HPSP and extended medical program

[TicDocDoh]

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I am an MS1 attending medical school on an extended program. This is a program offered by my school that allows you to spread the first 2 years of pre-clinical coursework out over a 3-year period, whereby it takes a total of 5 years instead of 4 years to get through school. I found this has been of great benefit to me and I feel like I am truly mastering the material instead of just simply trying to barely squeak by.

My problem is that I am enrolled in a 5-year degree program, but only a 4-year military scholarship, the Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP). According to the Navy HPSP student handbook, I will need to be in an academic Leave-With-Out-Pay status for 1 of the years I am in medical school due to my being in an extended program. Seems simple and straightforward, right? I have contacted the Navy HPSP administrators (registrar, head of student programs, program manager) in Bethesda and have sent repeated e-mails (their preferred method of communication) attempting to explain what my school’s extended program is and why my anticipated graduation will take place in 5 years instead of 4. I have already explained to them that:

1. I did NOT fail a class.
2. I am NOT on academic review or probation.
3. I am NOT taking a leave of absence from school.
4. I am NOT withdrawing from school.
5. I am NOT attending school part-time.
6. I am NOT pursuing a concurrent 2nd degree (e.g. MPH, PhD, etc.).

No matter how many times I try to explain the above to them, they do not seem to grasp what I am saying. The reply to my first e-mail seemed friendly and supportive. But, there’s been a gradual change in the tone of their replies to the point where it seems the administrators are becoming increasingly irritated and threatening with me which each new attempt to explain my situation to them. I don’t know how to make my explanation any simpler.

Is there anyone on here who is now in, or who has ever been in, an extended (i.e. 5-year) MD or DO program while also in the Armed Forces HPSP? If so, what was the outcome? Were you able to stay in the HPSP? What did you do? I would also welcome replies from anyone currently in military medicine, especially Navy, who is knowledgeable about this issue even if they never were in the HPSP.

 

[IgD]

My problem is that I am enrolled in a 5-year degree program, but only a 4-year military scholarship, the Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP).

So you signed a contract to complete medical school in 4 years but then violated it by electing to extend your education in an optional program?

What are you wanting to happen with the situation? Are you wanting the Navy to pick up the tab for the additional year?

 

[TicDocDoh]

It's not an optional program. I ran into some academic difficulty last semester and this got me out of the difficulty. I don't expect the Navy to pay for the extra year. I'm fully prepared to eat the loans for the extra year.

I don't see how I violated my contract - though the Navy's HPSP administrators may see it differently. The Navy HPSP student handbook (chapter 4 to be exact) addresses this issue so I know a precedent has been set for situations like mine. I just want to know what I need to do to stay in the program and convince administration that I have no intention of violating my contract and that none of the 6 situations I enumerated in my original post apply to me - this just does not compute with them. They're probably used to dealing with one of these 6 problems most of the time and they don't know what to make of my situation or my "status".

 

[faith2]

I hate to be the voice of reason, but technically you did break your contract. According to the contract you said that you will be finished medical school in 4 years. I think you should have spoken to the military before you went into the 5 year program. The upside is maybe with a little patience in stating your case they will see things your way, and you will not have to suffer any consequences. I hope it works out for you.

 

[SeminoleFan3]

I agree with this ^. You technically did break the contract by extending your education to 5 years. You should have discussed that with them first. You had some educational difficulty first year? Like what, failing/not passing a class? If so, they should have been notified.
It's hard for me to imagine how 2 years gets spread into 3 knowing that only one class is taking a course at a time (it's not like there's time slots available). How do you get longer to take these courses than everyone else?

 

[IgD]

It's not an optional program. I ran into some academic difficulty last semester and this got me out of the difficulty...

I'm trying to be supportive but feel like you contradicted yourself. In the first post you said you didn't have academic difficulty which seems different than what you described above. I see two scenarios:
1. You had academic problems and had to extend
2. You broke your contract and extended your education in an optional program

What do you want the Navy to do? Sounds to me like you would have to enter leave without pay status. I would be careful, you may end up owing 5 years of flesh to the government instead of 4.

 

[Gastrapathy]

Do you think that perhaps their tone changed when it became increasingly clear that you weren't being forthright? Its what you did here. Hopefully not what you did there. Everything you said in your first post may be technically true but obviously, being forced to take 3 years to do 2 years work reflects significant academic difficulties. Trying to play that off is probably not helpful.

Have you picked up the phone and called someone?

Have you followed the very specific guidance in the instruction that you referenced, including a letter from your dean?
ie

To: MDAD Registrar
From: ENS TicDocDoh

Subj: REQUEST FOR ACADEMIC LEAVE WITHOUT PAY

Ref: (a) NAVMEDNPT&EINST 1520.1C

1. I f'ed up in the following fashion and my school will require an extra year of study for me to complete medical school. Blah Blah Blah

2. The Dean of Students, Dr. Dude, has sent a separate email per Ref a.

3. I request Academic LWOP status for 1 year.

IMTICDOCDOH

If you've done that, and are still getting the run around: Pick up the phone. Avoid sounding like you think you are automatically entitled to this.

 

[Perrotfish]

What kind of 'academic difficulty' did you run into that would cause your school to place you on a mandatory 5 year program but that didn't involve you failing a single class?

 

[TicDocDoh]

Faith2: Thanks.

SeminoleFan3: The first 2 years of the Regular Program (4-yrs) is 48 units for year 1 + 42 units for year 2 = 90 units. On the Extended Program (5-yrs), the distribution is 31 units for year 1 + 27 units for year 2 + 32 units for year 3 = 90 units. The last 2 years of both programs are identical.

IgD: I had academic problems and had to extend. The HPSP handbook addresses this scenario and academic LWOP seems to be the usual protocol.

Gastrapathy: I more or less did a modified version of what you posted and I think MDAD & I are finally on the same page now.

Perrotfish: I dropped a 6 unit class - resulting in a drop from 19 units to 13 units for the semester.

 

[Ziehl-Neelsen]

I went to medical school with a gal who had academic difficulties in her 2nd year, and was told by the dean that she should not sit for step 1 and should repeat the 2nd year with the next year's class. She was Navy HPSP, and I remember distinctly wondering what the Navy would do with her.

Fast forward 3 years... I walked into a patient's room for a consult as a second year resident and discovered that she was the intern taking care of said patient. I asked her what had happened with regards to the Navy and her academic issues, and she told me that they had initially wanted to send her to the fleet as a medical service corps officer but then relented. She took LWOP and paid for the repeated year of school, went back on scholarship in her 3rd year, comleted school with no more issues, and matched to a Navy internship. I checked the Navy's match last year, and saw that she was slotted for GMO-land but was an alternate selection for 2 competetive specialties.

While it is a technical breach of contract to accept a 4 year contract and then revise one's date of graduation (the military has to be able to predict how many interns it will have to move the meat), I know of at leat one instance where things worked out with apparently no ill effects. As an aside, I think it worked out because of the Navy's incredible need for physicians to plug into the system, not because of an special benificence on BUMEDs part.

 

[exafdoc]

Do not worry about the contract. The Navy needs you far more than you need them. They will do whatever is needed to ensure your graduation and eventual 48 month service. Also, the worst they could do is release you from the contract and stop paying for your education. In that case you could just get loans like most med students do. If you receive any more harrassment from the Navy, just tell them to release you and bill you for your education up to this point. You will see them instantly change there attitude.