer.
But for the record, you are still a kid. Plans ALWAYS change during your undergrad... relax and enjoy your frosh year.
I am not in any way an expert on the subject however before I realized that there was no way of me ever going to med school I did do some research into the subject. From my understanding, when you are accepted into your graduate degree you can apply to the ROTP for a subsidized education if you are accepted and sign on the dotted line you are then given a bonus to pay at least a good piece of the costs of your undergraduate degree. Again I am not an expert so I may be wrong that is simply how I understood the information.
zulu95 said:
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a recruiting or hiring bonus anymore. The budget cuts last year, and the mass volume of CF applicants can be thanked for that. The CF has very few problems filling vacancies right now, so it makes sense.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 60
By all means, always endeavour to further your education!
