Men and women in uniform work hard to earn their benefits, and military-sponsored medical education grants are one of the biggest examples of how serving your country can help you serve society as a qualified professional.

Whether you’re a recent high school graduate scoping out your options, or are already enlisted and serving, access to military medical education grants could pave the way to a future of success.

Military Medical Education Grants

1. Air Force Enlisted Education

The United States Air Force offers medical education grants to all levels of students and active service members – from nurse’s education to physician assistant. Alternatively, if you prefer, you could check out any of the general grants and scholarships that apply toward any accredited college.

2. Army Health Professions Scholarship

In exchange for roughly 2-4 years of service, the Army Health Professions Scholarship will cover 100% of your tuition to any qualified medical, dental, psychology, optometry, or veterinary program.

It gets even more impressive when you consider the fact that this program also covers living expenses, housing, and other regular army benefits on top of the medical education grants.

3. Navy Healthcare Education

The Navy Healthcare Education program covers a vast array of basic degree and continuing medical education grants.

There are three types of navy medical student grants: the scholarship program (tuition + sign on bonus), the collegiate program (salary and housing while finishing degree), and the loan repayment program (helps cover graduate school costs).

4. Canadian Forces Paid Education

The Canadian Forces will provide enough grants for medical education to pay your entire tuition while you collect a regular salary and enjoy invaluable Forces benefits. After the Paid College or Paid University program is complete, you will have a guaranteed job in the Canadian Forces.

The Reserve Force benefits are a little different, however, and reserve members are expected to pay for books and tuition and receive reimbursement later (but you still get a nice salary).

Medical education grants for military students are just one benefit of serving your country – it’s the experience and dedication, however, that will really impress future employers.

If you are enlisted or planning to enlist, make sure that you don’t miss these valuable medical education grants; after all, education is the best way to help others by helping yourself.

Keeping student debt to a minimum is so much easier when you apply for medical school scholarships and grants – there are thousands of funding sources available, and many of these are tailored specifically to women and minority groups. These exclusive medical school grants are important because the limited nature of such programs keeps competition low and motivation high.

Highest-Paying Medical School Scholarships and Grants for Minorities

1. The Office of Minority Health

The Office of Minority Health provides an easy-access archive of a very wide variety of grants for medical school, including several financial aid sources for specific fields like psychiatry and senior care. Most of these medical school scholarships and grants are open to any federally recognized minority, but some have stricter requirements and only accept certain minorities, like American Indians for example.

2. Aboriginal Canada Financial Aid Portal

The Aboriginal Canada Portal (provided by the Government of Canada) is a massive resource of medical school scholarships and grants, much like the above resource, but geared toward Aboriginal students.

This index lists almost 30 unique financial aid programs for potential medical student grants, sponsored by reputable organizations such as the National Aboriginal Health Organization and the Royal Bank of Canada financial group.

Popular Medical School Scholarships for Women

1. Daughters of the American Revolution

The Daughters of the American Revolution offers three nursing school scholarships and three scholarships for medical school. These are not small medical school scholarships and grants – award amounts can range from $1000 to a total of $20,000.

2. Federation of Medical Women in Canada

For a wonderful compilation of medical school scholarships for women, check out the aptly-named Federation of Medical Women in Canada. Most of these medical school scholarships and grants are only available to members of the federation, but the cost of a medical student membership is only about $25 annually.

As a woman or a minority student, you have access to funds that level the playing field and produce highly qualified medical professionals in a time when the need for medical service is skyrocketing.

Medical school scholarships and grants are an invaluable resource for the student under financial strain – the last thing a prospective medical professional needs is debt, and with enough financial aid and budgeting you can avoid the threat of long-term debt altogether.

Are you swimming in debt created by your medical student loans? You’re definitely not alone!

Medical school tuition is never cheap, and to add insult to injury there is the fact that living expenses are only growing higher. But you can win the battle against late payments and debt stress by seeking forgiveness or consolidation of your medical school student loans.

Keep reading to learn about your options…

Are You Eligible for Medical Student Loan Forgiveness?

The most efficient way to reduce your medical student loan debt is to seek out an applicable medical student loan forgiveness program – unfortunately, these resources are only available under very special circumstances.

For example, nurses and some technicians can receive forgiveness on 60-100% of their Perkins or Stafford medical student loan totals.

Forgiveness on medical student loans for Canadian students is a little bit more complicated. You will find that policies are hit-and-miss and largely depend on the province or territory in which you live. For example, students in British Columbia offers medical student loan forgiveness, but the Canada Student Loan Program offers no federal assistance for the majority of students.

A Simple Alternative: Medical Student Loan Consolidation

Consolidation involves combining all of your student loans into one payment, usually after renegotiating interest rates.

There are several types of medical student loan consolidation options available – you and your lenders will need to work together to figure out the best plan for you.

American federal medical student loans can be consolidated in one of two ways: a direct consolidation loan, or a special consolidation loan. These are basically the same thing, but the latter usually involves an interest rate deduction.

Canada student loan consolidation programs are very similar – but again, it is always in your best interest to contact the National Student Loans Service Centre to scope out the other applicable repayment options for your medical student loans.

Many students choose to consolidate their medical student loans after graduation regardless of financial difficulties, usually for the convenience and cost benefits.

Don’t let the debt from your medical student loans snowball out of control.

It only takes a few missed payments to throw your finances into disarray – it is best to call your loan provider as soon as you see those “gray clouds” that warn of tough budget troubles, that way you can begin negotiating a plan for the forgiveness or consolidation of your medical student loans right away.

Back to Medical Student Grants.