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(see an acronym you don't know, scroll down to the next post and there is an acronym list)
EDIT: 2-5-2011 The ASR program no longer has funding and is not taking new students. By all accounts it will not return.
EDIT: If you want to talk to a recruiter, make a post on the thread saying what state your med school is in. Someone in this thread will hook you up.
I am going to try to summarize the Army National Guard's new ASR program in this post. I'll take feedback and input from others. And maybe add a FAQ after this. If you want more information see this thread.
The new program that the Army National Guard (ARNG) is offering started in April 08. It is called the AMEDD Student Recruiter (ASR). This post is concerned mainly with this program but I will mention some of the other programs the ARNG offers.
You join as a medical student and go in as a 2LT (O-1). You then get an ASR control # and get orders for Active Duty for Special Work (ADSW). Your orders are to do well in med school and to be a recruiter for the ARNG. You are at this point an active duty soldier. You have all the benefits and pay as a full time army 2LT. You can be on ADSW orders for a max of 1094 days (3 years). If you join as a freshman this means your 4th year you won't get paid as an active duty soldier but you will be paid for weekend drills and summer drill if you attend (and maybe if you don't?). You can also choose to take the STRAP stipend (see below) your senior year.
The amount you get paid while on ADSW depends on where you live and if you have dependants. As a 2LT you get monthly:
The ASR program is not a scholarship and will not pay for your school. There is federal tuition assistance of up to $4500 a year that may add time to your obligation. There may be additional programs that your state offers to pay for tuition. Check with your state's recruiter to see if you are eligible for any of this money.
Obligation: You have an 8 year obligation from the day you swear in. Six of the eight years must be spend in the ARNG on drilling status and 2 can be spent on Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR). Getting out of the ARNG and going on IRR might not be a good idea. If you are deployed while on IRR, the policies that applied to you in the ARNG no longer protect you.
What do I do while I'm in the Guard? While on ADSW you will do well in school and tell people about the guard and refer them to your recruiter. You might have to attend a couple conferences and wear either your uniform or a polo shirt with the guard logo on it. The entire time you are in the guard you are supposed to attend drill 1 Sat/Sun a month and 15 days in the summer. Drill for doctors means mostly physicals. There is a federal policy called FLEX that says that the guard has to be flexible with Med students and residents schedules. Once you're past residency the FLEX doesn't apply. This means if you have a conflict (exam, studying, clinic, whatever) with a scheduled drill weekend then you just call your CO and tell him why you can't make it. You may or may not be expected to make up missed time, this is up to your state surgeon.
Residency: You apply for a civilian residency in the Match like everyone else. You don't have to apply to military residencies like the HPSP. If you match in a program in a different state you can transfer to that state's guard or elect to stay in your home state's guard and you must continue to drill at least 1 time each quarter with your home guard.
Deployments: You can not be deployed while in medical school. You can not be deployed while you are an intern. Current policy says that you will not be deployed PGY2-5. Deployment status is a good thing to discuss with your state's command on the front end so everyone is clear. Current policy says that ARNG doctors deployments are limited to 90 days ‘boots on ground'. You may be deployed as frequent as 18 months apart following residency completion. You may be deployable if you do a fellowship but this is considered on a case by case basis.
The guard has a few other often discussed incentives that I will mention here. Incentives typically add to your commitment length. (benefits do not).
Currently the specialties that are eligable for the 50k loan repayment and 75k bonus are listed here.
EDIT: 2-5-2011 The ASR program no longer has funding and is not taking new students. By all accounts it will not return.
EDIT: If you want to talk to a recruiter, make a post on the thread saying what state your med school is in. Someone in this thread will hook you up.
I am going to try to summarize the Army National Guard's new ASR program in this post. I'll take feedback and input from others. And maybe add a FAQ after this. If you want more information see this thread.
The new program that the Army National Guard (ARNG) is offering started in April 08. It is called the AMEDD Student Recruiter (ASR). This post is concerned mainly with this program but I will mention some of the other programs the ARNG offers.
You join as a medical student and go in as a 2LT (O-1). You then get an ASR control # and get orders for Active Duty for Special Work (ADSW). Your orders are to do well in med school and to be a recruiter for the ARNG. You are at this point an active duty soldier. You have all the benefits and pay as a full time army 2LT. You can be on ADSW orders for a max of 1094 days (3 years). If you join as a freshman this means your 4th year you won't get paid as an active duty soldier but you will be paid for weekend drills and summer drill if you attend (and maybe if you don't?). You can also choose to take the STRAP stipend (see below) your senior year.
The amount you get paid while on ADSW depends on where you live and if you have dependants. As a 2LT you get monthly:
- $2,655 basic pay
- $223 BAS - basic assistance for subsistence (TAX FREE)
- $1,032 BAH – Basic assistance for housing w/ dependants (TAX FREE) **Based on school located in Erie, PA
- $841 BAH – Basic assistance for housing w/o dependants (TAX FREE) **Based on school located in Erie, PA
- So with dependants and living in Erie, PA you would get $46,920 a year with a good portion of it being tax free.
- If you attend officer basic course while in school, you are eligible for promotion to 1LT after 18 months of service. Your pay would go up to above $55,000 a year based on the same above info.
- While on ADSW you also get free Tricare health insurance for you and your family. You also receive all the benefits that active duty military receive.
The ASR program is not a scholarship and will not pay for your school. There is federal tuition assistance of up to $4500 a year that may add time to your obligation. There may be additional programs that your state offers to pay for tuition. Check with your state's recruiter to see if you are eligible for any of this money.
Obligation: You have an 8 year obligation from the day you swear in. Six of the eight years must be spend in the ARNG on drilling status and 2 can be spent on Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR). Getting out of the ARNG and going on IRR might not be a good idea. If you are deployed while on IRR, the policies that applied to you in the ARNG no longer protect you.
What do I do while I'm in the Guard? While on ADSW you will do well in school and tell people about the guard and refer them to your recruiter. You might have to attend a couple conferences and wear either your uniform or a polo shirt with the guard logo on it. The entire time you are in the guard you are supposed to attend drill 1 Sat/Sun a month and 15 days in the summer. Drill for doctors means mostly physicals. There is a federal policy called FLEX that says that the guard has to be flexible with Med students and residents schedules. Once you're past residency the FLEX doesn't apply. This means if you have a conflict (exam, studying, clinic, whatever) with a scheduled drill weekend then you just call your CO and tell him why you can't make it. You may or may not be expected to make up missed time, this is up to your state surgeon.
Residency: You apply for a civilian residency in the Match like everyone else. You don't have to apply to military residencies like the HPSP. If you match in a program in a different state you can transfer to that state's guard or elect to stay in your home state's guard and you must continue to drill at least 1 time each quarter with your home guard.
Deployments: You can not be deployed while in medical school. You can not be deployed while you are an intern. Current policy says that you will not be deployed PGY2-5. Deployment status is a good thing to discuss with your state's command on the front end so everyone is clear. Current policy says that ARNG doctors deployments are limited to 90 days ‘boots on ground'. You may be deployed as frequent as 18 months apart following residency completion. You may be deployable if you do a fellowship but this is considered on a case by case basis.
The guard has a few other often discussed incentives that I will mention here. Incentives typically add to your commitment length. (benefits do not).
- STRAP - $1907/mo stipend while in med school or residency. It has a 2:1 payback (if you take 4 years of STRAP you owe 8 years after you quit taking it). This can not be taken while on ADSW. This can not be taken along with special pay.
- $75,000 specialty choice bonus – If you are pursuing a career in one of the specialties below, you are eligible for the Guard's Healthcare Professional Bonus. If you commit to a three-year service agreement with the Guard, you can receive a $75,000 bonus, paid over the course of the three years at $25,000 per year. This appears to be a 1:1 commitment for each year that you take the 25k bonus.
- $50,000 loan repayment – Healthcare Professional Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP). Healthcare providers in the specialties listed below can receive up to $50,000 in loan repayment assistance by agreeing to a three-year service commitment with the Guard. The HPLRP pays a maximum of $20,000 toward your qualified student loan for the first two years, with the final $10,000 paid in your final year. Starting your second year of residency, you can take the HPLRP and STRAP (above) concurrently.
Currently the specialties that are eligable for the 50k loan repayment and 75k bonus are listed here.
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Family Practice
- Emergency Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- Subspecialties of Internal Medicine:
- Preventive Medicine
- Gastroenterology
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Nephrology
- Medical Oncology/Hematology
- Infectious Disease
- Pulmonary Disease
- Rheumatology
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