Best way to pay for med school

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

dganaden

Member
10+ Year Member
5+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
54
Reaction score
0
I have heard that the military is a great way to pay for medical school. I am a person that does not have a lot of money or really good credit, so I have been told that there are programs that I could look at by going this route. I have read about the HPSP program and understand what that one is. I do not know what the USUHS program is. Could somone please tell me about that.

Also, are those programs hard to get into. I have good grades; 3.37 undergrad and a 3.3 in just science, I just need to get the MCAT up and get into school, but then fear about paying for it.

I am married so my wife would have to be able to come with me. That is the only issue I would have. We have talked about it and she is willing to go anywhere in the states.

Any help would be great.

Thanks,

dave
 
dganaden said:
I do not know what the USUHS program is. Could somone please tell me about that.

Also, are those programs hard to get into. I have good grades; 3.37 undergrad and a 3.3 in just science.

I am married so my wife would have to be able to come with me. That is the only issue I would have. We have talked about it and she is willing to go anywhere in the states.


USUHS stands for the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. USUHS has many health science programs, which include's the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine (basically the "U.S. MILITARY's MEDICAL SCHOOL"). USUHS is located in Bethesda, Maryland. If money is an issue, you may want to look into USUHS because they pay you up to $40,000 per year during medical school. Here's USUHS's website:

http://www.usuhs.mil/

HPSP is easy to get into as long as you have a reasonable chance of getting accepted into a medical school. Each service (Army, Navy, Air FARCE 😛 ) has an HPSP program.

Remember to research the military before accepting USUHS or HPSP. They are going to ask you tough questions on why you want to join the military, especially at USUHS. Also, once you sign that contract, there's No going back!!! 😱

Hope this helps 😀

P.S. -- I sure like these Emoticons :spam: They sure are FUN! :barf: +pissed+
 
ishii123 said:
USUHS stands for the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. USUHS has many health science programs, which include's the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine (basically the "U.S. MILITARY's MEDICAL SCHOOL"). USUHS is located in Bethesda, Maryland. If money is an issue, you may want to look into USUHS because they pay you up to $40,000 per year during medical school. Here's USUHS's website:

http://www.usuhs.mil/

HPSP is easy to get into as long as you have a reasonable chance of getting accepted into a medical school. Each service (Army, Navy, Air FARCE 😛 ) has an HPSP program.

Remember to research the military before accepting USUHS or HPSP. They are going to ask you tough questions on why you want to join the military, especially at USUHS. Also, once you sign that contract, there's No going back!!! 😱

Hope this helps 😀

P.S. -- I sure like these Emoticons :spam: They sure are FUN! :barf: +pissed+


That does help quite a bit. I really want to be able to be a doctor, and really dont mind what I have to do to get it.

How hard is it to get into the med school (USUHS)?
 
They "say" USUHS is just as competitive as a decent state medical school. You may be at a bit of an advantage if you apply within the next few years, though - military recruiting is going down across the board, and it's possible that will be reflected in a decreased number of applicants for USUHS - although I wouldn't count on it.

One thing I would recommend, though, is to make SURE that you could adapt to the military life - with USUHS you not only have a longer eventual commitment (3 years longer than HPSP) but you must do a military residency also.

Do a search of your local med school faculty & local physicians to see if any graduated from USUHS and talk to them about what it's like.
 
dganaden said:
I have heard that the military is a great way to pay for medical school. I am a person that does not have a lot of money or really good credit, so I have been told that there are programs that I could look at by going this route.

Don't do it. Having the military pay for your medical school is not making medical school free. Further, who does have alot of money or really good credit? Just about everyone gets through medical school somehow. The only issue you've brought up about joining so far is your wife. When you are in payback, you are likely to be stationed in the middle of nowhere USA, with deployments (as long as one year) around the world. You could move multiple times in those 4 years. Is your wife willing to put her career on hold and move around constantly? When are you planning on having children? From a previous thread: "You can be there for the birth or the conception, you can only choose one." If you already have kids, are you willing to just up and leave them for a year? I put it this way: $200,000 couldn't convince me to leave my (future) children for a year.

If you need information on why you shouldn't do it, just go through and read the threads on this forum. Do some searches, and come to your own conclusions. The pros and cons have been debated ad-nauseum, but when you do find some more specific questions, feel free to post them.

However, if do go talk to a recruiter, just remember this.
Rule #1: Don't trust your recruiter.

Good luck!
 
Neuronix said:
However, if do go talk to a recruiter, just remember this.
Rule #1: Don't trust your recruiter.

Good luck!

I agree...do NOT trust your recruiter! They get points for their Eval or Fitness Report by recruiting more people to join...it is in their interest to make you join through honest or deceptive means :meanie:

Do the research and talk to past and present military docs. And note that military doctor life is different in this post 9/11 era. Expect to deploy, especially to Iraq, Afghanistan, and maybe in the future to Iran and North Korea. Your may get shot at 😱. I know one naval flight surgeon who lost his leg during the recent Middle East conflict (he was lucky to have survived) :wow:

Some people like this sense of adventure, all the while serving their country. Others don't like it...especially if they have a family...remember, it is not natural to be separated from your family for long periods of time.

Do the research, Research, RESEARCH :idea: Know all the pros and cons. Is it worth the free ride through medical school? The choice is yours (do you take the blue pill or red pill?)...you make the final decision. GOOD LUCK :horns:

P.S. -- :hardy: I JUST LOVE THESE EMOTICONS! 😍 I'M EMOTICON CRAZY! 😀 I CAN'T GET ENOUGH EMOTICONS!!! +pity+ WOO HOO!!! :clap:
 
Again, like the above posters have said do NOT do this as a means to "pay" for medical school you "may" die in the process (not kidding either). The military regardless of what you do (from combat engineer to physician) is here for one reason only and that is to train soldiers/marines/sailors/airmen to go to combat. You may get deployed wait, let me rephrase that you *will* get deployed for sure as a newbee and you may end up in a hotbed of like Iraq or Afghanistan just fyi.
 
I would recommend that your wife speak to a military physician's wife and see what she's told. This is a decision for both of you to make and she needs to have all her questions answered as well.
 
Croooz said:
I would recommend that your wife speak to a military physician's wife and see what she's told. This is a decision for both of you to make and she needs to have all her questions answered as well.


Does anyone know of any way to find any military docs? I really dont want to ask a recruter about it. I was in the military once before and I do know you cant trust them.
 
dganaden said:
Does anyone know of any way to find any military docs? I really dont want to ask a recruter about it. I was in the military once before and I do know you cant trust them.

Err, drive out to Ft. Riley?

Do a web search for the hopsital there, call up the department of medicine, surgery, whatever, and explain to the secretary what you want.

Or just start asking local physicians - chances are they will know someone who went the military route.
 
Sounds like you are interested in HPSP, not USUHS. I do would not reccomend military service as a means to pay for school. There are other ways... Judging by your commentary, the service would be a bad choice for you. I could be wrong, but definitely do more research and try to contact some mil docs.
BTW,
You don't need good credit to get student loans for med school.
 
AubreyMaturin said:
Sounds like you are interested in HPSP, not USUHS. I do would not reccomend military service as a means to pay for school. There are other ways... Judging by your commentary, the service would be a bad choice for you. I could be wrong, but definitely do more research and try to contact some mil docs.
BTW,
You don't need good credit to get student loans for med school.

how do you get all those emoticons? i only have basic smiles.
 
qqq said:
how do you get all those emoticons? i only have basic smiles.

The secret of the Emoticons is TOP SECRET!!! If I told you, I would have to kill you 😉

Maybe if you join the military, then I'll tell ya :meanie:

...MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
 
Top