How do middle class kids afford med school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Join the Air Force before med school. That's what my uncle did. Came from a poor family.

So Air Force officer during med school, residence, and then afterward for a while. Then resigned his commission and joined a private practice.

Many such cases. Never a penny of debt.

This, or Navy, or Army. I think Army is the best medical experience of the branches though.

The Air Force and Navy are much better in terms of housing, bases, and other things. Since the army partially took over walter reed, its gone downhill.

True. But the medical experience and exposure is better in Army. Walter Reed Army medical center probably the best place in the U.S. for medical training, before they closed and merged with Bethesda. But the army didn’t “take it over” it is now joint forces.

[Anonymous]

Get into NYU med

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Join the Air Force before med school. That's what my uncle did. Came from a poor family.

So Air Force officer during med school, residence, and then afterward for a while. Then resigned his commission and joined a private practice.

Many such cases. Never a penny of debt.

This, or Navy, or Army. I think Army is the best medical experience of the branches though.

The Air Force and Navy are much better in terms of housing, bases, and other things. Since the army partially took over walter reed, its gone downhill.

True. But the medical experience and exposure is better in Army. Walter Reed Army medical center probably the best place in the U.S. for medical training, before they closed and merged with Bethesda. But the army didn’t “take it over” it is now joint forces.

So there's no benefit to going Army now that it's joint?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In many countries kids start med school right after HS. And the governments cover the fees and even give students a small stipend. As a result, the socio economic background of Drs in those countries is quite diverse.

Not in the US. I wouldn't be surprised if most Doctors trained in the US came from affluent families. At least the vast majority don't come from poor or middle class families.

Her best bet is to be a medical scholar MD/PhD. But as you may imagine you need stellar academic credentials

And their comparative lack of education shows, and they cannot get licensed in the US. I have some of these "doctors" in my family and they are the last people I go to for medical advice. Dr. Google is better.

+1 Huge difference in aptitude and training.

[Anonymous]

This is how I did it. Full academic scholarship undergrad at a state school.

Parents helped with some living expenses but not all. I took out a loan to cover full tuition and plus some living expenses. Lots of med school friends did same.

Lived like a student once I got my 1st job. All my bonuses and extra money went towards my loans. I paid it all off in about 4 or 5 years.

These days, the kids going to med school (70-90k a year all in) are mostly from wealthy families. A number of my med school friends, their kids are starting med school now.

[Anonymous]

Getting it paid by the military is a very long road.
Public Loan Service forgiveness is how many people where we are do it and what we will do with our kids. The problem is that is depends on legislation not changing so it’s got some risk, and you can only borrow up to $50K in public loans that can be forgiven. We know many people who have gone this route since many hospitals are non-profits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In many countries kids start med school right after HS. And the governments cover the fees and even give students a small stipend. As a result, the socio economic background of Drs in those countries is quite diverse.

Not in the US. I wouldn't be surprised if most Doctors trained in the US came from affluent families. At least the vast majority don't come from poor or middle class families.

Her best bet is to be a medical scholar MD/PhD. But as you may imagine you need stellar academic credentials

And their comparative lack of education shows, and they cannot get licensed in the US. I have some of these "doctors" in my family and they are the last people I go to for medical advice. Dr. Google is better.

In my country they do and it's an 8 years program. After the freshman year more than 50% don't make it to the second year. The gruelling elimination process continues and by the 5th year only a handful are left. Then you have to do your residency/specialization if you last the 8 years. Those students who are admitted into medicine are often among the best HS students. My sister did and she is now practicing medicine here. She was the only surgeon in a small town serving about 680 people.

Of course you should go to a Dr you trust. But I don't think DRs like my sister are necessarily less qualified. But what do I know I am not a physician lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In many countries kids start med school right after HS. And the governments cover the fees and even give students a small stipend. As a result, the socio economic background of Drs in those countries is quite diverse.

Not in the US. I wouldn't be surprised if most Doctors trained in the US came from affluent families. At least the vast majority don't come from poor or middle class families.

Her best bet is to be a medical scholar MD/PhD. But as you may imagine you need stellar academic credentials

And their comparative lack of education shows, and they cannot get licensed in the US. I have some of these "doctors" in my family and they are the last people I go to for medical advice. Dr. Google is better.

They can get licensed in the US. I don't know what you're talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go to the cheapest, best undergrad she can. Get straight A's and kill the MCAT. Then take out loans for med school like everyone else. Pay them off around 45.

This, and if she gets enough merit aid in undergrad she can use the 529 to cover some of med school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They get loans. It sucks (ask me how I know!) but if what’s she wants it’s worth it and as long as she sticks with it she can pay them back.

I’m an immigrant kid. Nobody expected our parents to pay for grad school. You just take out the loans. She can work for a year or two after undergrad to build up a nest egg before med school if she wants.

Med school is incredibly expensive. I don’t know anyone whose parents paid for med school fully, although obviously well off parents would.

[Anonymous]

Joint MD/PhD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Join the Air Force before med school. That's what my uncle did. Came from a poor family.

So Air Force officer during med school, residence, and then afterward for a while. Then resigned his commission and joined a private practice.

Many such cases. Never a penny of debt.

This, or Navy, or Army. I think Army is the best medical experience of the branches though.

The Air Force and Navy are much better in terms of housing, bases, and other things. Since the army partially took over walter reed, its gone downhill.

True. But the medical experience and exposure is better in Army. Walter Reed Army medical center probably the best place in the U.S. for medical training, before they closed and merged with Bethesda. But the army didn’t “take it over” it is now joint forces.

So there's no benefit to going Army now that it's joint?

That’s one institution: they all aren’t joint forces. The army has more robust hospitals than any other branch. It has the most troops, the most injuries and illnesses. The other branches do have some good medical facilities, just fewer. So they’ll be a higher chance you get stationed somewhere working a boring clinic job. Army would be first choice for best medical experience, followed by Navy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go to the cheapest, best undergrad she can. Get straight A's and kill the MCAT. Then take out loans for med school like everyone else. Pay them off around 45.

That is my daughter’s plan!

There is a cap on the loans now, it may not [b]cover it. That’s why using 529 for room/board. Loans can be limited to tuition then.

[url]

You can still get $50,000 a year with a total
Cap of $200,000-$257,000. The rest can be private loans, 529, or help from parents.

[Anonymous]

I would say Army. Our taxes go to war and golden parachutes for billionaires. But education is a luxury for countries that respect and care about their people. Even though we are the richest. That money is for the criminals in America. Workers get dickymcgeezax.

[Anonymous]

My physician child took out tuition only loans. He owed about 240K all in. He has been an attending for 3 years and he has paid them all off. He took advantage of the Covid years (he was a resident at that point) when payments, as well as interest, was paused. Once he was an attending, he lived like a resident and often paid 5K a month toward his loans. Paid in full at age 34.