Hey Folks,
I'm looking for some thoughts and opinions on my situation. I am 30, marine vet, and a firefighter. Some of my service connected ortho issues from both jobs are preventing me from continuing as a firefighter and I am going back to school to pursue medicine. I am passionate about emergency medicine, but think I would love some other specialties like family practice or sports medicine as well.
I have a little over 30 credits done over the last few years (between trainings, or while recovering from surgeries) with a 4.0 GPA so I'm off to a good start. I have a 90% disability rating and I believe would qualify for a SEH which could allow me to go beyond the 48 month cap on VA benefits. After attending EMT and paramedic school, as well as the 30 credits, I have about 16 months left of Post 9/11 benefits, and would need 27 or more to finish undergrad. Since I'm about 11 months short on Post 9/11 to get me through my undergrad right now , I am looking at VR&E and wondering if there is a possibility for basically 7 years of school covered (sounds insane). If not, do you think I could use the STEM extension to finish undergrad and then still qualify for full BAH if/when I get approved for VR&E?
Wanted to say thank you and give a shout out to you guys who have been posting about your journeys here, its been very encouraging to me to read about your successes and also to learn from your mistakes. Hope to hear from you soon.
In case you hadn't seen it yet, I highly recommend looking over our updated link concerning VR&E and the STEM program here:
***2022 Update*** FAQs - Post 9/11 & Montgomery GI Bill Benefits - VR&E Chapter 31 Benefits - Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship (Files Attached)
In short, it is highly unlikely you would be covered from beginning to end from undergrad to med school on the basis of getting accepted to utilize VR&E (Chapter 31 benefits). It is an
employment program that is based on minimum education/skill sets to set up veterans for job prospects. As you've read though, veterans have been able to cater these benefits for medical school (however, this is getting more difficult year after year as time goes). You would have to argue "why" a bachelors wouldn't warrant the opportunity for you to be gainfully employed in any profession. The burden is also on the veteran to "prove" why medical school and how your service-connected disabilities would not worsen your ability to work in such a capacity (so on and so forth).
However, you do have a better shot of trying to get on VR&E during your undergrad and stating your interests, aptitude, and abilities based on a career (major) that can help you fulfill early employment with "just the current credential of having a bachelors." I would aim the focus on immediate employment and "not necessarily mention" your immediate goal of med school. By doing this, you now have the ability to do two things:
1) Allow VR&E to carry you through undergrad
2) Save whats left of your Post 9/11 to put you ahead in medical school (at least to a solid start).
If you start off on using your GI Bill, it'll take away from your VR&E (no more than 48 months of total benefit). Albeit being 90% sets a veteran up for an SEH, it is not a guarantee for extension (I was 80% turned 100% and did not get an extension). In other words, they'll look at what is left for your benefits (12 months after exhausting post 9/11) and state that they will not cover your med school goals since the money could not cover you to the end of school and thus, would be money that is sacrificed to null (in their eyes) that could've been put to something else. Congress gives the $$$$ and it is getting very limited, so a counselor would push you aside knowing it would not lead to a final employment goal for yourself.
I would jump on
ebenefits, log in (or create an account), and go ahead and apply for VR&E. You'll automatically get a letter and email stating you qualify for an interview with a counselor. That'll get you started in at least giving it a shot at this time early in your career goals to see what might align for you (financially speaking).
Apologize for the late reply, I've been retired from SDN for almost a month and am now trying to play 'catch up'. Reach our for additional questions if you have any!