Army I am a current dental school student who wants out of HPSP

[predentduck]

Does this question come up ever so often? I apologize if this has been answered a million times but I'm not that familiar with this site and just want to know if anyone has heard of anyone getting out of the HPSP once they are in dental school.

I am in my fourth year and have just found that family is too important to me to want to leave (a lot of things have changed since I signed up for the army in 2011). I realize I would have to pay the army back for all of my tuition and probably more, but at this point the money means absolutely nothing to me.

At the time that I signed up for the military my mom was dying and I was really in no place to be making such decisions. I found comfort and a sense of safety in it but those are obvious things that someone would desire when their single parent is dying.

Please, if anyone has any advice I am open to it.

Thanks

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[ramborhino]

Family is too important for anyone to want to leave, but they do it anyway. I figure if those before you weren't leaving their families to deploy, you probably wouldn't be having a nice family life anyway. You signed a contract - give the Army a solid 4 years as a dentist..then get out.

Here is a previous thread on a similar topic:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/getting-out-of-hpsp-service-commitment.1001704/

 

[Bis-GMA111]

Your chances probably aren't that great to be honest.

my take on the situation is: you signed a pretty detailed document with a clear mind without someone forcing you to; you are still going to graduate as a dentist, so i don't know if they can make you serve as a non-dental officer.

unless you have a really limiting medical condition, they prob won't allow you to drop out even if you pay back all of the $$ with interest within an allotted time period. they need dentists.

 

[krmower]

PM USArmyHPSP and he can provide you information about your question. He works in the Army's HPSP office.

 

[USArmyHPSP]

I actually hesitate to post this publically, but here goes:

1. Read Chapter 9 of the policy handbook on MODS

2. The HPSP office has nothing to do with the outcome of your request. They will simply submit it to your Command. Your Command will make a recommendation to the Secretary of the Army. Now, the Secretary may or may not approve the request, however there is a big difference between attending BOLC in your first year and finding the Army is not to your liking and taking $350-$500K in benefits before figuring this out. The Army is not a financial institution for education like Sally Mae, or Freddy. The Army funded your education in order to have a dentist to serve the active population and their beneficiaries.

3. The process will not move very fast. Anything going to the Sec Army is looked at by seven different sets of eyes, three of which are attorneys who all have opinions that can slow the process. Should you graduate before the process is complete, you will be called to active duty and have to start the process from the beginning once you get to your first duty station.

4. This is a thread about a medical student in 2012 – trust me your bill will be much bigger with the same payback conditions not to mention whatever you owe in undergrad being due at the same time: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/archive/index.php/t-959884.html