amyjenfour Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Hello, I am a physician assistant student who will be graduating in May. I am interested in joining either the Navy or Air Force. I have no prior military experience and I am concerned about what type of fit this will be. I have talked to a few recruiters and I am still unsure if the loan repayment would be worth the time put in, my goal is to pay off these loans ASAP. Also, it is my understanding that even with the bonuses (which I would use to repay loans) the base salary is significantly lower than that of a civilian job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caleb_jo Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Hello, I am a physician assistant student who will be graduating in May. I am interested in joining either the Navy or Air Force. I have no prior military experience and I am concerned about what type of fit this will be. I have talked to a few recruiters and I am still unsure if the loan repayment would be worth the time put in, my goal is to pay off these loans ASAP. Also, it is my understanding that even with the bonuses (which I would use to repay loans) the base salary is significantly lower than that of a civilian job. Hello Amy, I believe it is a great idea for a number of reasons.... First, the pay is very competitive with civilian pay (especially in regards to new grads!). With Base pay, BAS, and BAH(depending where you are stationed) you come close to around $70,000. Of course, you cannot forget bonuses that are offered to PAs (in the Navy at least... cannot speak for Air force) which includes accession and board certified pay that can exceed $25,000 a year depending on the commitment you sign for. Do the math and you could reach around $95,000 as a new grad!! You must not forget about the full medical and dental benefits which can be looked at as a monetary gain as well. Secondly, I believe you get great autonomy in the military more quickly which will help you to grow and force you to be the best you can be. This is an added benefit for when you get out as you will become more marketable. The Navy also offers some great post-grad fellowships in Emergency Medicine and Ortho. They are looking to expand this into more opportunities like in flight medicine, dive medicine, and surgery. And last of all, you will have a chance to serve your country and travel the world! Not only will you be making good money and paying your loans off, you will have a chance to serve military members and their families..I recognize that the military isn't for everyone, but it does provide a lot of outstanding opportunities. Just my two cents..:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick87 Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Hello, I am a physician assistant student who will be graduating in May. I am interested in joining either the Navy or Air Force. I have no prior military experience and I am concerned about what type of fit this will be. I have talked to a few recruiters and I am still unsure if the loan repayment would be worth the time put in, my goal is to pay off these loans ASAP. Also, it is my understanding that even with the bonuses (which I would use to repay loans) the base salary is significantly lower than that of a civilian job. See my post in the thread directly below this. It has its pros and its cons. I'd do it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbrothers98 Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/charts/public-service If I am reading this correctly, your military service would be eligible for this program. Refi the loan down to lowest rate possible if necessary. Start income based payments or similar plan rather than usual 10 yr plan. Would be worthwhile to run the numbers. There are several threads concerning new PAs entertaining military service. It is not for everyone. As a PA, you will enter your service as an officer which has upside and downside. Most important thing to do is to read everything you are presented and that you sign. Know your length of committment and all the specifics, there are a lot of moving parts to entering military service, be aware of them all. I think the issue to consider is the loss of flexibility concerning your life. You will be told where to live, when you can take time off, etc. The Navy primarily has bases on the coasts, the Air Force is scattered throughout CONUS. Not to mention overseas service. So if family is in the midwest, will you be happy being stationed say in Norfolk, VA? Or San Antonio, TX? Minot, ND? Incirlik, Turkey? The USS Ronald Reagan? Good luck, this is a big decision. G Brothers PA-C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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