Can the Academy be longer than four years?

[Hofner]

Timo said:
It's not really said to be his first assignment, to be exact. All that is said is that he requested to be assigned to DS9; perhaps the request was not granted immediately?

Just nitpicking...

Timo Saloniemi

Except that it couldn't have been very long before the events of "Emissary" that Bajor asked for a Starfleet presence. Be hard for Bashir to ask for a posting that he couldn't know about. Also it certainly seemed the character of Bashir was a naive, eager young man starting on his career. Seems that was why O'Brien couldn't stand the young whippersnapper.

Robert

 

[Epsilon IX]

I imagine it's possible, if you're doing something like an extended degree, so you can be even better at the position you wish to pursue, or there could be some sort of equivalent of a postgraduate or a Master's position.