Critical Wartime Shortage List

[Steve_Zissou]

Looks like my specialty (diagnostic radiology) was taken off the list so I won’t be receiving the USAR STRAP stipend. Anyone know how often they reassess this? My understanding is that it doesn’t necessarily happen yearly, and can occur more than once a year?

Of note, I’m not going into anesthesia but it seems like anesthesia residents aren’t getting this either, but CRNAs are. Seems odd to me. Other specialties that came off include IM and EM as well as general dentistry.

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[DrMetal]

Looks like my specialty (diagnostic radiology)

Looks like it's time for you to not care, moonlight like a bandit, and GTFO. This is what most of us are doing, and this is what they want.

 

[Steve_Zissou]

Looks like it's time for you to not care, moonlight like a bandit, and GTFO. This is what most of us are doing, and this is what they want.

I’m still an intern, but have plans for moonlighting as soon as I can and possibly tutoring for side cash. Sucks since I was under the impression that the money was already funded, but got turned around once my paperwork was submitted. Paperwork that I had ready months in advance too, but I guess it was a FY budget thing. Oh well. I owe them 8 years from Med school, but I’ll pay off 6 of those while in residency, so if they don’t get me that stipend soon, I’ll just get out sooner.

 

[DrMetal]

I’m still an intern,

Sweet Jesus...then you have a long way to go. Focus on becoming a radiologist, first things first.

 

[DMBandFan86]

Depends how you got your commission. Did you do MDSSP? Without strap, mdssp obligation payback should start after residency completion.

 

[Mad Jack]

I’m still an intern, but have plans for moonlighting as soon as I can and possibly tutoring for side cash. Sucks since I was under the impression that the money was already funded, but got turned around once my paperwork was submitted. Paperwork that I had ready months in advance too, but I guess it was a FY budget thing. Oh well. I owe them 8 years from Med school, but I’ll pay off 6 of those while in residency, so if they don’t get me that stipend soon, I’ll just get out sooner.

I thought you owe two-for-one for med school but one-to-one for residency years as they want that training time back from you, so technically you would be done 6 years after residency? Could be wrong on this tho

 

[Diabolic-Acidosis]

Is the critical wartime shortages list publicly available? Soon to be HPSP-er.
Edit to add that I located the DFAS critical wartime shortage accessions bonus list for FY2023. Am I correct to infer that this list is inclusive of critical wartime specialties (and that this list will likely change for FY2024?)?

 

[Steve_Zissou]

Depends how you got your commission. Did you do MDSSP? Without strap, mdssp obligation payback should start after residency completion.

I did do MDSSP. I did ROTC for undergrad before that. Not sure what this means for me and my risk of being deployed/requirements by the reserves. I feel stuck in a situation that I did not anticipate and do not have enough information to understand.

 

[Steve_Zissou]

Is the critical wartime shortages list publicly available? Soon to be HPSP-er.
Edit to add that I located the DFAS critical wartime shortage accessions bonus list for FY2023. Am I correct to infer that this list is inclusive of critical wartime specialties (and that this list will likely change for FY2024?)?

I don’t think it’s publicly available. I got it through my contact at my unit. Which specialties are you seeing on the DFAS one?

 

[Steve_Zissou]

Sweet Jesus...then you have a long way to go. Focus on becoming a radiologist, first things first.

I know, but it’s frustrating when I was anticipating/counting on the stipend since it sounded like a sure thing until this morning when I was notified that I wouldn’t qualify this time.

That money was planned for moving to my advanced program, down payment on a second car, emergency money, and paying for a baby that the wife and I are hoping to have in the near future.

 

[Steve_Zissou]

I thought you owe two-for-one for med school but one-to-one for residency years as they want that training time back from you, so technically you would be done 6 years after residency? Could be wrong on this tho

You mean for stipends? I was told 2 to 1 for both. One year for every 6 months stipend through Med school and residency. I already finished paying back my 8 from undergrad, planned to pay back 6/8 of my Med school years during residency/fellowship, and pay back the rest after.

 

[DrMetal]

That money was planned for moving to my advanced program, down payment on a second car, emergency money, and paying for a baby that the wife and I are hoping to have in the near future.

Relax, you'll be fine. No radiologist in the Army is starving. And things may change during the next 5-6 years while you're in training. Maybe 'combat' radiology will become a thing. I could see it, attached to a trauma unit? Dumber things have happened.

 

[Steve_Zissou]

Relax, you'll be fine. No radiologist in the Army is starving. And things may change during the next 5-6 years while you're in training. Maybe 'combat' radiology will become a thing. I could see it, attached to a trauma unit? Dumber things have happened.

I should clarify, I’m a reservist in a civilian residency planning to practice as a civilian.

Sure, I’ll be fine, but damn was it a shock to get dropped last minute.

 

[DMBandFan86]

You mean for stipends? I was told 2 to 1 for both. One year for every 6 months stipend through Med school and residency. I already finished paying back my 8 from undergrad, planned to pay back 6/8 of my Med school years during residency/fellowship, and pay back the rest after.

Maybe since you were rotc that it is different. I just thought your payback would start post residency completion for 8 more years. It will list on your contract.

 

[DeadCactus]

My understanding is MDSSP got you 12 months of service for each 6 months of stipend, that it began after residency (many years ago it did count down during residency but that changed like a decade ago), and that if you took MDSSP + STRAP that the MDSSP obligation was reduced. I would really double check because it sounds like you're going to owe at least 8 years after residency.

 

[ValeRx]

Relax, you'll be fine. No radiologist in the Army is starving. And things may change during the next 5-6 years while you're in training. Maybe 'combat' radiology will become a thing. I could see it, attached to a trauma unit? Dumber things have happened.

I mean... they have X-ray at Role 2.

 

[Steve_Zissou]

My understanding is MDSSP got you 12 months of service for each 6 months of stipend, that it began after residency (many years ago it did count down during residency but that changed like a decade ago), and that if you took MDSSP + STRAP that the MDSSP obligation was reduced. I would really double check because it sounds like you're going to owe at least 8 years after residency.

I’m gonna owe more than 10 if I end up getting the stipend for rads + MDSSP. I’ve already got 8 in though and was planning to do 20.

 

[TheEarDoc]

Yep I dropped off that list several years ago. They just keep yanking audiologists though for mobs here and there. Also was a little salty that due to working so many years in federal service my loans are forgiven under PSLF and due to HRC messing up my incentives I lose out on 60k in student loan repayment. I checked with incentives and they of course will only let me use that 60k towards student loans for my AOC and I can't get another degree and have them pay the loans. I am at the terminal degree in my field. So basically I lost half of my candy I was promised when commissioning. That was very frustrating especially since I was thinking of picking up another degree.

 

[T687]

Is the critical wartime shortages list publicly available? Soon to be HPSP-er.
Edit to add that I located the DFAS critical wartime shortage accessions bonus list for FY2023. Am I correct to infer that this list is inclusive of critical wartime specialties (and that this list will likely change for FY2024?)?

I know this post is a few months old but I wanted to comment in case others are looking for this information in the future. The USAR critical wartime specialties list is in the USAR HPS&I pay plan for the fiscal year. Link: HPS&I FY23. I always assumed that it was the same as the active duty CWSL/bonuses but it actually doesn't match the DFAS one. In addition to Radiology that was already mentioned, EM, IM, Anesthesia, and Neurosurgery were also removed this year.

I did do MDSSP. I did ROTC for undergrad before that. Not sure what this means for me and my risk of being deployed/requirements by the reserves. I feel stuck in a situation that I did not anticipate and do not have enough information to understand.

Were you able to receive any updated information on this? I'm curious if reservists in residency that took MDSSP without STRAP are treated functionally the same as the STRAP residents or if they are drilling monthly, etc. like the attendings. I saw in the pay plan that even without STRAP they should still be managed by APMC but I imagine that can still have a lot of different results.

 

[DMBandFan86]

For army MDSSP,

It depends. A resident who did MDSSP but did not take STRAP is supposed to be transferred to a tpu unit. That doesn’t always happen.

For 1, the APMC is very inefficient and often misses or forgets to do stuff. 2, the command at APMC may try to keep you in protective status for various reasons.

I did MDSSP only. The whole time I was in residency they said they were going to transfer me to a unit to drill. They never did over 4 years. I just kept submitting 1380s and going to the SFRRs, Bolc, etc. After residency, of course was sent to a unit to drill.

 

[Steve_Zissou]

I know this post is a few months old but I wanted to comment in case others are looking for this information in the future. The USAR critical wartime specialties list is in the USAR HPS&I pay plan for the fiscal year. Link: HPS&I FY23. I always assumed that it was the same as the active duty CWSL/bonuses but it actually doesn't match the DFAS one. In addition to Radiology that was already mentioned, EM, IM, Anesthesia, and Neurosurgery were also removed this year.

Were you able to receive any updated information on this? I'm curious if reservists in residency that took MDSSP without STRAP are treated functionally the same as the STRAP residents or if they are drilling monthly, etc. like the attendings. I saw in the pay plan that even without STRAP they should still be managed by APMC but I imagine that can still have a lot of different results.

I have no idea tbh. I ended up getting the funding. Made my argument to IG that I had all my documents in early 2022, was working off the 2022 CWSL, and felt that it wasn’t right to switch things quite literally at the last moment, 7-8 months after I completed and submitted my paperwork. So now I’m funded for strap.

 

[armytrainingsir]

For 1, the APMC is very inefficient and often misses or forgets to do stuff. 2, the command at APMC may try to keep you in protective status for various reasons.

APMC is either right on top of an issue, or completely ineffective. In my 9 year experience with them, there is rarely, if ever, anything in between stellar and abysmal.

 

[TheEarDoc]

I know, but it’s frustrating when I was anticipating/counting on the stipend since it sounded like a sure thing until this morning when I was notified that I wouldn’t qualify this time.

That money was planned for moving to my advanced program, down payment on a second car, emergency money, and paying for a baby that the wife and I are hoping to have in the near future.

Sadly you've learned an important lesson in the military. Until it hits your bank account it's not a for sure thing (even then DFAS loves to take money back!).

Moonlighting is the way my friend.

 

[Steve_Zissou]

Sadly you've learned an important lesson in the military. Until it hits your bank account it's not a for sure thing (even then DFAS loves to take money back!).

Moonlighting is the way my friend.

Definitely. No more counting my chickens before they hatch. My program, unfortunately, doesn’t have a ton of moonlighting. As soon as I start fellowship though, im going to hit it hard.

 

[rando97]

I have no idea tbh. I ended up getting the funding. Made my argument to IG that I had all my documents in early 2022, was working off the 2022 CWSL, and felt that it wasn’t right to switch things quite literally at the last moment, 7-8 months after I completed and submitted my paperwork. So now I’m funded for strap.

So are you going to get STRAP for all of residency then?

 

[Steve_Zissou]

So are you going to get STRAP for all of residency then?

Sounds like that’s the case. I’ll update if it gets rescinded at some point. Hoping to get it through fellowship, mainly To hold off on drilling until training is complete. I’ll likely be moonlighting during fellowship so money will be less of an issue.

 

[epidural man]

Is the critical wartime shortages list publicly available? Soon to be HPSP-er.

You can find it with a CAC
- It's on the bonus pay websites.

I found this though.

Defense Finance and Accounting Service > MilitaryMembers > payentitlements > Pay Tables > HPO2

 

[Onefellswoop87]

You can find it with a CAC
- It's on the bonus pay websites.

I found this though.

Defense Finance and Accounting Service > MilitaryMembers > payentitlements > Pay Tables > HPO2

Not to you specifically, but be careful when looking at DoD numbers not service specific. Those are the maximum allowed not what you’ll actually get if someone joins

DoD FMR Volume 7A Chapter 5 (The following amounts are the maximum allowed by the Department of Defense. For your specific service amount consult with your service personnel office.)

 

[pgg]

Yeah the services are often "authorized" to do things concerning medical pays and accession bonuses, but whether or not they actually budget the funds and do those things is another issue.