Joining the Canadian Army?

[Guest willdation]

Hello,

 

I am about to join the Army Reserves to serve as a peacekeeper (part-time). Do you think that this will negatively affect my chances of entering medical school if the adcoms are made aware of this? I certainly would not want to be labeled a violent person, nor a supporter of the current Iraq occupation.

[Guest scrubbed]

Do you think that this will negatively affect my chances of entering medical school if the adcoms are made aware of this? I certainly would not want to be labeled a violent person, nor a supporter of the current Iraq occupation.

 

I don't think that it would affect your application negatively at all. All things being equal, the life skills and experiences that you would obtain would aid your personal development greatly, making you r a stronger person and a stronger candidate.

 

Personally, I know people that have served in the Canadian Forces, including time in Afghanistan, who are presently in med school and are also fine people, so, again, I don't think it's a concern.

 

I understand that war and the army can be sensitive topics, so it's great that you raised it.

 

All the best.

[Guest snplow]

I'm pretty sure that med schools do not view the Armed Forces in a negative light. It seems that there is a shift in the roles of the armed forces. Rather going to war, today's armed forces (the ones in the developed countries I find anyways) serve within their own country whenever there is a crisis. The most recent example is when the army in the US was mobilized to help out with H.Katrina but other examples include the time when Winnipeg was flooded out during the 90s or when military personnel were called in during the October crisis. (There are many other examples as well).

 

I think that since you are interested in serving the CF, you will also find that you are benifiting financially when you are in med school because I believe that they will cover part of your tuition.

 

As for joining the military and being an MD for them, I don't know if I would recommend that. I was talking to a doctor who went to RMC and he told me that even though it sounded like a good deal (get undergrad + med school paid for in exchange for 4 yrs of service), it was actually pretty bad because it was unchallenging and boring while he was there (the cases he sees all day are strains, sprains and bruises from the marching around they do).

 

Hope that helps!

[Guest Talon01]

I believe at Ottawa there are a certain number of spots reserved for military people.

[Guest ploughboy]

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Hey there,

 

I would expect that military service could only enhance your medical school application, as it demonstrates that you have (off the top of my head) discipline, leadership, teamwork, self-sacrifice and a commitment to something bigger than yourself. As military personnel are not, by and large, brainwashed homicidal maniacs I don't think the adcom would see you that way.

 

On the other hand, if it happens that you do like the military life-style, the MOTP (medical officer training programme) is a pretty sweet deal, provided you want to practice family meds. There is/was a thread on the MOTP around here somewhere, though it might have died when ezboard was hacked. This isn't a "back-door" into medicine, however.

 

One other note that I'm sure your future brothers-in-arms will point out to you ad nauseum: You are not joining the army to be a peacekeeper. You are joining the army to be a soldier. Our military has a long and admirable tradition of peacekeeping, but it is not, nor has it ever been the primary role of the CF. As Gen. Hillier (the new Chief of Defense Staff, for those not keeping score at home) put it recently in his inimitable manner: "We are the Canadian Forces, and our job is to be able to kill people."

 

Lotsa luck!

 

pb (never been in, but knows a bunch of people who are/were)

 

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[Guest jehohertz]

I've been in the reserves since 98 and have a handful of courses taken through RMC (incl. Introduction to Peacekeeping. POE110 I think it was).

First off, there is no such thing as a "peacekeeper". Usually what people think of as peacekeepers are soldiers that are tasked with the mission of peacekeeping, which along the way those in the combat trades find themselves in combat roles. Especially since the end of the Cold War and the "Chapter 6 1/2" or "Chapter 7" peacekeeping/peace enforcement missions.

 

Secondly, Canada has personnel that were on exchanges with the US Army and UK militaries serving in Iraq only with those units they were on exchange with. Canada has not, I repeat has *not*, sent troops into Iraq. If you understand this you are way ahead of the "protestors" you see on University campuses. There is a split among my collegues in the army as to the Iraq situation, however very few support it.

 

Essentially do not listen to the "protestors". Check it out for yourself. You don't sign a contract, you can quit at anytime. Almost everybody I know, reserve and reg force are just people who understand we live in a violent world and sometimes you need to use force, either in full-out combat, or just to get food to starving people. Essentially making a difference.

 

In case you can't tell my goal with returning to school is to become a military physician in the regular force. If I don't like it, I won't renew my contract. Simple. But don't buy the hype - either recruiting or anti-military extremists. Most people I've found don't know that Canada and the United States are two seperate countries - I am pro-Canadian military, but I am deeply Anti-Bush/Cheney. And I( am definately not alone in that stance among those in the military.

 

I've ranted long enough, take it for what it is worth. But if you don't want to join the military, don't do it just for brownie points. That would be my final piece of advice.