Payback Timeline For Direct Commission [MD]

[Detective SnowBucket]

I can find plenty of info on payback time for FAP/HPSP but none on the timeline for direct commissions for MDs.
I'd like to go into the military because I genuinely want to and already regret not enlisting before college for 4 years. I'm only an M1 so I have plenty of time to get things sorted and my priorities may change.

I am looking for a way to serve ~4 yrs after residency preferably and not come out *significantly* behind my civilian peers in terms of loan repayment. I'd prefer to go Navy but I'm flexible if one of the other branches has a better deal. I'm looking to go after residency so I don't have to deal with all the bs of a military match/GMO yrs.

At this point, I am also only interested in wartime essential specialties anyways so I'm not too concerned with the DHA cuts.
Would reserve be a better bet? With their payback timeline/contract, I could see myself in that long-term but I don't know if they have a big enough sign-on bonus to make it worth it with the amount of loans I'll have.

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[d2305]

If they need you, it's possible to negotiate what you want in your contract. The reserve has more options.

 

[Recruit_the_Doc07]

Detective Snowbucket, I'm a Physician Recruiter for the Army. There's a couple of ways you can do this. One, you can join as a STRAP or FAP applicant depending on if you want to join Active Duty or Reserve during your residency. The payback time for this is a 1 for 2. For every 1 year you use STRAP you owe back 2 years of Reserve time. The current stipend for STRAP is $2,330.78 per month.

Your other option is you can join after residency as a Direct Commission. You still have the option to do Active Duty or USAR. You'd have the option to choose a 2,3, or 4 year contract.

The Reserve is currently offering student loan repayment of up to $250K or an annual accession bonus of up to $75K depending on your specialty. These are subject to change at anytime.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions, I'm happy to help.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

Detective Snowbucket, I'm a Physician Recruiter for the Army. There's a couple of ways you can do this. One, you can join as a STRAP or FAP applicant depending on if you want to join Active Duty or Reserve during your residency. The payback time for this is a 1 for 2. For every 1 year you use STRAP you owe back 2 years of Reserve time. The current stipend for STRAP is $2,330.78 per month.

Your other option is you can join after residency as a Direct Commission. You still have the option to do Active Duty or USAR. You'd have the option to choose a 2,3, or 4 year contract.

The Reserve is currently offering student loan repayment of up to $250K or an annual accession bonus of up to $75K depending on your specialty. These are subject to change at anytime.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions, I'm happy to help.

It appears there is an end-of-season blowout on recent USAF-sponsored outservice-trained residents. No reasonable offer refused! All docs must go!

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

Detective Snowbucket, I'm a Physician Recruiter for the Army. There's a couple of ways you can do this. One, you can join as a STRAP or FAP applicant depending on if you want to join Active Duty or Reserve during your residency. The payback time for this is a 1 for 2. For every 1 year you use STRAP you owe back 2 years of Reserve time. The current stipend for STRAP is $2,330.78 per month.

Your other option is you can join after residency as a Direct Commission. You still have the option to do Active Duty or USAR. You'd have the option to choose a 2,3, or 4 year contract.

The Reserve is currently offering student loan repayment of up to $250K or an annual accession bonus of up to $75K depending on your specialty. These are subject to change at anytime.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions, I'm happy to help.

That sounds great for the active duty repayment, I'd rather go AD if I can. What is the loan repayment/sign-on bonus/etc that will help me get out of debt for the 2/3/4 year contracts like? Is the pathway with 2/3/4 yr contract after residency the same for all branches?

 

[armytrainingsir]

Reserves, hands down.

Do whatever specialty you want, live wherever you want, get an employed gig out of residency, play army or navy as much or as little as you want, make civilian bucks, have most/all of your medical school debt knocked out as well.

AD medicine is waaaaay too uncertain for the foreseeable future IMO.