All Branch Topic (ABT) HPSP for aspiring Developmental Pediatrician

[sportsball336]

Hi all,

I am considering applying for the HPSP scholarship to help pay for med school if I get in, I will be applying in the 2021 cycle. The military is enticing to me as my family has a military tradition (with Romania, not with the US), and I've always seen service in the military as a way to give back to the US for giving my family so much opportunity. I would also like to not have to worry about having to pay off the student loans. The added perk of a monthly stipend is also nice as I would not have to worry about financial stress while in school. I want to be a Developmental Pediatrician due to my little sister, who had cerebral palsy, dying when I was in High School, so I know this is what I want to do. I understand the military likely does not have a need for that specialty, so I am okay with waiting on fellowship until I am done with my military service. My plan is to match into a pediatric residency, then serve my required time, then go into fellowship once I part ways with the military. My dad was the equivalent of a drill sergeant in Romania and I've played contact sports most of my life, so I am not scared of the discipline and physical demand of the military. I've read up on the process of HPSP and I've read through several SDN & reddit forums that HPSP is only worth it for primary care; which from what I've read, developmental pediatrician's do not make much more than a pediatrician. I'm not sure if this is important, but I was born in the US so I am a citizen and my parents are naturalized citizens.

I'd like to know if y'alls thoughts on whether I should do the HPSP and what branch would have the best opportunity for me.

Thanks for the help.

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[DrMetal]

I want to be a Developmental Pediatrician

The military is not that invested in it (with respect to training---the mil is looking to cut out a lot of Peds, and peds subspecs---nor in practice).

Look elsewhere, thanks for inquiring.

 

[armytrainingsir]

The military is not that invested in it (with respect to training---the mil is looking to cut out a lot of Peds, and peds subspecs---nor in practice).

Look elsewhere, thanks for inquiring.

Harsh, but true.

You may have better luck being a developmental pediatrician in a university setting, functioning as a primary care doc in the National Guard with loan repayment, as you may find a state that may have a more sympathetic ear to your desires than the Army or Navy ever will.

good luck

 

[j4pac]

Have you heard of Peds PM&R?

 

[deleted480308]

Hi all,

I am considering applying for the HPSP scholarship to help pay for med school if I get in, I will be applying in the 2021 cycle. The military is enticing to me as my family has a military tradition (with Romania, not with the US), and I've always seen service in the military as a way to give back to the US for giving my family so much opportunity. I would also like to not have to worry about having to pay off the student loans. The added perk of a monthly stipend is also nice as I would not have to worry about financial stress while in school. I want to be a Developmental Pediatrician due to my little sister, who had cerebral palsy, dying when I was in High School, so I know this is what I want to do. I understand the military likely does not have a need for that specialty, so I am okay with waiting on fellowship until I am done with my military service. My plan is to match into a pediatric residency, then serve my required time, then go into fellowship once I part ways with the military. My dad was the equivalent of a drill sergeant in Romania and I've played contact sports most of my life, so I am not scared of the discipline and physical demand of the military. I've read up on the process of HPSP and I've read through several SDN & reddit forums that HPSP is only worth it for primary care; which from what I've read, developmental pediatrician's do not make much more than a pediatrician. I'm not sure if this is important, but I was born in the US so I am a citizen and my parents are naturalized citizens.

I'd like to know if y'alls thoughts on whether I should do the HPSP and what branch would have the best opportunity for me.

Thanks for the help.

To be a pediatrician? No

 

[sportsball336]

Have you heard of Peds PM&R?

I have not.

 

[militaryPHYS]

The best way to decide is thinking of it this way: If you join the military but for whatever reason don’t match pediatrics and have to serve 4 years as a general medical officer then get out and go back to repeat internship and do pediatric residency then fellowship....would you still be happy you joined? If yes then go ahead and sign up! If not and you are 100% set on dev. pediatrics then train civilian and join later if you still want to.

 

[j4pac]

I have not.

Id be careful planning your life too far in advance. It’s good to have a plan but it’s nice to have flexibility to adapt if needed. The military is very restrictive.

For example, Peds PM&R is a phenomenal specialty and an argument can be made that they are best equipped to manage CP kids. Medical genetics is another specialty that is right up your alley. Ensure that you know everything Medicine has to offer before locking yourself down.

The military may decide to outsource general pediatrics, and close all new billets to Peds and therefore residency opportunities. It’s not a wartime specialty.

I wouldn’t expect to get any non wartime fellowship. Theres a very good chance that you’d have to get out of the military to developmental Peds. And even if you are a unicorn and are able to become a Developmental Pediatrician in the military...be prepared to primarily do general Peds with a small smattering of your actual fellowship.

 

[sportsball336]

Id be careful planning your life too far in advance. It’s good to have a plan but it’s nice to have flexibility to adapt if needed. The military is very restrictive.

For example, Peds PM&R is a phenomenal specialty and an argument can be made that they are best equipped to manage CP kids. Medical genetics is another specialty that is right up your alley. Ensure that you know everything Medicine has to offer before locking yourself down.

The military may decide to outsource general pediatrics, and close all new billets to Peds and therefore residency opportunities. It’s not a wartime specialty.

I wouldn’t expect to get any non wartime fellowship. Theres a very good chance that you’d have to get out of the military to developmental Peds. And even if you are a unicorn and are able to become a Developmental Pediatrician in the military...be prepared to primarily do general Peds with a small smattering of your actual fellowship.

Thank you for the advice, I'm open-minded on what exact specialty I become, I just know I am dead set on working with the special needs population. I researched PM&R and that specialty is very interesting to me. Some people have advised me to look into the Guard without doing any of the long-term commitment programs such as MDSSP, STRAP, or HPSP so that I can practice what I choose as a civilian and still serve in the military. I think I definitely should discuss this with a recruiter, but does that seem plausible at all to you?

 

[sportsball336]

The best way to decide is thinking of it this way: If you join the military but for whatever reason don’t match pediatrics and have to serve 4 years as a general medical officer then get out and go back to repeat internship and do pediatric residency then fellowship....would you still be happy you joined? If yes then go ahead and sign up! If not and you are 100% set on dev. pediatrics then train civilian and join later if you still want to.

Thank you for the advice. I'm not 100% set on the specialty, but I am currently 100% set on working with the special needs population. I've heard there is a lot of skill atrophy as a general medical officer, so I do not think I'd be happy looking back. Do you know if I'd be able to become whatever specialty I choose as a civilian and then join the Guard? I plan on speaking with a recruiter as well.

 

[militaryPHYS]

Thank you for the advice. I'm not 100% set on the specialty, but I am currently 100% set on working with the special needs population. I've heard there is a lot of skill atrophy as a general medical officer, so I do not think I'd be happy looking back. Do you know if I'd be able to become whatever specialty I choose as a civilian and then join the Guard? I plan on speaking with a recruiter as well.

As a civilian you 100% can chose whatever specialty you want so long as you have the scores and application to get accepted. Very often this is also the case for military physicians, BUT there is a possibility you are fully qualified but the military is not training in certain specialties or someone else who did a GMO tour before you is coming back and trumps your application. Currently all specialties are represented and still training but a lot of transitions are occurring and final product of MilMed is not guaranteed. Subspecialties are even less predictable and availability changes every year. Pediatrics, for example is one specialty that is rumored to be downsized because it is not as operationally relevant as say Trauma Surgery (not necessarily my opinion). Developmental peds? Who knows! Regardless, nobody knows for sure what will happen in next 5-10 years. Same thing with joining the guard later: who knows if the military will need whatever specialty you end up training in? Therefore, if serving is THE top priority for you, join. If I a very specific sub specialty is THE top priority then best to go civilian. If you have an open mind and want to do both and wont be completely miserable if your plan A doesn’t work out in the military then still keep researching a MilMed career.

 

[HighPriest]

Thank you for the advice. I'm not 100% set on the specialty, but I am currently 100% set on working with the special needs population. I've heard there is a lot of skill atrophy as a general medical officer, so I do not think I'd be happy looking back. Do you know if I'd be able to become whatever specialty I choose as a civilian and then join the Guard? I plan on speaking with a recruiter as well.

The skill atrophy is more for people who actually match, train, and then up assigned someplace where they can’t support their skill set. This can happen in an operational slot (brigade surgeon) or simply because they need a warm body doing bread and butter but all they have is a subspecialist. So hypothetically you do a peds residency, somehow are allowed to do a developmental fellowship and then you get stationed in a tiny MTF where you see maybe one 16 year old kid who had polydactyly when he was born but it’s fixed now. For 2-4 years.

GMO docs don’t really have that much training, so it’s less a skill atrophy issue and more of a “it’s hard to go back to residency” issue.