2009-2010 Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences Application Thread

[kcmedic]

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I completely understand how you feel. I interviewed 10/28, emailed a letter of intent, yet no word. So I think that the next step is to call.
I just received a remedial from dodmerb. asking for more paperwork and another exam.... Did any of you require remedial exams or paperwork??

No remedial for me. I got a qualified! Interesting enough, HPSP rejected me, so its a waiver in that arena for me.

I called admissions today because time had went past the timeline I was told for an admissions decisions (I interviewed 10/29)

I was told a couple pieces of information thought you guys might want to know:

1) The next round of calls will be on 15JAN. There were no calls toward the end of December due to the holidays.

2) Navy is NOT on a waitlist yet.

Good luck all...looks like everyone can take a few deep breaths for the next 11 days

Good to know! Thanks!

 

[silverhorse84]

How soon did you receive your orders from HRC to move/PCS/etc to Bethesda? I have been to OBC already, and I would prefer to have ample time to clear post and move my meager household goods. Thanks!

I got mine in the beginning/middle of June. I think Army got theirs before we did - and I seem to remember some priors got theirs even earlier.
I don't know how much that helps. If you don't have to go to OBC then you'll have quite a bit more time than those that do have to do summer programs - I got my move, travel, and all other things established in about a 1 week window before leaving 🙄

Question #2: USUHS students get paid FLPP/FLPB or its Navy/AF equivalent, right?

If I knew those acronyms, maybe I could answer. Since I don't, I'll leave it for an Army person to answer.

 

[Erald Coil]

Still hoping and praying for an "Unconditional" acceptance. Turns out my hearing is a concern. I have hearing loss at high frequencies in one ear. My guard unit profiled me as H2, never needed a waiver, didn't think it was a big deal... until now.

I thought a waiver would be easy enough for something that doesn't seem to affect my performance in any significant way, but I've read a LOT of stories of people getting DQ'd and NOT granted waivers for hearing loss. o.o

Just when I was starting to think the waiting and anxiety were nearly over. >_>

 

[dru2002]

If I knew those acronyms, maybe I could answer. Since I don't, I'll leave it for an Army person to answer.

I believe it is Foreign Language Proficiency(FLP) Pay and FLP Bonus. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Soba]

I got mine in the beginning/middle of June. I think Army got theirs before we did - and I seem to remember some priors got theirs even earlier.
I don't know how much that helps. If you don't have to go to OBC then you'll have quite a bit more time than those that do have to do summer programs - I got my move, travel, and all other things established in about a 1 week window before leaving 🙄

That's good to know. Thank you.

If I knew those acronyms, maybe I could answer. Since I don't, I'll leave it for an Army person to answer.

As dru2002 mentioned, it is the Army language pay. I am not sure whether I need to retake the language test once I get to USUHS or whether the certification at my current post is good for the 1-year mark even at USUHS.

 

[mslall]

Hey, I have 3+ yrs enlisted time in service prior to taking a green to gold scholarship. Will these years in service count towards pay while at usuhs, it is a difference of approx $600/month i think.

You'll get paid as a 2LT w/ 3yrs of service, theoretically. However, its January and a lot of the prior service people in our class are still having pay issues.


As far as Foreign Language Pay goes I'm not sure. I actually asked a buddy of mine the other day and he said he thought you would. So it's hear say, but I think you will still get it.

 

[eschott]

As far as Foreign Language Pay goes I'm not sure. I actually asked a buddy of mine the other day and he said he thought you would. So it's hear say, but I think you will still get it.

If you test and pass, you'll get the pay (or at least should)

 

[Toketa]

If you test and pass, you'll get the pay (or at least should)

What Languages ave included and how much is the foreign Language Pay? I am fluent in Tongan but I'm afraid that they would only payout for move "useful" languages such as Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Farsi.

 

[dru2002]

What Languages ave included and how much is the foreign Language Pay? I am fluent in Tongan but I'm afraid that they would only payout for move "useful" languages such as Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Farsi.

Unless wikipedia lies to me, you wouldn't be paid for Spanish or Russian because they are considered "dominant in force."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Language_Proficiency_Pay

I'm sure someone has a link to the Strategic Language List but I'm too lazy to find it.

 

[btricycle]

I'll be applying in the summer to USUHS and HPSP, with my first choice being in Bethesda. Non-trad. Finishing my M.S. and medical school prereqs in May. Then will be working while the apps are being processed.

Congrats to all that have been accepted and good luck to those still waiting....hope to see you in 18 months

 

[elmariachi]

I called admissions today because time had went past the timeline I was told for an admissions decisions (I interviewed 10/29)

I was told a couple pieces of information thought you guys might want to know:

1) The next round of calls will be on 15JAN. There were no calls toward the end of December due to the holidays.

2) Navy is NOT on a waitlist yet.

Good luck all...looks like everyone can take a few deep breaths for the next 11 days

1) Well, I called the admissions office this morning (before Christmas, someone there told me to expect an answer by today); today, they said still no decision, but expect one next week. So the 15 Jan date might be accurate.

2) However, they told me the Navy does have a wait list.

 

[ice8erg]

Visited USU today to show the parents around the school and pick up some gear from the bookstore. We had a bit of snow here today so the campus looked kinda pretty. They are still redoing all the bricks in the center courtyard so it is kinda a mess, but it will be nice when finished. Looking forward to meeting everyone in the fall!

 

[ahowardmd]

Hey guys, I posted this a while ago and never got a response. Just wondering what anybody currently attending USUHS can tell me about day-to-day class schedules. Thanks!

<quote>
I was just looking through the schedule, and it looks like the schedule is different every week. Is there any rhyme or reason to this? I figured with the military, the schedule would be the same all semester, like undergrad was.

</quote>

 

[SirGecko]

Hey guys, I posted this a while ago and never got a response. Just wondering what anybody currently attending USUHS can tell me about day-to-day class schedules. Thanks!

<quote>
I was just looking through the schedule, and it looks like the schedule is different every week. Is there any rhyme or reason to this? I figured with the military, the schedule would be the same all semester, like undergrad was.

</quote>

I swear I've posted this response on this thread before. The class schedule is posted online for the current first and second years. You can see the whole thing if you want to:
http://cim.usuhs.mil/oea/ms1.html (that is the link to the first year schedule)

 

[ahowardmd]

I swear I've posted this response on this thread before. The class schedule is posted online for the current first and second years. You can see the whole thing if you want to:
http://cim.usuhs.mil/oea/ms1.html (that is the link to the first year schedule)

Thanks for your response, but I was talking more about this previous post:

I was just looking through the schedule, and it looks like the schedule is different every week. Is there any rhyme or reason to this? I figured with the military, the schedule would be the same all semester, like undergrad was.

I've looked through it, and it looks like classes are held at different times every week...what's up with that?

 

[AnnaBananax]

Thanks for your response, but I was talking more about this previous post:



I've looked through it, and it looks like classes are held at different times every week...what's up with that?

Most med schools do not operate on the same sort of schedule as undergrad programs...you're all taking the same thing at the same time...there is no need to be bound to a repetitive schedule.

 

[ahowardmd]

Most med schools do not operate on the same sort of schedule as undergrad programs...you're all taking the same thing at the same time...there is no need to be bound to a repetitive schedule.

Ah, I guess that makes sense! Gotta shake things up I suppose.

 

[CUBR]

Do I need to do anything else besides send USU my transcripts after receiving unconditional to hold a spot in the class? Just want to make sure.

 

[felisconcolor]

Do I need to do anything else besides send USU my transcripts after receiving unconditional to hold a spot in the class? Just want to make sure.

I'm wondering the same thing. I sent my transcripts in, as well as the letter holding my place in the class, but haven't heard anything back about whether my file was complete. Does anyone know if we'll be hearing from them any time soon with more info?

 

[0919mmk]

By the way, for those who haven't read back a few pages, I'm pretty sure that the navy IS on a waitlist, cause I was on it too, (10/22 interview) and when I called and said that I'd be happy to take an AF spot as well, they called me 2 days later and offered me the AF spot. Just fyi.

 

[pombeMD]

By the way, for those who haven't read back a few pages, I'm pretty sure that the navy IS on a waitlist, cause I was on it too, (10/22 interview) and when I called and said that I'd be happy to take an AF spot as well, they called me 2 days later and offered me the AF spot. Just fyi.

I did the same thing. I was wait listed (10/28 interview), called and eventually was able to switch to the Air Force. I was also given the impression that the Navy wait list is already pretty long (sorry if I just ruined anyone's day).

 

[lilbean05]

Hello everyone!
My husband interviewed on Sept 17th with many of you and was accepted AF. We are sorting through a variety of housing options and, given that we have 3 kids and a dog, we are looking at living on Fort Meade despite the long commute. Is anyone else looking to live out there or know of any USUHS student living on base? Any other potential good options for housing with 3 kids? Even Germantown looked pretty expensive, yikes! This is all apart of the fun of deciding to go to medical school 8 years into your military career, haha!

 

[mslall]

Hello everyone!
My husband interviewed on Sept 17th with many of you and was accepted AF. We are sorting through a variety of housing options and, given that we have 3 kids and a dog, we are looking at living on Fort Meade despite the long commute. Is anyone else looking to live out there or know of any USUHS student living on base? Any other potential good options for housing with 3 kids? Even Germantown looked pretty expensive, yikes! This is all apart of the fun of deciding to go to medical school 8 years into your military career, haha!

thereis a current army MS-I who lives there with his family (also 3 kids I believe) and another student who leaves out there somewhere, not sure if its actually on the base. They come in around 5 every morning and leave around 6 in the evening so they can avoid traffic

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

thereis a current army MS-I who lives there with his family (also 3 kids I believe) and another student who leaves out there somewhere, not sure if its actually on the base. They come in around 5 every morning and leave around 6 in the evening so they can avoid traffic

13 hours a day at school, lol. That's not worth saving a few bucks.

 

[lilbean05]

Thank you for the info! The duty day you mention is actually much like my husband's current active duty schedule. Compared to somedays, the 13 hour day seems better, especially if he is PTing and doing some studying before he hops in the car to come home.

The decision to live a bit further away isn't to safe a couple bucks, hahaha; that made me chuckle. It is so that our family can have a place to live. Having 3 kids makes it much more difficult to try and find anywhere nearby that we can afford. We looked at 3 bedroom apartments somewhat close-by, and the prices are astronomical. 2 bedroom apartments are a bit better, but still not doable. Throw in utilities on the prices of the apartments, and there is no way we could live within a reasonable distance (unless someone else here knows something we don't! It would be great if any of you had any other possible suggestions.)

 

[stevesavi]

Thank you for the info! The duty day you mention is actually much like my husband's current active duty schedule. Compared to somedays, the 13 hour day seems better, especially if he is PTing and doing some studying before he hops in the car to come home.

The decision to live a bit further away isn't to safe a couple bucks, hahaha; that made me chuckle. It is so that our family can have a place to live. Having 3 kids makes it much more difficult to try and find anywhere nearby that we can afford. We looked at 3 bedroom apartments somewhat close-by, and the prices are astronomical. 2 bedroom apartments are a bit better, but still not doable. Throw in utilities on the prices of the apartments, and there is no way we could live within a reasonable distance (unless someone else here knows something we don't! It would be great if any of you had any other possible suggestions.)

BAH is like 1900 a month (more if your husband is an 01E or better, which it sounds like he will be). There are lots of 3 bedroom appts in silver springs for less than this.

 

[Tenbusu]

BAH is like 1900 a month (more if your husband is an 01E or better, which it sounds like he will be). There are lots of 3 bedroom appts in silver springs for less than this.

Yeah, it all depends on how much you value your time, money, and space. One of our student guides on interview day said he commutes to Ft. Meade and loves it. He got a 4 bedroom house (also has 3 kids) with a yard on base, and still banks around $400/month. For me on the other hand, those 2 hours of driving time each day (times four years) is worth giving up the extra bedroom and money, even if I have to spend over my BAH to get what we want close to the school.

 

[Toketa]

Yeah, it all depends on how much you value your time, money, and space. One of our student guides on interview day said he commutes to Ft. Meade and loves it. He got a 4 bedroom house (also has 3 kids) with a yard on base, and still banks around $400/month. For me on the other hand, those 2 hours of driving time each day (times four years) is worth giving up the extra bedroom and money, even if I have to spend over my BAH to get what we want close to the school.

I couldn't agree more! spending a few extra hundred dollars a month out of pocket so I can be closer to home and my family is defiantly worth it.

Also, is anybody else getting anxious about this upcoming Friday? I was half tempted to call the admissions office today just to verify that they have my phone number written down correctly.

 

[Tenbusu]

I couldn't agree more! spending a few extra hundred dollars a month out of pocket so I can be closer to home and my family is defiantly worth it.

Also, is anybody else getting anxious about this upcoming Friday? I was half tempted to call the admissions office today just to verify that they have my phone number written down correctly.

I'm trying my best not to think about it, but my wife says something severla times a day so it is hard to keep my mind off of it. I keep telling her (and myself) that they said we wouldn't hear back till the END of January anyways. Not to mention that my first and only choice is AF (currently active duty), and with all the Navy waitlisters jumping ship (pun intended) to Air Force I'll probably be waitlisted myself!!

 

[Toketa]

I'm trying my best not to think about it, but my wife says something severla times a day so it is hard to keep my mind off of it. I keep telling her (and myself) that they said we wouldn't hear back till the END of January anyways. Not to mention that my first and only choice is AF (currently active duty), and with all the Navy waitlisters jumping ship (pun intended) to Air Force I'll probably be waitlisted myself!!

hahahaha! I pray that the AF is not on a waitlist yet!

 

[0919mmk]

I'm trying my best not to think about it, but my wife says something severla times a day so it is hard to keep my mind off of it. I keep telling her (and myself) that they said we wouldn't hear back till the END of January anyways. Not to mention that my first and only choice is AF (currently active duty), and with all the Navy waitlisters jumping ship (pun intended) to Air Force I'll probably be waitlisted myself!!

haha! Sorry man, I just want to be a doctor

good luck tho. I think you should be OK cause I think I was in the last batch of people to get a call before xmas (or close to it) and obviously AF was still not on waitlist.

Besides, if AF fills up, you can always... jump plane (haha) in to army! Although if you're active duty AF, maybe not. Good luck anyways!

 

[ADNTerp]

Thank you for the info! The duty day you mention is actually much like my husband's current active duty schedule. Compared to somedays, the 13 hour day seems better, especially if he is PTing and doing some studying before he hops in the car to come home.

The decision to live a bit further away isn't to safe a couple bucks, hahaha; that made me chuckle. It is so that our family can have a place to live. Having 3 kids makes it much more difficult to try and find anywhere nearby that we can afford. We looked at 3 bedroom apartments somewhat close-by, and the prices are astronomical. 2 bedroom apartments are a bit better, but still not doable. Throw in utilities on the prices of the apartments, and there is no way we could live within a reasonable distance (unless someone else here knows something we don't! It would be great if any of you had any other possible suggestions.)

As a bethesda native, I agree that housing prices are incredibly high near the school, but there are some areas that have a reasonable commute and manageable housing prices. You could look toward PG country for cheaper housing and not too long of a commute, but their school system is not something you want your kids exposed to.

I currently work next to ft. meade and volunteer at an elementary school nearby and I would never live there knowing the schools around here and the long daily commute. Many of my colleagues that live near ft meade have their kids in private schools.

Your best bets in terms of affordable housing and decent schools are going to be Germantown, Silver Spring, Wheaton, and Urbana. Urbana being the furthest away but the safest in terms of crime rate.

 

[elmariachi]

Waitlisted for the Navy.

 

[Erald Coil]

Anybody have/had to request a medical waiver?
I've heard they take anywhere from several weeks to several months.

If fate is not on my side, then my conditional acceptance may end up being handed over to one happy AF wait-listed candidate...

 

[scooter02]

Anybody have/had to request a medical waiver?
I've heard they take anywhere from several weeks to several months.

If fate is not on my side, then my conditional acceptance may end up being handed over to one happy AF wait-listed candidate...

YES... I did my physical in early September and I am still working through the waiver process. I won't bore everyone with details, PM if you want, but yeah, LOTS of waiting, and paperwork, and more waiting, oh, and some more waiting. And if mine doesn't work out, there will be one more Navy spot open... but hopefully I get to keep it 😉

 

[Toketa]

Waitlisted for the Navy.

When did you find out, did they send you a letter by sna mail, also when did you interview?

 

[JacksonInTheBox]

I have a question. I applied to the USUHS back in the 1st week in September but I have not heard a thing from them yet. How long have people waited to hear back?

Also I broke my leg at the end of november in a college football game and and emailed the school as how this would effect my status as a candidate but again still no word. How would this affect my status?

 

[KingJamesX]

Hey all, I thought you guys might find this interesting about the possible effects of early pain management in the field and reductions in PTSD;

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34848093/ns/health-mental_health

 

[Segovia]

Hey all, I thought you guys might find this interesting about the possible effects of early pain management in the field and reductions in PTSD;

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34848093/ns/health-mental_health

Very cool stuff!

Makes me think of some of the old war movies or Saving Private Ryan. Are medics or corpsmen allowed to carry morphine in the field anymore? This study seemed to hinge on the fact that the morphine was administered early on.

I have been reading this book called Complications and it has an entire chapter devoted to the pain experience. It is amazing at how much our brains are responsible for the pain we experience and how little the injury itself is. The book even suggests that a brain inside a jar with no extremities, if it was capable of consciousness could experience pain, and all the deleterious effects associated with it.

Hey KingJames, I think we interviewed on the same day (10/29). Have you heard anything yet?

 

[KingJamesX]

Very cool stuff!

Makes me think of some of the old war movies or Saving Private Ryan. Are medics or corpsmen allowed to carry morphine in the field anymore? This study seemed to hinge on the fact that the morphine was administered early on.

I have been reading this book called Complications and it has an entire chapter devoted to the pain experience. It is amazing at how much our brains are responsible for the pain we experience and how little the injury itself is. The book even suggests that a brain inside a jar with no extremities, if it was capable of consciousness could experience pain, and all the deleterious effects associated with it.

Hey KingJames, I think we interviewed on the same day (10/29). Have you heard anything yet?

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I wasn't sure if the individuals who received morphine early were getting it from medics in the field, in transit to a CSH, or at a CSH, but i thought the article would be a good jumping off point for an almost endless number of research projects at USUHS ***wink wink***.

I haven't heard anything yet from anybody, except that I weigh too much (almost got my body fat down to 22%), but i'm hoping that this next round of calls on Jan 15th will rain information for not just me, but for all of us who interviewed 10/29.

Peace.

 

[dru2002]

Very cool stuff!

Makes me think of some of the old war movies or Saving Private Ryan. Are medics or corpsmen allowed to carry morphine in the field anymore? This study seemed to hinge on the fact that the morphine was administered early on.

I have been reading this book called Complications and it has an entire chapter devoted to the pain experience. It is amazing at how much our brains are responsible for the pain we experience and how little the injury itself is. The book even suggests that a brain inside a jar with no extremities, if it was capable of consciousness could experience pain, and all the deleterious effects associated with it.

Hey KingJames, I think we interviewed on the same day (10/29). Have you heard anything yet?

We have morphine in the field but rarely use it. IMO and training, except for the most severe pain, it is best to wait for the patient to see a physician before administering pain management. My experience is Iraq, time from point of injury to treatment facility is less than 30mins. Morphine can be a dangerous drug and as a corpsman I didn't feel confident in my knowledge base to administer it. Maybe others did.

 

[Erald Coil]

IMO and training, except for the most severe pain, it is best to wait for the patient to see a physician before administering pain management...

It may be more practical to carry hand-held Tetris games instead?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2607539/?tool=pubmed
👍

 

[ahowardmd]

So I just heard from DoDMERB that I'm medically qualified, and I've already received a conditional acceptance...does this mean I should be expecting an unconditional soon? I emailed Rebecca, and she said the security clearance isn't run until we actually matriculate, so I feel like I should be getting something in the mail soon...what do you guys think?

 

[dru2002]

So I just heard from DoDMERB that I'm medically qualified, and I've already received a conditional acceptance...does this mean I should be expecting an unconditional soon? I emailed Rebecca, and she said the security clearance isn't run until we actually matriculate, so I feel like I should be getting something in the mail soon...what do you guys think?

You are correct you should be getting a letter shortly. Took me about 3 weeks after my physical was cleared.

 

[Tenbusu]

For those who were Active Duty when selected, did you get notified by your commander, or a call from USUHS? I haven't heard of anyone getting notified in some way other than a phone call, but commander notification is the preferred method for anything else in the military, so I thought I'd ask the question.

 

[ahowardmd]

You are correct you should be getting a letter shortly. Took me about 3 weeks after my physical was cleared.

Thanks that's what I was hoping for!

 

[Soba]

For those who were Active Duty when selected, did you get notified by your commander, or a call from USUHS? I haven't heard of anyone getting notified in some way other than a phone call, but commander notification is the preferred method for anything else in the military, so I thought I'd ask the question.

Call from USUHS. Your commander would probably be among the last of folks to know you were selected unless you tell him ahead of time.

 

[stevesavi]

Any news yet today?

 

[Toketa]

Any news yet today?

Not yet, But I am getting extremely anxious. I swear I have been on SDN all day long and reading past comments to see if the 1/15 trend has held up. Give or take a day or two, it seems that they are still on track. I interviewed on 11/19 and am hoping for some good news today. I expect a large amount of acceptances today since they didn't send out any that I know of at the end of December/first of January. If I don't get a call today I can at least look forward to a free Dashboard Confessional outdoor concert in my home town tonight and a 3 day weekend on the slopes!

 

[gridguy]

So I will be interviewing in a couple of weeks and am trying to get my medical exam in order. I live in downtown DC and was assigned to a physician out in Germantown, but that is quite a haul for me! I called Concorde to try to get an appointment closer to me (20008) but they would not disclose the address of the physician until after I consented to the substitution. This is tricky because they only permit one switch... the ultimate catch 22. So... did anyone get their medical exam in or around The District? What are the known, metro accessible locations?