Hpsp

[JeetKuneDo]

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Anyone here considering applying HPSP? I read the pros and cons on the military medicine forum, and the general feel I get from there is its not worth it unless you first and foremost want to serve. I'll probably be in 350k (maybe more) debt from med school and undergrad loans, so the short term idea of no med school debt sounds amazing.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

Nope

 

[dntke1518]

Nope

Same, no dice.

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

Anyone here considering applying HPSP? I read the pros and cons on the military medicine forum, and the general feel I get from there is its not worth it unless you first and foremost want to serve. I'll probably be in 350k (maybe more) debt from med school and undergrad loans, so the short term idea of no med school debt sounds amazing.

I was really considering it for a while, spoke to a recruiter, and decided it wasn't for me. Unless you're interested in primary care, don't do it. Every doc I've asked said don't fear the debt, just manage it.

 

[dntke1518]

I was really considering it for a while, spoke to a recruiter, and decided it wasn't for me. Unless you're interested in primary care, don't do it. Every doc I've asked said don't fear the debt, just manage it.

👍

 

[obbobbo]

I'm doing it and while you are in school the benefits far outweigh the negatives, but that is obvious since they are practically throwing money at me right now. The downside comes when school and residency is done. During the payback time if you are anything but primary care you will be earning a fair amount less than your civilian counterparts.

HPSP has been great for me. I enjoy the financial security/stability for me and my family during school. Also the free pilot lessons have been fun too. There are a lot of perks that come with the service, but you have to be willing to do the deployments and payback at the end.

I'd say if it sounds interesting to you then look into it, but don't go in half hearted. They guys that did aren't as happy. I love it.

 

[Loudster]

I've applied and would be thrilled to hear that I got it. To be fair though, my grandpa was a pararescue and my dad flew airevac, so I've been around military my entire life and have seen that its been great to (and for) my family. Living in the military isn't like skipping through a field of daisies, but it does give you opportunities that you wouldn't get elsewhere.

One of the big plusses for me is the possibility of working overseas. I've spent a good portion of my life so far overseas and I count that as having been one of the most awesome experiences of my life. As a civilian doctor though I realistically won't ever work in say Japan or Germany, but in the military that's not impossible. Specialists beyond primary care don't make as much money, but for me there's enough intangible benefits to military service that I think it's worth it. Obviously however, it is not for everyone and realistically it's probably not even for the majority of people.

 

[DrWily]

HSPS lol nothx.

 

[Jnorman1218]

Nope

Same, no dice.

HSPS lol nothx.

You guys mind sharing why you are not interested?

I've definitely considered it. It would be great having tuition paid for plus ~$2000/month stipend. I also enjoy seeing new places and traveling. However, with a wife and (in a few weeks) kid I don't know realistic it is spending at least 7 years in med school/residency and then be obligated to go where ever and do whatever the military wants.

I've also heard that military medicine is a whole different breed and many do not like it. That's probably my biggest issue. I would definitely want to do a large amount of shadowing various military physicians before I commited to it and I don't even know if that is possible (at least I've never heard of anyone doing it).

 

[brucecanbeatyou]

I'm doing it and while you are in school the benefits far outweigh the negatives, but that is obvious since they are practically throwing money at me right now. The downside comes when school and residency is done. During the payback time if you are anything but primary care you will be earning a fair amount less than your civilian counterparts.

HPSP has been great for me. I enjoy the financial security/stability for me and my family during school. Also the free pilot lessons have been fun too. There are a lot of perks that come with the service, but you have to be willing to do the deployments and payback at the end.

I'd say if it sounds interesting to you then look into it, but don't go in half hearted. They guys that did aren't as happy. I love it.

How'd you get free pilot lessons?

 

[FrkyBgStok]

You guys mind sharing why you are not interested?

I've definitely considered it. It would be great having tuition paid for plus ~$2000/month stipend. I also enjoy seeing new places and traveling. However, with a wife and (in a few weeks) kid I don't know realistic it is spending at least 7 years in med school/residency and then be obligated to go where ever and do whatever the military wants.

I've also heard that military medicine is a whole different breed and many do not like it. That's probably my biggest issue. I would definitely want to do a large amount of shadowing various military physicians before I commited to it and I don't even know if that is possible (at least I've never heard of anyone doing it).

Sure. The main reason is having a wife and kids. Even if I wanted to do it, my wife would tell me to eff myself. I also don't want to do military. Just not for me. I also feel like military medicine could end up like rural medicine. If I spend four years after residency in a combat area as a surgeon, I may get awesome at removing gun shot wounds, but the rest of my skills are severely hampered.

My family and traveling is the main reason. I want to have a choice where I live. It is important to me that my kids attend good schools, preferably parochial schools. You don't have this luxury in the military.

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

I've been told that your desire to serve must outweigh your desire to be a doctor to enjoy the program. It might be worth doing if you a have a family to support because I believe your dependents get Tricare (maybe room and board at the base??) and you can use the money you would be using for med school towards your family. I really want to serve, but not more than being a doctor with potentially restricted residencies, it came down to that for me...it's just too long of a commitment.

The military does offer a payback program after your choose your residency. The name escapes me at the moment but definitely check that out.

 

[DrWily]

My family and traveling is the main reason. I want to have a choice where I live. You don't have this luxury in the military.

Bingo.

 

[NurWollen]

Sure. The main reason is having a wife and kids. Even if I wanted to do it, my wife would tell me to eff myself. I also don't want to do military. Just not for me. I also feel like military medicine could end up like rural medicine. If I spend four years after residency in a combat area as a surgeon, I may get awesome at removing gun shot wounds, but the rest of my skills are severely hampered.

My family and traveling is the main reason. I want to have a choice where I live. It is important to me that my kids attend good schools, preferably parochial schools. You don't have this luxury in the military.

My thoughts exactly. My wife's sister's husband is an officer in the Army. While they do get a lot of benefits, they give up a lot in not being able to choose where they live, spending weeks apart from each other at a time, etc. Not for me.

I'm doing it and while you are in school the benefits far outweigh the negatives, but that is obvious since they are practically throwing money at me right now. The downside comes when school and residency is done. During the payback time if you are anything but primary care you will be earning a fair amount less than your civilian counterparts.

HPSP has been great for me. I enjoy the financial security/stability for me and my family during school. Also the free pilot lessons have been fun too. There are a lot of perks that come with the service, but you have to be willing to do the deployments and payback at the end.

I'd say if it sounds interesting to you then look into it, but don't go in half hearted. They guys that did aren't as happy. I love it.

Almost makes it worth it, despite what I said above. Almost. Tell us about it.

 

[dntke1518]

You guys mind sharing why you are not interested?

I've definitely considered it. It would be great having tuition paid for plus ~$2000/month stipend. I also enjoy seeing new places and traveling. However, with a wife and (in a few weeks) kid I don't know realistic it is spending at least 7 years in med school/residency and then be obligated to go where ever and do whatever the military wants.

I've also heard that military medicine is a whole different breed and many do not like it. That's probably my biggest issue. I would definitely want to do a large amount of shadowing various military physicians before I commited to it and I don't even know if that is possible (at least I've never heard of anyone doing it).

I'm in the same boat as Frky and Wily. Just not for me, I want to have somewhat of a choice in where I live. Plus the thought of owing years just doesn't settle with me... I know that I will owe a bank money for school but I feel like that is a whole different boat.

 

[ManBroDude]

Funny, I got a Navy recruitment brochure for this today. As everyone has already said, the general consensus is that you shouldn't do it unless you already wanted to go into the military before medical school anyway.

There was a table which highlighted the differences between civilian and navy docs:
Civilian Pay: $140,000. Navy Pay: Competitive *

 

[Dharma]

you shouldn't do it unless you already wanted to go into the military before medical school anyway.

This is probably the best advice out there regarding the scholarship. For a while, I was sold on the idea of going the HPSP route, but my mind was mostly on the money; the thought of having my tuition paid with a stipend, the thrill, the cool-factor, and the hype of "serving my country" pushed aside that cold reality of military life. Then I thought, maybe it's best to picture the reality of this. ah... Nah, F that.

The bolded advice above could not be better. Not worth it just for the so-called financial benefits.

 

[WaffleDoc]

I was going to do it. Both my parents and my grandparents were in the army - I grew up with the lifestyle. I've always wanted to serve. Almost tried to enlist after high school, but I decided college was the better route for me. Unfortunately, my medical waiver was denied today, and my dream was officially shot out of the water through a cheerful conversation with my recruiter. And now I'm stressed about trying to figure out how to fund my schooling, since I was all set on this path.

Point of the story is: I was all about it - but not for the money. I wanted to be in the army weeeellll before I was interested in becoming a doctor.

 

[Oo Cipher oO]

I was going to do it. Both my parents and my grandparents were in the army - I grew up with the lifestyle. I've always wanted to serve. Almost tried to enlist after high school, but I decided college was the better route for me. Unfortunately, my medical waiver was denied today, and my dream was officially shot out of the water through a cheerful conversation with my recruiter. And now I'm stressed about trying to figure out how to fund my schooling, since I was all set on this path.

Point of the story is: I was all about it - but not for the money. I wanted to be in the army weeeellll before I was interested in becoming a doctor.

I'm really sorry to hear that. Best of luck to you. I know its not the same but the VA always has need of civilian doctors to take care of our returned soldiers. Just an idea. Either way I hope you have success in whatever you chose to do.

 

[ManBroDude]

The VA is a million times better than HPSP. They offer competitive debt repayment programs within 10 years or less. And working for one of the best private health systems in the country + gov't benefits means you can't go wrong.

 

[dntke1518]

The VA is a million times better than HPSP. They offer competitive debt repayment programs within 10 years or less. And working for one of the best private health systems in the country + gov't benefits means you can't go wrong.

👍

Very well put, I agree.

 

[WaffleDoc]

I've never even heard of the VA... what is it?

 

[Oo Cipher oO]

I've never even heard of the VA... what is it?

VA= veterans affairs. The VA has a nationwide healthcare service that takes care of returned and retired military service men and women. Check www.va.gov for more info.

 

[SoulinNeed]

Yeah, working for the VA is great. While the pay is a good deal less than most places, the benefits they offer, plus the relative ease of the job are really great.

 

[NurWollen]

I was going to say, there are many ways to get your debt paid off besides the military, especially if you want to do primary care. There is NHSC, plus many states have their own programs. Sometimes some of the rural underserved communities are not as rural as we often assume.

Does anyone know anything about the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps?

 

[Poliscidoc]

Anyone here considering applying HPSP? I read the pros and cons on the military medicine forum, and the general feel I get from there is its not worth it unless you first and foremost want to serve. I'll probably be in 350k (maybe more) debt from med school and undergrad loans, so the short term idea of no med school debt sounds amazing.

Thinking about it

 

[WTEngel]

The military does offer a payback program after your choose your residency. The name escapes me at the moment but definitely check that out.

Fellowship Assistance Program I believe is the name. I was talking to a military medical student the other day, and he said FAP is probably the better route, but it depends on what residency you are wanting.

They pay you a small stipend while in residency, you are a commissioned officer, and at the end of residency, you owe them one for one, plus one.

He said this program was especially good for those wanting to go into EM, Intensivist, surgery, etc. If you go this route, the odds that you will be used as a GMO after completion are much smaller than if you enter on acceptance to medical school.

Be careful talking to the recruiters. Best to always get the opinion of someone already in.

 

[Cooperd0g]

I am an academy grad and did 11 years of active duty. I have been in the reserves while taking prereqs. I know many mil docs. Primary care pay is competitive in the military, but higher paying specialties are nowhere close. Sure, you have no debt from school. Sure you get paid more during residency, but make a spreadsheet and you'll see that those benefits don't outweigh the salary loss if you are interested in high paying specialties. You may not get your desired residency right away. You may not get to choose where you live. Having said this, I'm looking at USUHS and HPSP as well.

But despite all of the bad things about the military, I like serving and being an officer. I believe in the mission and want to be part of it. There are some cool things (I think they are cool, but you may think they are horrible) you can do as a mil doc that our can't do as a civilian.

And don't think there isn't crap and bureaucracy outside of the military. It's there in the civilian world too. Overall you should only go to USUHS or take HPSP if you actually want to be in the military as a doc, even if just to do it for a short while to do something different. Don't do it for the money as it pretty much never works out financially or for your happiness.

 

[AntsMarching44]

I was going to do it. Both my parents and my grandparents were in the army - I grew up with the lifestyle. I've always wanted to serve. Almost tried to enlist after high school, but I decided college was the better route for me. Unfortunately, my medical waiver was denied today, and my dream was officially shot out of the water through a cheerful conversation with my recruiter. And now I'm stressed about trying to figure out how to fund my schooling, since I was all set on this path.

Point of the story is: I was all about it - but not for the money. I wanted to be in the army weeeellll before I was interested in becoming a doctor.

What were you disqualified for? I'm currently applying for the scholarship now and am curious if you don't mind answering.

 

[DrWily]

I've never even heard of the VA... what is it?

I find it interesting that both your parents and grandparents are military and you've never heard of the VA

My girl is an RN at the VA here.. her job is so lax. Part of the reason why she isn't coming with me to AZ 🙁 doesn't want to lose her lax job

 

[PJ meowerton]

I find it interesting that both your parents and grandparents are military and you've never heard of the VA

My girl is an RN at the VA here.. her job is so lax. Part of the reason why she isn't coming with me to AZ 🙁 doesn't want to lose her lax job

isn't it super easy to transfer between VA's? I always thought that was one of the perks

 

[deleted398564]

.

 

[dntke1518]

I find it interesting that both your parents and grandparents are military and you've never heard of the VA

My girl is an RN at the VA here.. her job is so lax. Part of the reason why she isn't coming with me to AZ 🙁 doesn't want to lose her lax job

:cry: My lady friend isn't coming with me either, oh wellz she can be my sugar momma.

isn't it super easy to transfer between VA's? I always thought that was one of the perks

I was under the same impression.

 

[WaffleDoc]

What were you disqualified for? I'm currently applying for the scholarship now and am curious if you don't mind answering.

Too many defects in my spine caused by 12 years of gymnastics. 🙁 I developed two disqualifying conditions in my neck and lumbar.

 

[NurWollen]

Too many defects in my spine caused by 12 years of gymnastics. 🙁 I developed two disqualifying conditions in my neck and lumbar.

The ironic thing is that because of your 12 years of gymnastics, you're probably in better shape than almost any of us. Oh well, that's government logic for you.

 

[DrWily]

:cry: My lady friend isn't coming with me either, oh wellz she can be my sugar momma.

Oh well, maybe we can start a support group

I was under the same impression.

It is, but she works in the ambulatory clinic (super chill); she was gunning for this job for a while. I can't just ask her to uproot and transfer to a different department. Plus she has family here that need her, and I'll be back in SoCal after 2 years for clinical rotations.

 

[dntke1518]

Oh well, maybe we can start a support group


It is, but she works in the ambulatory clinic (super chill); she was gunning for this job for a while. I can't just ask her to uproot and transfer to a different department. Plus she has family here that need her, and I'll be back in SoCal after 2 years for clinical rotations.

Right on right on

 

[WaffleDoc]

The ironic thing is that because of your 12 years of gymnastics, you're probably in better shape than almost any of us. Oh well, that's government logic for you.

That's what I tried to tell them. That, and the fact that because tumbling, flipping, and contorting my body aren't part of the job description as an army physician, I think I'd be fine. They just weren't having it.