Is the VA HPSP scholarship even real?

[deuist]

As I work in the ED and we never close for any reason, mandatory fun days mean that all of the patients who should be in clinic show up to the ED.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[asdf123g]

well i hear the VA is just completely ****ed up lol aka worse

 

[Shikima]

well i hear the VA is just completely ****ed up lol aka worse

Low pay, low morale, low respect, and given a lot of work beyond the 40 hours they pay you for.

 

[notdeadyet]

well i hear the VA is just completely ****ed up lol aka worse

Meh, you can't talk very intelligently about working at THE VA. Some VAs are research center and training facilities that rival a lot of non-VA facilities. Some are dumps. But talking about THE VA as if there is a unified experienced is like taking about working at academic hospitals or community hospitals. Tough to generalize.

 

[Perrotfish]

As I work in the ED and we never close for any reason, mandatory fun days mean that all of the patients who should be in clinic show up to the ED.

Oh. Heh. Well when you're done with your shift I'll give you first dibs on the bouncy castle. Least I can do.

 

[TheEarDoc]

Low pay, low morale, low respect, and given a lot of work beyond the 40 hours they pay you for.

Don't forget that you have to put up with veterans who are practically worshiped in the VA and can do no wrong. We get a lot of "just give him what he wants so he doesn't complain" instead of saying "sorry Mr. Veteran, but you're being a jerk and you will not verbally abuse staff members and no you will not be seen when you live locally and show up 4 hours for your appointment time.".

 

[TheEarDoc]

Meh, you can't talk very intelligently about working at THE VA. Some VAs are research center and training facilities that rival a lot of non-VA facilities. Some are dumps. But talking about THE VA as if there is a unified experienced is like taking about working at academic hospitals or community hospitals. Tough to generalize.

This is true. If you've seen one VA you've seen one VA.

The problem is as the media picks up any little story that a veteran gives, takes it as the gospel, and due to privacy laws the VA cannot respond, it's going to fast become the same at very VA facility.

 

[Gastrapathy]

This is true. If you've seen one VA you've seen one VA.

The problem is as the media picks up any little story that a veteran gives, takes it as the gospel, and due to privacy laws the VA cannot respond, it's going to fast become the same at very VA facility.

Every little story is awfully dismissive of a huge government bureaucracy that is failing to meet its mission. And the argument that exposing these bureaucrats failures is going to make things worse is infuriating.

So...Sorry, no. I experienced the VA at a place I was told over and over again is one of the good ones (strong University affiliation, etc). The best care was delivered by the housestaff while they avoided getting the attendings involved. Its a little deeper than a Privacy Act problem. I then experienced the VA as a veteran in one of the bad ones. So I've seen two VAs that were supposed to be at either end of the spectrum. The only thing that made the first one better were the young doctors who never intended to set foot in another VA.

 

[notdeadyet]

There are a lot of bad VAs out there. And there are a lot of good ones.

I would MUCH rather be treated at two of the VAs I've worked at (SFVA and Palo Alto) than most military medical centers I've been at. I rotated at one the Air Force is quite fond of as a residency training center and I'd get care at most VAs I've seen (albeit not all) LOOONG before I'd set foot there again.

Hard to generalize about VAs. Though people love to do so for reasons of politics.

 

[TheEarDoc]

Every little story is awfully dismissive of a huge government bureaucracy that is failing to meet its mission. And the argument that exposing these bureaucrats failures is going to make things worse is infuriating.

So...Sorry, no. I experienced the VA at a place I was told over and over again is one of the good ones (strong University affiliation, etc). The best care was delivered by the housestaff while they avoided getting the attendings involved. Its a little deeper than a Privacy Act problem. I then experienced the VA as a veteran in one of the bad ones. So I've seen two VAs that were supposed to be at either end of the spectrum. The only thing that made the first one better were the young doctors who never intended to set foot in another VA.

I attend appointments with my father at two different VA facilities. Both in different areas of the country. One has been wonderful, the other has been awful. I also have seen how many veterans treat the providers and staff. It's amazing how people think you can treat others and just magically be respected. Swearing at people, being racist, or showing up 5 hours late for an appointment and then screaming because you have to wait an hour to be worked back in is not decent behavior and at private facilities is not tolerated. Unfortunately many veterans have been rewarded for their little antics and act out when they aren't getting what they want whether it's reasonable or not.

I say every little story because our local news agency here loves to hate on the VA. They frequently dig for dirt to throw on the VA. The veteran does an interview full of lies and of course due to privacy reasons the hospital cannot respond. I grow tired of it.

I am not saying the VA does not have problems, and some people at some VA's have done horrible things. Do I think it's any worse than any private sector hospitals? No. I've been at many who have had their fair share of scandals and idiotic screw ups, but since it's the VA we get put under another microscope.

Personally I would love to see privacy laws amended to where if you're willing to stand in front of a camera and give your side of things about your care then the hospital should be allowed to give their side of things and you waive your rights to privacy for that facility for that complaint. This one sided crap has always annoyed me even before joining the VA.

 

[edonna]

Any word on if the VA will truly accept applications for the HPSP scholarship next month? The deadline has been extended repeatedly for the past three years. I am wondering if the VA HPSP is going to come to fruition before I graduate.

 

[asdf123g]

Any word on if the VA will truly accept applications for the HPSP scholarship next month? The deadline has been extended repeatedly for the past three years. I am wondering if the VA HPSP is going to come to fruition before I graduate.

nothing gets done fast in the government. Dont hold your breath.

 

[airbornedude]

So I found this thread on a google search and was curious if the VA is still planning on doing this? I'm applying this cycle (MD) and I wouldn't mind working for the VA if they paid my tuition and expenses.

 

[Mad Jack]

This is from the same website. I read this as it is still in developmental stage:

VA will announce the open period for accepting applications here on http://www.vacareers.va.gov after VA regulations, policy, and procedures are developed.

Also, it seems like it hasn't been completely thought out. How do they keep track of those in the program after they graduate medical school through their internship and residency to bring them back to pay the obligation? What happens when someone wants to sub-specialize or do a Fellowship? What mechanism do they have for those who don't complete internship and/or can't pass Part 3? It seems that they have a long way to go with this.

I'd assume it would go the exact same way as the NHSC scholarships go now. Limit specialty and fellowship choice and have massive breech of contract penalties for anyone that doesn't fulfill their obligation.

 

[airbornedude]

I'd assume it would go the exact same way as the NHSC scholarships go now. Limit specialty and fellowship choice and have massive breech of contract penalties for anyone that doesn't fulfill their obligation.

Thanks man, maybe I should just take loans out like everyone else haha!

 

[Pat Youngblood]

I am very interested in working with the VA after medical school, and the VA website even talks about how they offer a HPSP scholarship like the military branches Education Support - VA Careers . There is no contact person phone or number listed, and I just called the VA education department, where a rep said he had never heard of such a program. Do es anyone know anything about this?

I am the VA Program Manager and we are working on launching this program This year we offered scholarships for PAs, PTs, and Nurses. More to follow

 

[Homunculus]

PA VA HPSP is apparently coming to life: Health Professionals Scholarship Program (HPSP) - PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

--your friendly neighborhood intrigued caveman

 

[68PGunner]

Low pay, low morale, low respect, and given a lot of work beyond the 40 hours they pay you for.

How pervasive in this among VAs? One of the common things that I have heard as pros for working as a docin the VA are Lessing working hrs and a slower, relaxing pace.

 

[deleted480308]

PA VA HPSP is apparently coming to life: Health Professionals Scholarship Program (HPSP) - PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

--your friendly neighborhood intrigued caveman

They ever start this for docs it will make the military recruiting much harder

 

[Shikima]

How pervasive in this among VAs? One of the common things that I have heard as pros for working as a docin the VA are Lessing working hrs and a slower, relaxing pace.

Very. Nurses and NPs/PAs are paid OT beyond 40 hours. Physicians, no way. All of the crap funnels to you and you're expected to pick up the slack when someone else screws up.

 

[68PGunner]

Very. Nurses and NPs/PAs are paid OT beyond 40 hours. Physicians, no way. All of the crap funnels to you and you're expected to pick up the slack when someone else screws up.

So how can they force you as a doc to work beyond 40 hrs w/o OT hours? Can't you just give them the middle finger? That kind of stuff is in the military. I don't expect that kind of culture to also be in the VA.

 

[Shikima]

So how can they force you as a doc to work beyond 40 hrs w/o OT hours? Can't you just give them the middle finger? That kind of stuff is in the military. I don't expect that kind of culture to also be in the VA.

Gov't service. Lots of uncompensated time. Demonstrates how little regard is given to physicians are these days.