Cadets can prepare for careers in medicine and law through Saint Louis University's Air Force ROTC Detachment.
Medicine
Pre-Health Cadet
Each year, HQ Air Force ROTC identifies members to enter its pre-health program. These cadets are guaranteed an Air Force scholarship if they are accepted into a medical school or Uniformed Services University of Health Services (USUHS) prior to graduating from their undergraduate program.
Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program
Cadets selected for the pre-health program should apply for civilian medical schools at the end of their junior year or beginning of their senior year. Cadets who receive an unconditional acceptance letter from an accredited medical school should take a copy of the letter to their detachment as soon as possible. The detachment will forward a copy of that acceptance letter to HQ Air Force Personnel Center.
When Physician Education receives confirmation of selection, they will email a contract and pay package to the appropriate Air Force ROTC detachment. The detachment will assist cadets in completing the required forms and return them to Physician Education. Cadets going into the Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program will be commissioned into the line upon completion of their undergraduate degree and will be reappointed into the Medical Service Corps the next day.
USUHS will notify HQ Air Force Personnel Center of pre-health cadets selected to attend the university. HQ Air Force Personnel Center will send the appropriate detachment a contract package to be completed by the cadet. The detachment will ensure the contract package is complete and returned by the established suspense date.
Detachments will commission these individuals into the line of the Air Force upon completion of their undergraduate degree and reappoint them into the Medical Service Corps the next day. HQ HQ Air Force Personnel Center will initiate appointment orders to include orders to enter active duty for medical school training.
Pre-health cadets not accepted into an accredited medical school prior to graduation have two options. They enter active duty as a line officer or apply for an educational delay. For more information on these options, cadets should contact the Air Force Personnel Center educational delay program manager at 210-565-4191.
Steps to be completed on ROTC pre-health cadets:
- Cadet gets accepted into the pre-health program during their sophomore year
- Cadet gets accepted to an accredited medical school or USUHS
- Cadet takes acceptance letter to Air Force ROTC detachment
- Detachment forwards letter to Air Force Personnel Center
- Contract and pay package are emailed to detachment
- Cadet completes paperwork and returns it to detachment
- Detachment sends completed contract, pay package and copy of commissioning physical to Air Force Personnel Center
- Detachment commissions cadet into the line of the Air Force upon graduation
- Detachments reappoint cadets into the Medical Service Corps the day after commission or graduation date
For more information contact the Physician's Education Branch at afpc.dpame@randolph.af.mil, 210-565-2638 (toll free: 1-800-531-5800) or at:
550 C St. West, Suite 25
Randolph Air Force Base
Universal City, Texas 78150
Law
Education Delay Law Program
Ed Delay is a three year program for officers commissioned through Air Force ROTC who want to delay their entry on active duty to study law. Applicants are not guaranteed positions as Air Force judge advocates and must compete for selection both for entry into the program and for entry into the judge advocate general’s department at the end of the program.
Interested students must:
- Have applied and ultimately have been admitted to an ABA-approved law school
- Be in good academic standing
- Meet Air Force ROTC commissioning standards
Participants are responsible for the cost of their legal education and they do not receive military pay or benefits during their legal studies.
Students apply through the local Air Force ROTC detachment during the spring semester of their senior year in college. They should complete the online application provided by the judge advocate general. The deadline for completing the application paperwork and the hiring interview is Feb. 1.
Participants in the Ed Delay Law Program are assigned to the Air Force Institute of Technology and are required to inform the institute of their academic progress. They normally perform a summer internship between their second and third year of law school. Internships vary from 60 to 89 days and during such periods officers draw a full pay and benefits, as well as travel allowances. Typically the internship is performed at the base legal officer near the officer’s place of residence.
The second application process for selection as a judge advocate occurs during the final term of law school. Students repeat the same application process they compete for entry into the program. The deadline for this application is Feb. 1.
Selection will be made on a best-qualified basis. Selection factors include academic performance, extracurricular activities, work experience, community service, military record and the interview recommendation. The most qualified applicants are selected by the judge advocate general using recommendations from a board of senior judge advocates. The selection board is convened in February each year, and applicants are notified of the results by letter.
Graduate Law Program
The Graduate Law Program is a two-year Air Force ROTC program for law students. Once selected for the GLP, students are eligible for a position as an Air Force judge advocate upon successful completion of the Air Force ROTC program, graduating from an ABA-approved law school, completion of legal licensing requirements (including admission to practice before any state’s highest court) and medical qualification.
To be eligible, cadets must:
- Be attending an ABA-approved law school that is also an Air Force ROTC host or cross-town school
- Be in good academic standing
- Meet Air Force ROTC entry standards, such as U.S. citizenship, Air Force Officer
- Qualifying Test minimum scores and Air Force ROTC fitness and medical standards
- Be under the age of 35 at the time of commissioning
The application process is done in two parts:
- Students apply through the local Air Force ROTC detachment at the beginning of the spring semester of their first year of law school.
- Students complete the application and schedule a hiring interview with the senior attorney (staff judge advocate) at a nearby Air Force base. The deadline for completion of all application paperwork and the hiring interview is Feb. 1.
Selectees attend a six-week field training at an Air Force base during the summer before either their second or third year of law school. They complete the normal academic requirements for the Air Force ROTC two-year program while attending their second and third year of law school.
Graduates incur a four-year active duty service commitment. They begin active duty as first lieutenants and are eligible for promotion to captain on the day they complete six months of active duty.
Students are paid during summer field training and receive a monthly tax-free stipend between $350 and $400 each month of school during the last two years of their legal education.