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What is HPSP?
Health Professional Scholarship Program. In exchange for scholarship benefits, you serve as a commissioned officer/dentist in the military for every year you receive said benefits during school.
Why should I join HPSP?
1. Full tuition + fee covered
a. ANY Public or Private fully accredited dental school (touro no go)
b. Including but not limited to: Loupes (1 per career), NBDE Part 1+2, health Insurance (variable), sim clinic supplies (variable)
c. Doesn't include: Licensure Exam (WREB,NERB, etc.)
2. Stipend
a. Stipend for 10.5 months ~ 2.2k per month
b. O1 Active Duty pay for 1.5 months ~ 3k per month
3. Pay during service years on O3 pay rank
Summary: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/what-does-an-army-dentist-make.1146209/
How do I apply?
Contact a recruiter. That means picking up to the phone to call a nearby recruiting office for officer . Asks specifically to talk to a health service recruiter. You CANNOT avoid a recruiter; there is absolutely no other way to apply.
There are three branches offering the scholarship: Air Force, Army, and Navy. Each branch runs their own applications process, so you need to contact a recruiter from each respective branch to start the process.
When should I apply?
For the four year scholarship, contact a recruiter no later than June of your application cycle year.
For the three year scholarship, contact a recruiter during the summer you matriculate into D1. Or rollover from a wait list the previous year.
Reason: Army/Navy/Air Force holds their first selection board around December. Depending on circumstances, as early as October. The application will take anywhere from couple of weeks to couple of months to prepare; expect couple of months on average. If you have a hiccup (big or small, medical related or not), expect an even longer process. It is "rolling admission", but punctuality is more important for HPSP admission than dental school admission in my experience.
What are my chances?
No good answer. All I can say is that it is getting more and more competitive with each passing year. Most recruiters I work with thinks a 3.5+ and 20+ DAT is "competitive", whatever that means.
You also need to have a clean record, good medical history, can pass height/weight standard, good EC, do well on your interview
How many spots?
I am not going to provide a number because it changes too often and there are too much variable. For the four year scholarship, army is in the hundreds, navy is below hundred, air force is dozen or two. However, that doesn't paint the whole picture because these branches still offer three year scholarships. Yet, I have never seen anyone give an estimate on those. Despite the low 4 year scholarship numbers, the Air Force definitely hand out majority of their scholarships as three year and two year scholarships.
Can I apply to all three branches?
YES
However, some recruiters will try to tell you that they wont work with you if they find out that you are applying to multiple branches.
Your options are to either bend over, working it out with your recruiter, or find a new recruiter.
What are the difference between the three branches?
The details of the scholarship is mostly the same: Enter as an O3 and serve as a dentist for every year you're on the scholarship.
However, the difference between the three branches is not to be understated. Culture, location, and regulations are very different. Read up on it because anything I say wont do it justice. For starters, consider length of deployment, where can you be deployed, how you will be deployed (ship or nah?), location of the base, etc.
As for as HPSP is concern, Army and Navy is near identical regarding HPSP. AF has more nuances in their contract. For starters, AF doesn't offer a 20k (pre-tax) bonus for signing a 4 year contract while Army/Navy does. Also, the AF contract states that you are required to apply to an 1 year AEGD and ACCEPT the position if selected. This clause was recently added to new AF HPSP contracts within the last 1-2 years. Who knows if anyone can wiggle their way out of accepting the position, but it is clearly stated in the contract.
What if I want to specialize?
You have two option:
1. Enter a civilian specialty program
2. Enter a military specialty program
If you choose to go with option 1, you need to request your branch to allow you to defer service to enter the civilian program. This request might or might not be approved depending on the needs of your branch. No guarantees.
If you choose option 2, you apply via your branch. The available spots will depend on the needs of the branch. Meaning, if you want to be an orthodontist and the Navy don't need anymore orthodontist, then tough luck. The advantage of military specialty program beside excellent training is that you are still an active duty member earning your rank's pay.
If you choose to specialize (including AEGD/ GPR), every year you specialize is a neutral year. Meaning, your years in training will not count towards your payback years. If you owe 4 years, and you do OMFS training for 4 years, you would have been serving for 8 years.
So 4 year scholarship is 4 year payback, 3 is 3, and 2 is 2? Right?
Not exactly.
In the air force, the minimum payback is three years. A two year scholarship is actually three years payback. Army/Navy don't offer two year scholarships as far as I know.
For all three branches, your payback is actually 8 years. Your payback years will be served out as active duty years. The remaining of those years, you will be inserted into Individual Ready Reserve. That means the military have the right to call you back to serve at anytime when you're an IRR. People say that no dentist has ever been called back from IRR.
What other options are there to serve in the military as a dentist?
In addition to the 60 HPSP slots, the Navy offers about 20 HCSP slots. Instead of paying for tuition, they pay you an E6 salary (potentially E7 if you recruit) for 4 years in exchange for 4 years of service. Generally the pay won't cover most public and definitely not any privates. However, you earn more during active duty than HPSP peers because those years count when factoring in officer pay. You also have to deal with more military stuff during school as a HCSP recipient that I am not familiar with.
Another option is direct accession. Not taking any scholarships, but going into a branch as a dentist after graduating. Not familiar with it, but the possibility is out there.
How accurate is this information?
Should be within the ballpark this year. However, be warned that details can change drastically within a year. Listen to your recruiter. Keep one eye open.
I definitely didn't cover everything so ask questions
Health Professional Scholarship Program. In exchange for scholarship benefits, you serve as a commissioned officer/dentist in the military for every year you receive said benefits during school.
Why should I join HPSP?
1. Full tuition + fee covered
a. ANY Public or Private fully accredited dental school (touro no go)
b. Including but not limited to: Loupes (1 per career), NBDE Part 1+2, health Insurance (variable), sim clinic supplies (variable)
c. Doesn't include: Licensure Exam (WREB,NERB, etc.)
2. Stipend
a. Stipend for 10.5 months ~ 2.2k per month
b. O1 Active Duty pay for 1.5 months ~ 3k per month
3. Pay during service years on O3 pay rank
Summary: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/what-does-an-army-dentist-make.1146209/
How do I apply?
Contact a recruiter. That means picking up to the phone to call a nearby recruiting office for officer . Asks specifically to talk to a health service recruiter. You CANNOT avoid a recruiter; there is absolutely no other way to apply.
There are three branches offering the scholarship: Air Force, Army, and Navy. Each branch runs their own applications process, so you need to contact a recruiter from each respective branch to start the process.
When should I apply?
For the four year scholarship, contact a recruiter no later than June of your application cycle year.
For the three year scholarship, contact a recruiter during the summer you matriculate into D1. Or rollover from a wait list the previous year.
Reason: Army/Navy/Air Force holds their first selection board around December. Depending on circumstances, as early as October. The application will take anywhere from couple of weeks to couple of months to prepare; expect couple of months on average. If you have a hiccup (big or small, medical related or not), expect an even longer process. It is "rolling admission", but punctuality is more important for HPSP admission than dental school admission in my experience.
What are my chances?
No good answer. All I can say is that it is getting more and more competitive with each passing year. Most recruiters I work with thinks a 3.5+ and 20+ DAT is "competitive", whatever that means.
You also need to have a clean record, good medical history, can pass height/weight standard, good EC, do well on your interview
How many spots?
I am not going to provide a number because it changes too often and there are too much variable. For the four year scholarship, army is in the hundreds, navy is below hundred, air force is dozen or two. However, that doesn't paint the whole picture because these branches still offer three year scholarships. Yet, I have never seen anyone give an estimate on those. Despite the low 4 year scholarship numbers, the Air Force definitely hand out majority of their scholarships as three year and two year scholarships.
Can I apply to all three branches?
YES
However, some recruiters will try to tell you that they wont work with you if they find out that you are applying to multiple branches.
Your options are to either bend over, working it out with your recruiter, or find a new recruiter.
What are the difference between the three branches?
The details of the scholarship is mostly the same: Enter as an O3 and serve as a dentist for every year you're on the scholarship.
However, the difference between the three branches is not to be understated. Culture, location, and regulations are very different. Read up on it because anything I say wont do it justice. For starters, consider length of deployment, where can you be deployed, how you will be deployed (ship or nah?), location of the base, etc.
As for as HPSP is concern, Army and Navy is near identical regarding HPSP. AF has more nuances in their contract. For starters, AF doesn't offer a 20k (pre-tax) bonus for signing a 4 year contract while Army/Navy does. Also, the AF contract states that you are required to apply to an 1 year AEGD and ACCEPT the position if selected. This clause was recently added to new AF HPSP contracts within the last 1-2 years. Who knows if anyone can wiggle their way out of accepting the position, but it is clearly stated in the contract.
What if I want to specialize?
You have two option:
1. Enter a civilian specialty program
2. Enter a military specialty program
If you choose to go with option 1, you need to request your branch to allow you to defer service to enter the civilian program. This request might or might not be approved depending on the needs of your branch. No guarantees.
If you choose option 2, you apply via your branch. The available spots will depend on the needs of the branch. Meaning, if you want to be an orthodontist and the Navy don't need anymore orthodontist, then tough luck. The advantage of military specialty program beside excellent training is that you are still an active duty member earning your rank's pay.
If you choose to specialize (including AEGD/ GPR), every year you specialize is a neutral year. Meaning, your years in training will not count towards your payback years. If you owe 4 years, and you do OMFS training for 4 years, you would have been serving for 8 years.
So 4 year scholarship is 4 year payback, 3 is 3, and 2 is 2? Right?
Not exactly.
In the air force, the minimum payback is three years. A two year scholarship is actually three years payback. Army/Navy don't offer two year scholarships as far as I know.
For all three branches, your payback is actually 8 years. Your payback years will be served out as active duty years. The remaining of those years, you will be inserted into Individual Ready Reserve. That means the military have the right to call you back to serve at anytime when you're an IRR. People say that no dentist has ever been called back from IRR.
What other options are there to serve in the military as a dentist?
In addition to the 60 HPSP slots, the Navy offers about 20 HCSP slots. Instead of paying for tuition, they pay you an E6 salary (potentially E7 if you recruit) for 4 years in exchange for 4 years of service. Generally the pay won't cover most public and definitely not any privates. However, you earn more during active duty than HPSP peers because those years count when factoring in officer pay. You also have to deal with more military stuff during school as a HCSP recipient that I am not familiar with.
Another option is direct accession. Not taking any scholarships, but going into a branch as a dentist after graduating. Not familiar with it, but the possibility is out there.
How accurate is this information?
Should be within the ballpark this year. However, be warned that details can change drastically within a year. Listen to your recruiter. Keep one eye open.
I definitely didn't cover everything so ask questions
