Combined Degree with MDSSP?

[Code Black]

Hi, I originally posted this in the combined degree forum but was told I may have better luck here, I am currently a pre-med student looking into combined degree programs. I am looking at MD/MBA or MD/MHA, but for this question, the combination of degrees is largely irrelevant. I am also an Army National Guard Soldier and a ROTC cadet signed to the GRFD contract. I am looking at taking MDSSP while in medical school. Can anyone give any advice or experience they may have of using the MDSSP with a combined program such as MD/MBA or any other? Specifically, would the stipend go the extra years I may need for the combination If you need any further info about my situation feel free to ask. Thanks

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[DMBandFan86]

I don't know the answer to your question. However, I don't really think the military is looking to pay for soldiers to get an MBA. Have you also considered doing your MBA during your residency? The time you have available kinda depends on what specialty you choose, but some academic institutions will give you free credit hours to do this (depends on where you work) while you are a resident. Would be harder work, but would also save you a year of your life + tuition + opportunity cost and extra military contract time.

As long as you match into a critical specialty the army will also push you towards taking STRAP after MDSSP. If you do that you will have additional contract time. With ROTC and then medical school how many years contract are you looking to take? I'm all in for wanting to serve a full contract, but I think you are better off with the shortest minimal contract possible. As long as you have pay back time you loose out on any other benefits that you could get such as bonuses when you stay in past your initial pay back period.

 

[backrow]

Have you also considered doing your MBA during your residency? .

If someone has time to properly do an MBA during residency they probably aren't doing residency "correct". If I were a program director and one of my residents was doing an MBA program they better be my number 1 resident or we would be having a chat about how to better use their time.

Between call, clinic, rounds and the extra time one should spend reading outside of work I can't imagine having the time to properly put towards a degree program like an MBA.


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[DMBandFan86]

Between call, clinic, rounds and the extra time one should spend reading outside of work I can't imagine having the time to properly put towards a degree program like an MBA.

Obviously it takes more than a year to complete and you do it part-time at night. BTW: not all residencies have in-house call. And if you've ever been in an MBA classroom you would know pretty much everyone is an adult professional.

 

[backrow]

Obviously it takes more than a year to complete and you do it part-time at night. BTW: not all residencies have in-house call. And if you've ever been in an MBA classroom you would know pretty much everyone is an adult professional.

I did a residency that didn't have in house call, so yes I'm well aware of that fact. I'm also aware that many in MBA programs are adult professionals....but most are certainly not in training programs. A staff physician doing an at-night MBA program is one thing. A resident doing one is a completely different issue.

I stand by my first post. If you have time for an MBA you aren't doing yourself, as a resident, any good. That is your time to slam an enormous amount of information in a short amount of time. It's your time to make mistakes with fewer consequences. It's your time to make sure you are the best physician you can be the minute you graduate residency. It's not the time to undertake a second graduate level educational program.




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[deleted480308]

Obviously it takes more than a year to complete and you do it part-time at night. BTW: not all residencies have in-house call. And if you've ever been in an MBA classroom you would know pretty much everyone is an adult professional.

Once you leave undergrad and get through your first two years of med school and....finally start to really see the hours and pressure put on residents as you work with them every day, you'll know what @backrow is saying

 

[DMBandFan86]

The whole point of this was to add a different option to the table for 'code black'

option 1 is what he suggested to take 5 years to complete med school and have a 10 year MDSSP payback period (given that the army would pay for this, as I stated I don't know if they do or not). Also add up another 20+K in debt + additional year of interest on loans + 1 year further away from making an attending level salary.

option 2 was what i suggested. Take 4 years to complete med school and have an 8 year MDSSP payback period. Like I said, depends on your specialty and program, but you may be able to fit time in to complete it for free during residency (i've seen it be done and it was from a very good chief resident). Your schedule typically gets easier when you reach PGY3 and above. Obviously there is a significant time constraint and some attendings get their panties all tied up in a knot just at the suggestion, but it is still an option. This way you don't have the extra debt, additional year of loan interest, 2 additional contract years, and you reach attending level salary one year earlier. We all get it: its not ideal, not cut out for everyone, if you have kids/family forget it. But it can still be done for the right person in the right program.

 

[deleted480308]

Iirc from a friend taking an mph year, they pause the mdssp stipend when not actually "in" med school.