A Few More Questions About HPSP

[ucbmedquestions]

Hey, I just have a few more questions about the HPSP scholarship:


1. What medical records do you need to give to MEPS? Is it just the ones documenting any medical conditions you have? Do you need to give information on insurance providers or HMOs? For example, in my case if I wear glasses, do I just need to give them the prescription from my optometrist? If I have red-green color deficiency, can I just mention that and not provide documentation as I don't think I'll be able to find any (and they will test me anyway)? I am asking this since I don't remember every single doctor/hospital/HMO that I've been to, only that I've pretty much only had routine checkups and vaccinations and don't have any other major medical issues to my knowledge.
2. What's the timeline on applying to HPSP? I read that you needed to get an acceptance from med school first. I am going to apply to medical schools this June. When should I start talking to a recruiter if I want a 4 year scholarship?
3. What are your experiences with the VA HPSP scholarship? Is it legit? It seems too good to be true, since it sounds like military HPSP but with almost none of the drawbacks.
4. What are my odds of acceptance to Army HPSP with the caveats I mentioned above, given my GPA and MCAT are both high and I am accepted to medical school?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

Hey, I just have a few more questions about the HPSP scholarship:

1. I was an English Language Learner (ELL) during elementary school since my parents were immigrants. Does that count as a "learning disability" or a 504/IEP that I would need to document on 2807-2 (I don't remember the details since I was very young; I don't think my parents do either)? As part of ELL I saw a school speech pathologist to help work on my English. It was just for the first few years of elementary school and I had no issues afterward. I speak English perfectly now. I don't remember the full details since I was just a little kid. I didn't have an actual diagnosed learning disability such as ADHD or anything. I never took any medication. I suppose if I needed records I would ask my school district but I'm not sure how long they keep them (I graduated HS 4 years ago). It could be that all records except my transcript are gone now. In that case would it be fine just to not mention anything, since I have no issues now and I'd just be wasting everyone's time?
2. What medical records do you need to give to MEPS? Is it just the ones documenting any medical conditions you have? Do you need to give information on insurance providers or HMOs? For example, in my case if I wear glasses, do I just need to give them the prescription from my optometrist? If I have red-green color deficiency, can I just mention that and not provide documentation as I don't think I'll be able to find any (and they will test me anyway)? I am asking this since I don't remember every single doctor/hospital/HMO that I've been to, only that I've pretty much only had routine checkups and vaccinations and don't have any other major medical issues to my knowledge.
3. What's the timeline on applying to HPSP? I read that you needed to get an acceptance from med school first. I am going to apply to medical schools this June. When should I start talking to a recruiter if I want a 4 year scholarship?
4. What are your experiences with the VA HPSP scholarship? Is it legit? It seems too good to be true, since it sounds like military HPSP but with almost none of the drawbacks.
5. What are my odds of acceptance to Army HPSP with the caveats I mentioned above, given my GPA and MCAT are both high and I am accepted to medical school?

P.S. One more thing: the 2807-2 asks for school suspensions. In elementary school, I got into a fight which resulted in a me staying at the office for a day and having my parents pick me up. I could still go to school the next day but would that count as a one day "in-school suspension" or does the question on 2807-2 only refer to "actual" suspension where you cannot go to school for like a week. Again since I was small I don't know full details and records may not be still there. I had no serious discipline violations thereafter other than a referral and detention in middle school; high school is completely clean.

Do you now, or have you ever written for The Onion?