tanzbodeli

Thanks for the replies. That info about the GI bill helps as does the other information. Since I've been thinking about military medicine, I've also read some of the forums over at studentdoctor.net: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=72 And I have to say there is a major tone of negatively and unhappiness among the active duty doctors who are currently serving. There is also a consistent theme of mass exodus of doctors following their service commitments. I haven't seen the same kind of negativity though here (or in other allied health forums related to military medicine). Does anyone have any thoughts on this issue: why doctors seems overwhelmingly unhappy with the military system whereas other health professionals aren't?

I have a few sincere questions about nursing in the military, and as I've read around on these forums for a few weeks, I believe I've come to the right place to ask them. Forgive me if I give a long explanation of my situation. :) I am currently 32 years old and in my second career and contemplating moving to a third. I have a B.S. in Biology and have spent 4-5 years in biological lab research and teaching in a university environment. In the intervening 10 years since I graduated, I also worked for 6 years in the computer field as a software programmer. Neither of these professions has completely satisfied me and I'm ready to make another move. I've long considered a career in the health professions, but never really known how or when to make the transition. I went so far as to become a licensed phlebotomist, but found the monotony to be overwhelming. I've volunteered a fair amount in hospital ERs as well, so I feel I have a small amount of exposure to the health care setting. I considered going back to medical school, but having too many friends who went down that road was enough to convince me that I don't want to spend 7+ years before I start a career. I've also thought about going to Physician Assistant school as well as nursing. One of the things I like about the health care field is that I could (theoretically) get a job just about anywhere, including working internationally. I love traveling and if I could find a way to have a great job and travel at the same time, I think that would be ideal. This naturally lead me to thinking about military service. But as I was thinking about it, I realized that many (if not most) medical service personnel are probably stationed in VA hospitals or bases around the U.S. Of course there is nothing wrong with that, but I'm not sure if I would be happy with it. So I guess my first question (yes there is a question amid all this typing...) is, what proportion of medical service members are stationed outside the U.S.? (either in foreign bases or active deployment sites) If that is really what I'm interested in, is it easy to get assigned to such posts, or do most people want that? (meaning it would be competitive and not guaranteed) My second question is, how common/easy is it for medical service members to get advanced degrees? I'm not just talking about an Army nurse getting trained in sub-specialties, but rather getting a degree in Public Health or Health Care Administration, or Foreign Policy, etc..? I consider myself to be a lifelong learner and would be disappointed if my opportunities to grow and advance would be limited. Anyway, if you've gotten this far, thanks for reading and providing any insight you might have! -Chris