HPSP Advice from current students

[QuentinT88]

I'm having a hard time deciding on pursuing the HPSP scholarship with either the army or the Air Force. On one hand, it's great that tuition is covered. However, if I'm being honest, the only reason why I am considering the scholarship is for the money. No other motivation.

I work with a few physicians who have advocated going the scholarship route bc of the rising cost of medical school loans alone. But I'm still concerned that I would only be pursuing the military out of fear of being in debt, more so than pursuing it because it is the route that I want to pursue.

Is anyone else also struggling with this? Are there current or past students who did the HPSP that could offer some advice?

The hardest part of this decision is finding actual people who have gone through this route and speaking with them about their experiences. Thank you in advance for your help!

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[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Not a Navy physician yet, but am in the military and have experience in military healthcare. Do NOT do HPSP if money is your only motivation. You've been warned.

Personally, I love the Navy. But if money/benefits were my only motivation, I'd be miserable.

 

[QuentinT88]

Not a Navy physician yet, but am in the military and have experience in military healthcare. Do NOT do HPSP if money is your only motivation. You've been warned.

Personally, I love the Navy. But if money/benefits were my only motivation, I'd be miserable.

Thanks for your reply!

Could you clarify exactly why you would be miserable if money/benefits was your only motivation?

 

[Dinkin Flicka]

How much would tuition be for you if you didn't go the navy/army route?

 

[Cotterpin]

Have you checked out the Military Medicine forum here on SDN? There's a lot of information about the HPSP and different perspectives on there.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Thanks for your reply!

Could you clarify exactly why you would be miserable if money/benefits was your only motivation?

There are a lot of little things that add up. Deployment is probably the biggest. It would be a lot more difficult if I was only in it for the money. Fortunately, I happen to like serving, and I actually like going to sea. But even then, being away for 7-9 months is a lot. I think Army deployments are about the same length or longer, and you're stuck in a ****hole.

If I didn't get some satisfaction out of simply serving, I would have GTFO as soon as I was able. It's really hard to describe unless you experience it, since it's mostly just stuff that's unique to being in the military. But if the Navy lets me be a doctor, I'll be in for 20. For me the good outweighs the bad, because I get more out of it than just a paycheck and no debt (although I definitely appreciate that!).

 

[QuentinT88]

How much would tuition be for you if you didn't go the navy/army route?

For me? Looking at $340,000 over four years. :/

 

[QuentinT88]

There are a lot of little things that add up. Deployment is probably the biggest. It would be a lot more difficult if I was only in it for the money. Fortunately, I happen to like serving, and I actually like going to sea. But even then, being away for 7-9 months is a lot. I think Army deployments are about the same length or longer, and you're stuck in a ****hole.

If I didn't get some satisfaction out of simply serving, I would have GTFO as soon as I was able. It's really hard to describe unless you experience it, since it's mostly just stuff that's unique to being in the military. But if the Navy lets me be a doctor, I'll be in for 20. For me the good outweighs the bad, because I get more out of it than just a paycheck and no debt (although I definitely appreciate that!).

You make some very good points. I commend you on your willingness to serve. I guess for me I just honestly don't feel fired up at all about the thought of being in the military.

The money sounds enticing but I feel like I would commit to the scholarship only out of a fear of being in debt.....But I still feel like I'm being naive about the financial implications of not taking the HPSP, bc over the life of my loans, including interest, I'll probably owe closer to $500,000+....it's a challenging dilemma to contemplate :/

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Go over to the mil med forum. There are a number of posts on why taking the scholarship for the money is not worth it and why you shouldn't be afraid of your debt (at least not so afraid that you sign up for the military).

Have you thought about only taking 3 years of the scholarship? You'd only owe 3 back instead of 4. I think they even offer a 2 year scholarship too. That might not be as bad, but it's still a few years in the military. If you already have the attitude that you don't really want to do it, you will be in for a really miserable 2-4 years.

What are your reasons for not wanting to join, if I may ask?

 

[Dinkin Flicka]

For me? Looking at $340,000 over four years. :/

340K is not that bad in my opinion. You'll be making 200K+ a year, and that can be paid off over 10-15 years while you live comfortably. Dont go to the army if you dont want to be there.

 

[QuentinT88]

340K is not that bad in my opinion. You'll be making 200K+ a year, and that can be paid off over 10-15 years while you live comfortably. Dont go to the army if you dont want to be there.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[QuentinT88]

Go over to the mil med forum. There are a number of posts on why taking the scholarship for the money is not worth it and why you shouldn't be afraid of your debt (at least not so afraid that you sign up for the military).

Have you thought about only taking 3 years of the scholarship? You'd only owe 3 back instead of 4. I think they even offer a 2 year scholarship too. That might not be as bad, but it's still a few years in the military. If you already have the attitude that you don't really want to do it, you will be in for a really miserable 2-4 years.

What are your reasons for not wanting to join, if I may ask?

I guess my main objection is that I never had an interest in it until I heard about the scholarship. While I have a good idea of what life would look like going the civilian physician route, I literally have no clue what it would be like to do residency in the military and to then do a GMO.

I appreciate your feedback! I'll head over the military Medicine forum for more info

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I guess my main objection is that I never had an interest in it until I heard about the scholarship. While I have a good idea of what life would look like going the civilian physician route, I literally have no clue what it would be like to do residency in the military and to then do a GMO.

I appreciate your feedback! I'll head over the military Medicine forum for more info

If you are curious, I can give you some more detailed info through PM. I work in mil med on the enlisted side on a small buoy doing essentially what a GMO would be doing on a big deck (although we have less equipment and rely on the UC or ED for some stuff). I also work with our GMO occasionally and have worked one-on-one with her. PM me if you're interested.