Need some HPSP advice?

[madmike 20]

I've been considering HPSP for over a year now and I still have a strong desire to join and serve our men and women of our armed forces. The only thing that makes me hesitant about signing up for HPSP is that I'm unsure of about the quality of the residency programs. I've heard from so many residents or previous military doctors that many of the residency programs tend to be understaffed, underfunded, and the patient volume tends to be on the low side which is a big deal. I want to join but not at the expense of receiving inadequate medical training. I understand there are some very solid military residency programs but it worries me if I were to be placed at one of the "other" residency programs. Deferment would be great but I understand that this doesn't happy too often and there's a good amount of luck involved with receiving a deferment. So if anyone has some good advice to send my way I'd appreciate it.

I'm currently an MS1 and therefore would be applying for the 3 year HPSP scholarship, considering AF and Army (not a big fan of becoming a GMO and postponing residency with the Navy, otherwise I'd be considering Navy). Also considering ER or Gen surgery, possibly. I'm also paying 53K a year for tuition (therefore more like 75K a year in loans) and HPSP would help me out a great deal in loans, otherwise I'd be considering the FAP route.

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[WernickeDO]

As far as quality of the various residencies go, that could be its own sticky thread complete with hurt feelings and impassioned defenses. I think a lower volume of patients is accurate in certain spots, but in other spots not so much. The question to ask yourself is this: Do you want to be a doctor or do you want to be a soldier? You can be both in the military but being a soldier will win out every time. Also be prepared to significantly limit your geography when it comes to residency, to risk being pushed into a GMO tour, or to be assigned to billet that is a complete waste of your medical training, e.g. a neonatologist being assigned to a GMO billet that could be filled by an intern trained doc. Being military means your career as a physician will often be decided by non-physicians who see you as an asset, and nothing more. Advice: take on the loans (painful) and if you still want to serve at the end of med school investigate FAP. You get a nice little bonus and retain full control over your medical training (within the frame of the match, that is). Or better yet, come in as a contractor. You'll make more money and you can still take care of soldiers if that is your goal.

 

[madmike 20]

As far as quality of the various residencies go, that could be its own sticky thread complete with hurt feelings and impassioned defenses. I think a lower volume of patients is accurate in certain spots, but in other spots not so much. The question to ask yourself is this: Do you want to be a doctor or do you want to be a soldier? You can be both in the military but being a soldier will win out every time. Also be prepared to significantly limit your geography when it comes to residency, to risk being pushed into a GMO tour, or to be assigned to billet that is a complete waste of your medical training, e.g. a neonatologist being assigned to a GMO billet that could be filled by an intern trained doc? Being military means your career as a physician will often be decided by non-physicians who see you as an asset, and nothing more. Advice: take on the loans (painful) and if you still want to serve at the end of med school investigate FAP. You get a nice little bonus and retain full control over your medical training (within the frame of the match, that is). Or better yet, come in as a contractor. You'll make more money and you can still take care of soldiers if that is your goal.

thanks for the input. i'd have to say i am leaning more towards your advice just so i can have more control over my medical education and just bite the bullet and take on the heavy loans. FAP may just be a better route in the end for what i want like you said

 

[WernickeDO]

Remember that this one doc's opinion. End of story: You retain more control over your career as a civilian than military. No one will deny that.

 

[Kilgoretrout 65]

The VA is gearing up to hire more docs and the director (in a recent NYT article) is talking loan forgiveness as well. Might be something to look into while maintaining your freedom. Granted that might be 8 years from now for you.

 

[deuist]

I'm not sure what your question is. You stated that you read multiple threads about the lack of clinical training in the military and the forced GMO tours, and then end all of that up with, "Are the lack of clinical training in the forced GMO tours really that bad?" I think you were looking to join the military and came to this website seeking validation that somehow, someone would say, "All of those years of complaining from people in the military has now been undone. The training is great and GMO tours no longer exist." If you really want control over your career, stick with the loans and become a civilian contract doctor for the military. You can see all the soldiers you want at a higher pay while maintaining autonomy of clinical specialty and practice location.