HPSP vs NHSC

[yankpak786]

Hi there,

Now that most of us have applied and are waiting for the elusive Dec. 1st date, I was wondering what everyone is thinking in regards to paying dental tuition. Knowing that I'll most likely be going to a private only entices me to apply for the HPSP or NHSC scholarships. I'm just EXTREMELY worried about the safety and location issues of HPSP. As for the NHSC, it all seems vague to me in terms of applying...

Has anyone had experience with this or is going through it currently? What's the best way to think about paying off a 500K loan... go for the scholarships, if one can get them, or just pay it off in 20-30 years? :/

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[Weakfart]

These two are completely different options and you really cannot compare the two.The only similarity is that they pay back your loans. HPSP - do it if you would like to be in the military NHSC - Do it if you want to help undeserved areas (I believe they limit you to which specialties you can be to GP and Peds or something)

 

[yankpak786]

These two are completely different options and you really cannot compare the two.The only similarity is that they pay back your loans. HPSP - do it if you would like to be in the military NHSC - Do it if you want to help undeserved areas (I believe they limit you to which specialties you can be to GP and Peds or something)

In an ideal work, I would love to do NHSC, but given how competitive it is, I was keeping HPSP in mind. How do people go about, mentally, handling the debt? Lol. I'm not saying I'm going crazy over it, but I like to think about everything in a decision and being in over 400K debt is kind of worrisome - so I'm thinking if these 4-year programs are worth it or if I should just move to a high-paying rural area for a few years after graduation to pay back loans.

 

[Weakfart]

That's a hard question to answer honestly. No one knows what the future of dentistry is and how the economy will do. Your best bet is to ask someone who has been recently practicing but you still miss the factor of how YOUR scenario will play out 4 or 5 years down the road. My plan is to work my ass off and pay it back ASAP. I don't want to be in the military since it goes against some of my opinions and I don't want to do the NHSC and have to be bound to becoming a GP or whatever, especially if other people who really do want to help underserved areas want to. Since you're asking, I assume going to a cheaper state school is out of the question for you?

 

[Faux]

NHSC does have 2,3 and 4 year programs.

 

[yankpak786]

That's a hard question to answer honestly. No one knows what the future of dentistry is and how the economy will do. Your best bet is to ask someone who has been recently practicing but you still miss the factor of how YOUR scenario will play out 4 or 5 years down the road. My plan is to work my ass off and pay it back ASAP. I don't want to be in the military since it goes against some of my opinions and I don't want to do the NHSC and have to be bound to becoming a GP or whatever, especially if other people who really do want to help underserved areas want to. Since you're asking, I assume going to a cheaper state school is out of the question for you?

Yes, I haven't applied to any b/c well, didn't satisfy any of the upper-level sciences. I'm more keyed in on a private school which I've interviewed at and have pretty high hopes for. I'm looking at being in a half a million dollars in debt by graduation time in 2019. Followed by the 1-year NYS residency which would leave me at God knows where to start paying off T_T

 

[yankpak786]

NHSC does have 2,3 and 4 year programs.

Right, but do you know how to apply?

I think I'm very perplexed with this loan situation lol. I love dentistry, I know the loans are worth it, but it's just going to sleep at night knowing interest is accruing so much... and how it'll impact my personal goals and spending in the long run.

 

[Weakfart]

Yes, I haven't applied to any b/c well, didn't satisfy any of the upper-level sciences. I'm more keyed in on a private school which I've interviewed at and have pretty high hopes for. I'm looking at being in a half a million dollars in debt by graduation time in 2019. Followed by the 1-year NYS residency which would leave me at God knows where to start paying off T_T

NYU? Haha. Yeah I'm in NY too so I know the feels of the residency...

 

[Bis-GMA111]

Hi there,

Now that most of us have applied and are waiting for the elusive Dec. 1st date, I was wondering what everyone is thinking in regards to paying dental tuition. Knowing that I'll most likely be going to a private only entices me to apply for the HPSP or NHSC scholarships. I'm just EXTREMELY worried about the safety and location issues of HPSP. As for the NHSC, it all seems vague to me in terms of applying...

Has anyone had experience with this or is going through it currently? What's the best way to think about paying off a 500K loan... go for the scholarships, if one can get them, or just pay it off in 20-30 years? :/

if you do the hpsp with that kind of an attitude, you will find yourself in a bad spot.

 

[yankpak786]

NYU? Haha. Yeah I'm in NY too so I know the feels of the residency...

Yup! haha

 

[yankpak786]

if you do the hpsp with that kind of an attitude, you will find yourself in a bad spot.

This is a genuine concern of mine, how safe is a HPSP? Realistically, can the army deploy you anywhere it deems, do you have any say in the matter? I need someone to do a general pros and cons for me so I can get a better view of this...

 

[Bis-GMA111]

This is a genuine concern of mine, how safe is a HPSP? Realistically, can the army deploy you anywhere it deems, do you have any say in the matter? I need someone to do a general pros and cons for me so I can get a better view of this...

you have to join with the assumption that you will deploy. how likely you will deploy will depend on our involvement in conflicts around the world. it's really out of your hands. if they tell you to go, you have to go. if you have reservations about that, then don't do it. i'm just telling you how it is. you need to be 100% sure.

 

[DentalDoge]

Hi there,

Now that most of us have applied and are waiting for the elusive Dec. 1st date, I was wondering what everyone is thinking in regards to paying dental tuition. Knowing that I'll most likely be going to a private only entices me to apply for the HPSP or NHSC scholarships. I'm just EXTREMELY worried about the safety and location issues of HPSP. As for the NHSC, it all seems vague to me in terms of applying...

Has anyone had experience with this or is going through it currently? What's the best way to think about paying off a 500K loan... go for the scholarships, if one can get them, or just pay it off in 20-30 years? :/

Here's the down-low. I am currently applying for HPSP right now. If I have to say, HPSP is heaps more competitive especially for the Air Force than NHSC. What @DentStudentc/o2017 said is right. Military is a lifestyle. Not just something you're compromising for the money.

Pretty much you go where the military tells you to go. Do what the military tells you to do. For those 4 years, they own your ass. But there's alot of opportunity there too. As a prospective OMFS specialist, you would get to operate on cases you would rarely or never see as a civilian (Jaw reconstruction for IED blasts or shot through the jaw with a 39mm).

In regards to safety, you know HPSP is a MILITARY scholarship right? That means you WILL be deployed and there IS a chance of you being killed on duty. That being said, the chance of you being shot on the frontlines as a dentist is ... fairly low. You will most likely be sitting on base or a USN ship treating wounded and toothaches. Kind of going to be bad news if WW3 breaks out in the next couple of years. Idk if this answers your questions regarding to "safety".

 

[Tmoneymaj]

This is a genuine concern of mine, how safe is a HPSP? Realistically, can the army deploy you anywhere it deems, do you have any say in the matter? I need someone to do a general pros and cons for me so I can get a better view of this...

I recently talked to an Army dentist who has been in for three years. He loves it and his only regret is only taking a 3 year scholarship rather then the 4 year scholarship. He's currently stationed at a base that doesn't even deploy and already accepted a residency that will cause him to move to Hawaii.. such a terrible move (sarcasm). He told me that there's been about a 0% chance of him deploying because so many other dental officers are asking to be deployed to improve their resume so they can get into higher residency programs. His best friend has been a dentist in the Army for 9 years and has been depoloyed one time for 4 months. With all that being said I know for sure I will be applying HPSP.

I would suggest getting a hold of a recruiter and then talking personally to a military dentist and asking them.