Should I move forward with HPSP?

[theendisnigh]

Hello,

I have completed my packet for HPSP Navy and halfway through my packet with HPSP Army. However, I found out today I am fortunate enough to receive a full-tuition package at my top choice medical school. I come from a military community and was looking forward to the camaraderie and service, however, I am very concerned with the limited number of residencies available for military match (particularly no family medicine at Portsmouth Naval) and the possibility of a GMO tour with Navy (preferred branch). I am extremely close to family and would be very depressed being on tour for many months on end. I was looking forward to the monthly stipend and sign-on bonus, but I'm not sure if it's worth it to possibly end up on tour at a moment's notice during my ~7 year commitment. I have also heard cautionary responses from current Navy residents I have spoken to about changes coming to the DHA.

I am interested in family medicine or peds, but I want to be open to the possibility of other choices. Trying to figure out if it's worth it to keep pressing forward with my application. Appreciate any advice from HPSPers or military physicians.

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[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I am extremely close to family and would be very depressed being on tour for many months on end.

I mean, most of us are close with our families. You just have to decide if you are okay with being apart for a little while once in a while. If not, then the military 100% is not for you.

 

[DrMetal]

..... my packet with HPSP Army. However,.... military match (particularly no family medicine at Portsmouth Naval) and the possibility of a GMO tour with Navy (preferred branch).....

If you applied HPSP Army, you definitely wont be going to Naval Hospital Portsmouth.

I am extremely close to family and would be very depressed being on tour for many months on end.

What family, spouse and kids, or a great aunt? Then whey go into medicine at all, a field that's sure to keep you away from family, even if you live with them!

Don't join the military. Enjoy your scholarship. You can consider joining later (active duty or reserves) after your training.

 

[theendisnigh]

If you applied HPSP Army, you definitely wont be going to Naval Hospital Portsmouth.



What family, spouse and kids, or a great aunt? Then whey go into medicine at all, a field that's sure to keep you away from family, even if you live with them!

Don't join the military. Enjoy your scholarship. You can consider joining later (active duty or reserves) after your training.

I had a preference for Navy first. I applied Army because they had more spots and I heard the scholarships were competitive and wanted to maximize my chances.

I understand what you're saying, but these are two different scenarios. On one hand I still go home to see hubby and can take regular trips to see parents. If I'm on tour, I don't see them for months. I would be fine staying at a military hospital, but do not like the likelihood of deploying.

Thank you for the advice.

 

[Gastrapathy]

Congrats on getting a free ride to medical school. Join the reserves after training if you really need to scratch that itch.

 

[Apollyon]

I had an academic scholarship to a military college (not service academy) and an ROTC scholarship. Took the academic, and didn't look back.

As others have said, if you get the drive, you can do it later. But, logically - a "scholarship", for which you owe something afterwards, or a scholarship that pays your way through, nothing owed - this is not balanced.

 

[DrMetal]

but do not like the likelihood of deploying.

then don't joint the military at all. It's the military, a fighting force that deploys, not the peace corps (actually, I shouldn't knock the peace corps, they deploy a lot too).

If you like working for the government, you can do so as a civilian one day, perhaps in the VA system.

In theory you can take 'hubby' with you wherever you go throughout your medical education/training (and you may have to move a lot, school, residences, fellowships, etc) . . .but you should probably detach yourself a little from your parents. You're definitely not going to see them every weekend, at best maybe once/month. Time to grow.

 

[DocSurgeon]

No you absolutely should not

 

[militaryPHYS]

I would be fine staying at a military hospital, but do not like the likelihood of deploying.

Red flag. Don't join now. Join later if your mindset changes and you are OK with being 100% committed to what being in the military entails.

 

[layman_3]

Have to agree with the others, here. If you got a full-tuition scholarship from your school, it sounds like you don't have any required payback period/requirement; you have hit the jackpot. Military medicine of any branch comes with strings attached, including telling you where to live and the ever-present possibility of deployment, and ultimately the needs of the military take precedence over your individual goals.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

Hello,

I have completed my packet for HPSP Navy and halfway through my packet with HPSP Army. However, I found out today I am fortunate enough to receive a full-tuition package at my top choice medical school. I come from a military community and was looking forward to the camaraderie and service, however, I am very concerned with the limited number of residencies available for military match (particularly no family medicine at Portsmouth Naval) and the possibility of a GMO tour with Navy (preferred branch). I am extremely close to family and would be very depressed being on tour for many months on end. I was looking forward to the monthly stipend and sign-on bonus, but I'm not sure if it's worth it to possibly end up on tour at a moment's notice during my ~7 year commitment. I have also heard cautionary responses from current Navy residents I have spoken to about changes coming to the DHA.

I am interested in family medicine or peds, but I want to be open to the possibility of other choices. Trying to figure out if it's worth it to keep pressing forward with my application. Appreciate any advice from HPSPers or military physicians.

Take the full-tuition scholarship and don't look back. Do not bother with HPSP. You have as good a deal as anyone could hope for. (You can thank me later.)

 

[TheEarDoc]

Take the money and run. If you want to serve later then come in as a fully trained medical provider. You will have more bargaining power (sorry it's still a job even though it involves some self-sacrifice), but you will also provide more skills and also be better equipped to help those out there where metal meets meat.

Enjoy your civilian scholarship and if you want to join later go for it. Military service is always going to be an option in the reserves or guard as a medical provider.

 

[theendisnigh]

Thank you to everyone who answered. Thank you very much physicians, I know your time is precious and I appreciate your input.

It's been a hard back-and-forth over the past few days. Going through the process of applying for HPSP, I have felt at home on the Naval base where I grew up among all the sailors*** in their colors. However, I am afraid I am looking at things with the rose-colored glasses of a dependent than a potential active duty member.

My parents are both Navy vets and they point out the benefits of the Navy, the possibility of traveling the world, and the stipend to live comfortably during school. I would be happy to travel with the military and live somewhere abroad like Japan or Korea for a year or two with my husband (he has an online career that can move anywhere) but the idea of deploying for months by myself without family is most concerning. My mother tells me about how when she was deployed, she would spend hours looking at pictures of her kids at times, and that hurts my heart. I am concerned about possibly starting a family and then deploying.

I apologize if it sounds like I am too much of a homebody. My culture is very close-knit, and it's strange for people to be away from family for a significant period.

I will heed the advice given here and not pursue HPSP. However, it feels jarring because I have been pursuing this process for a few months and envisioned myself as an HPSPer (I had never dreamed of receiving any institutional funding). I would like to join later or join the reserves. I feel a lot of gratitude to the military community I was raised in and would love to care for those that protect the homeland.

 

[manotter]

Do what you think will work best for you and your family. Camp Lejeune has a Family Medicine residency and is in driving distance of Portsmouth. No one knew if they would like or dislike the military until they were in it. If you like the military community, and you want to be apart of it, there are multiple ways to get there.

The current Navy tempo is one OCONUS tour followed by a CONUS tour. And to be honest, if you get pregnant and then have a kid, you won't deploy on a ship anytime soon.

 

[armytrainingsir]

I would be fine staying at a military hospital, but do not like the likelihood of deploying.

Deploying. Ummm, that's the ENTIRE purpose of military docs. Everything to the contrary is just marketing. Military docs exist to deploy to provide medical care downrange and /or advise commanders on the medical aspects of military operations while participating is those same operations.

Sounds like you want a DoD contractor job, which is fine, but isn't being a military doc, so don't confuse the two.

Take your civilian scholarship and be happy you have it.

 

[DrMetal]

I have felt at home on the Naval base where I grew up among all the soldiers

I don't think you were that much 'at home'. The Navy doesn't have soldiers. And you can travel the world while in the military, but it doesn't mean you'll enjoy it. It's not a vacation.

Take the money and run.

. . said Steve Miller. It's good advice!

 

[Trefoil]

Thank you to everyone who answered. Thank you very much physicians, I know your time is precious and I appreciate your input.

It's been a hard back-and-forth over the past few days. Going through the process of applying for HPSP, I have felt at home on the Naval base where I grew up among all the sailors*** in their colors. However, I am afraid I am looking at things with the rose-colored glasses of a dependent than a potential active duty member.

My parents are both Navy vets and they point out the benefits of the Navy, the possibility of traveling the world, and the stipend to live comfortably during school. I would be happy to travel with the military and live somewhere abroad like Japan or Korea for a year or two with my husband (he has an online career that can move anywhere) but the idea of deploying for months by myself without family is most concerning. My mother tells me about how when she was deployed, she would spend hours looking at pictures of her kids at times, and that hurts my heart. I am concerned about possibly starting a family and then deploying.

I apologize if it sounds like I am too much of a homebody. My culture is very close-knit, and it's strange for people to be away from family for a significant period.

I will heed the advice given here and not pursue HPSP. However, it feels jarring because I have been pursuing this process for a few months and envisioned myself as an HPSPer (I had never dreamed of receiving any institutional funding). I would like to join later or join the reserves. I feel a lot of gratitude to the military community I was raised in and would love to care for those that protect the homeland.

Your parents sound like proud Navy vets. That’s awesome, but don’t let it sway you right now. You won the lotto. Congratulations on a huge accomplishment. Take that academic scholarship and don’t look back. I haven’t been home in over a year, and I rarely see family. You never know when a pandemic or a war is going to interrupt your ability to return home. I’m totally happy with my decision, but if you are someone that expects to go home frequently, well Uncle Sam doesn’t care. He will send you where he sees fit, and that might be thousands of miles away from home. Russia has been acting relatively aggressive lately. China too has been acting more aggressive. Why join when another world war could break out at any moment? Enjoy your freedom and don’t look back.

 

[John1513]

Best of luck, and congratulations on the full ride scholarship. We will be here to answer your questions as you go through your training.

 

[DOswag]

Gotta say I agree with what seems just about everyone above has stated. Take the full ride and don’t look back. Plenty of opportunity in the future to join if you still want to but then you won’t have to worry about GMO or having the same trouble with residency slots/positions. Good luck!