LMU-DCOM Discussion thread 2008-2009

[Limvostov]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I am thinking of doing HPSP, but I would also like to know how people pay back their loans without doing a military program.

From what I can tell once I get done I will have about $240,000 with undergrad and interest figured in once I graduate and start residency. On top of that I will need to start paying it back on a resident's salary. If I only make 35-45k as a resident that will be about $3k/month after taxes (most likely less) and the repayment for $240k @ 6.8% interest over a 10yr period is $2700/month. I am not sure that I can swing this much debt with all of my other living expenses.

Is anyone at LMU on here doing the HPSP or other military service to pay for medical school? My wife and I are really looking into this as a possibility.

 

[malisa]

A ton of people in my class are doing HPSP. All of the ones I know personally are doing the navy one. I almost signed up for it myself. The recruiter for our school is pritty amazing I can get you his contact info if you would like it. I think when you talk to the recruiter he will give you people that you can contact that are currently in school. I don't want to give out their information because I'm not sure if they would want me to. But it seems like a great deal if you are interested in the military. You just have to be prepared to move around and not have complete control over your life for at least 4 years. Anyways just let me know if you want his contact info I will look it up. When I was emailing him he responded very quickly.

So I am taking out the full extent of the loans at the moment so I will have a ton of debt. I plan on living frugally for quite a while and hopefully going into a specialty that will allow me to pay off the debt. And I will probably look into some places that offer to repay some of your school debt. I really don't know how I will pay it all off at the moment but obviously people do it. I'm trying to worry about making good grades and learning a lot instead of how to pay this off. It will all work out.

 

[Limvostov]

If you have the recruiter information that would be great. From what I understand right now it works kind of like this:

*6 weeks basic training and 6 weeks training each year of medical school

*$20k signing bonus

*Tuition + supplies + stipend (1900/mo) during 4 years of med school

*During military residency you get captain's pay + housing stipend + benefits + 30 days vacation with no extra years to pay back if residency is 5 or less years

*If you do a civilian residency then you get civilian pay and meet up with the military for your 4 active years once finished with residency and fellowship(s)

*Once finished with residency you start active duty and will be stationed in the US or overseas (from what is said on the website it looks like most docs are stationed in the US unless they request otherwise) You receive Captain's pay plus bonuses, vacation, housing stipend, food allowance, and extra if you have dependents.

*During those 4 years as active you can be sent overseas for a 3 month period each year on an "unaccompanied" duty status. Which means the spouse and kids stay home.

*Once the 4 years are up and there is no military crisis you can be honorably discharged to work as you please.


All of this sounds good to me and the numbers make good sense too. There must be a catch somewhere though because this sounds too good to be true. I wonder about restrictions or limited numbers of residency seats and about how often I would have to be away from my wife and future children. If you know a good and honest recruiter I would love to get in contact with them.

 

[cassrae]

I am thinking of doing HPSP, but I would also like to know how people pay back their loans without doing a military program.

From what I can tell once I get done I will have about $240,000 with undergrad and interest figured in once I graduate and start residency. On top of that I will need to start paying it back on a resident's salary. If I only make 35-45k as a resident that will be about $3k/month after taxes (most likely less) and the repayment for $240k @ 6.8% interest over a 10yr period is $2700/month. I am not sure that I can swing this much debt with all of my other living expenses.

Is anyone at LMU on here doing the HPSP or other military service to pay for medical school? My wife and I are really looking into this as a possibility.

From what I've heard, you can typically defer loans through residency- because it's just not practical to pay them back on a resident's salary. If the economy's still not doing so well after we graduate, it might be different.. but right now I'm still banking on being able to defer them through residency 🙂

 

[soccerchicoc]

I have the army HPSP if you have any questions feel free to pm me and ask

I am thinking of doing HPSP, but I would also like to know how people pay back their loans without doing a military program.

From what I can tell once I get done I will have about $240,000 with undergrad and interest figured in once I graduate and start residency. On top of that I will need to start paying it back on a resident's salary. If I only make 35-45k as a resident that will be about $3k/month after taxes (most likely less) and the repayment for $240k @ 6.8% interest over a 10yr period is $2700/month. I am not sure that I can swing this much debt with all of my other living expenses.

Is anyone at LMU on here doing the HPSP or other military service to pay for medical school? My wife and I are really looking into this as a possibility.

 

[catchburns]

Got my call from Dr. Stowers yesterday evening. Feels so good to finally get in! Good luck to everyone else I interviewed with!

Congrats! Feels nice huh! You gonna accept? If so I'll be there with you.

 

[forks4spoons]

Hey Class of 2013!

I just started a new thread in the Osteo Class forums for us, too. 🙂 Just so ya know...

 

[shasta9599]

Hey Class of 2013!

I just started a new thread in the Osteo Class forums for us, too. 🙂 Just so ya know...

Someone can also start a Class of 2013 group on Facebook, lots of us from LMU DCOM are on there as well. There are groups for each class.

 

[MossPoh]

So, I decided on going up to interview there. I am heading up on December 15th. I will already have a deposit in somewhere, so we'll see how much DCOM wows me. 😉 It is also a cheap excuse to visit a great guitar store in knoxville, and drive the few hours to my sister's place in indiana and visit for a few days.

 

[missdochopeful]

So, I decided on going up to interview there. I am heading up on December 15th. I will already have a deposit in somewhere, so we'll see how much DCOM wows me. 😉 It is also a cheap excuse to visit a great guitar store in knoxville, and drive the few hours to my sister's place in indiana and visit for a few days.

I hate to tell you this, but you might be forfeiting that other deposit 😛 DCOM is pretty great! 👍

 

[forks4spoons]

Someone can also start a Class of 2013 group on Facebook, lots of us from LMU DCOM are on there as well. There are groups for each class.

LMU-DCOM C/O 2013 Facebook Group has been created!

 

[Powdermonkey]

If you have the recruiter information that would be great. From what I understand right now it works kind of like this:

........

All of this sounds good to me and the numbers make good sense too. There must be a catch somewhere though because this sounds too good to be true. I wonder about restrictions or limited numbers of residency seats and about how often I would have to be away from my wife and future children. If you know a good and honest recruiter I would love to get in contact with them.

Yes, this all does sound great... But you have no control over where you go, how long you are there, or if you even get to go straight into residency, or the residency you want. I've looked into it extensively, and was on the fence, leaning over the HPSP side but never quite made the jump. There were just too many unknowns for me to be able to justify it. If you are doing if for the money,..... DONT. You'll be miserable. If you are doing it to be in the armed forces, serve your country and all that, then by all means, go for it. The loans are scary as ****... trust me. But every year doctors are graduating and not going bankrupt. So its very doable. The HPSP program makes med school a little more comfortable, but then you get cut on practice money. I dunno... for me it just wasnt lucrative enough. you can PM me if you wanna talk about it anymore.

So, I decided on going up to interview there. I am heading up on December 15th. I will already have a deposit in somewhere, so we'll see how much DCOM wows me. 😉 It is also a cheap excuse to visit a great guitar store in knoxville, and drive the few hours to my sister's place in indiana and visit for a few days.

If you're not wowed by DCOM, something is wrong with your eyes. And your brain. This place is amazing, the technology, the administration and all the ancillary staff, the region, its all unbelievable. Good luck on the interview 😉, its a piece of cake, not a lot of stress, and very interesting.

I hate to tell you this, but you might be forfeiting that other deposit 😛 DCOM is pretty great! 👍

What she said

 

[MossPoh]

I'm sure there is no bias coming from you guys. 😉 I have to say, I'm not too worried about the interview. With a few acceptances in the bag and waitlisted at my top choice, it is more of an opportunity to visit other places. I've never become absolutely infatuated with anywhere my entire life, so if it happens then I could deal with forfeiting the cash. 😉

 

[FDOA]

I interviewed on 11/3 and I'm already freaking out. I can't help it. I fell in love with the school and I want to be accepted sooooo badly. See the nervousness? ---->

 

[nascardoc]

From what I've heard, you can typically defer loans through residency- because it's just not practical to pay them back on a resident's salary. If the economy's still not doing so well after we graduate, it might be different.. but right now I'm still banking on being able to defer them through residency 🙂

From what I understand, we can no longer defer loan payments during residency. There was a measure in the congress this year to continue the hardship deferment, and I believe it did not pass. So it might look like we will have to start paying back loans then. I'm sure there is some way around the issue, but who knows. I hope I my memory serves me wrong though b/c I can't imagine having to make those payments during residency. We will basically be working to pay off school.

 

[soccerchicoc]

I interviewed on 11/3 and I'm already freaking out. I can't help it. I fell in love with the school and I want to be accepted sooooo badly. See the nervousness? ---->

me too i feel in love last year and got waitlisted now this year its my 1st choice and I want in so badly and have't heard anything yet... is the letter snail mail or will they tell you by email if they havent called yet

 

[cassrae]

From what I understand, we can no longer defer loan payments during residency. There was a measure in the congress this year to continue the hardship deferment, and I believe it did not pass. So it might look like we will have to start paying back loans then. I'm sure there is some way around the issue, but who knows. I hope I my memory serves me wrong though b/c I can't imagine having to make those payments during residency. We will basically be working to pay off school.

Ooh well there is a new president coming along.. maybe he will fix that! 😀

But I have a few more years before I have to worry about that anyways, so I'm just hoping it will change if that's the case!

 

[FDOA]

me too i feel in love last year and got waitlisted now this year its my 1st choice and I want in so badly and have't heard anything yet... is the letter snail mail or will they tell you by email if they havent called yet

I think it is snailmail , but I'm not 100% positive on that. I guess if nothing else I'll get some extra experience if I don't get in this year. We'll see <crosses my fingers> 😛

 

[aliDO]

I think it is snailmail , but I'm not 100% positive on that. I guess if nothing else I'll get some extra experience if I don't get in this year. We'll see <crosses my fingers> 😛

It'll be by snail mail. I didn't get my call from the dean until after I received my letter, but that was true for everybody interviewing in the first few days. Keep your heads up, being waitlisted this early gives you a great chance! Deposits will be due in a little over a month and they'll be looking at the waitlist, if not before then.

 

[FDOA]

It'll be by snail mail. I didn't get my call from the dean until after I received my letter, but that was true for everybody interviewing in the first few days. Keep your heads up, being waitlisted this early gives you a great chance! Deposits will be due in a little over a month and they'll be looking at the waitlist, if not before then.

Glad to hear that! 🙂

 

[MossPoh]

From what I understand, we can no longer defer loan payments during residency. There was a measure in the congress this year to continue the hardship deferment, and I believe it did not pass. So it might look like we will have to start paying back loans then. I'm sure there is some way around the issue, but who knows. I hope I my memory serves me wrong though b/c I can't imagine having to make those payments during residency. We will basically be working to pay off school.

You currently have to pay something fairly low per month...300 or so I think. Some financial aid people said there IS still a way to file for economic hardship stuff, but I'm not clear on the details. I think it is just one of those situations where, if there is no reasonable way you can pay then you can weasel out of it. Once again, not too clear.

 

[missdochopeful]

I'm sure there is no bias coming from you guys. 😉

Ok, perhaps, though I had no such allegiance last year at this time and I still thought it was the best!

Good luck to those waiting to hear back about interviews! I know the wait can be a killer

 

[JasonI]

Ooh well there is a new president coming along.. maybe he will fix that! 😀

His party has been the majority in congress for the past few years. But I hope you're right. It'd take selling a lot of cups of coffee to start making those payments. 😱

 

[MuddyDogs]

If you have the recruiter information that would be great. From what I understand right now it works kind of like this:

*6 weeks basic training and 6 weeks training each year of medical school

*$20k signing bonus

*Tuition + supplies + stipend (1900/mo) during 4 years of med school

*During military residency you get captain's pay + housing stipend + benefits + 30 days vacation with no extra years to pay back if residency is 5 or less years

*If you do a civilian residency then you get civilian pay and meet up with the military for your 4 active years once finished with residency and fellowship(s)

*Once finished with residency you start active duty and will be stationed in the US or overseas (from what is said on the website it looks like most docs are stationed in the US unless they request otherwise) You receive Captain's pay plus bonuses, vacation, housing stipend, food allowance, and extra if you have dependents.

*During those 4 years as active you can be sent overseas for a 3 month period each year on an "unaccompanied" duty status. Which means the spouse and kids stay home.

*Once the 4 years are up and there is no military crisis you can be honorably discharged to work as you please.


All of this sounds good to me and the numbers make good sense too. There must be a catch somewhere though because this sounds too good to be true. I wonder about restrictions or limited numbers of residency seats and about how often I would have to be away from my wife and future children. If you know a good and honest recruiter I would love to get in contact with them.

If you're thinking about doing the HPSP another medical student wrote about his experience with it, and posted it on the net.

http://lukeballard.tripod.com/HPSP.html

His description of the whole process skips the recruiter's vagueness on some aspects. I know his account helped me solidify my choice in accepting the scholarship. Hope it will help you too! 😀

 

[JasonI]

There must be a catch somewhere though because this sounds too good to be true.

The catch is all those guarantees go out the window if they decide the needs of the military dictate that you are needed in Trashcanistan for the next 6 months.

 

[MossPoh]

The catch is all those guarantees go out the window if they decide the needs of the military dictate that you are needed in Trashcanistan for the next 6 months.

There are a few other catches including possibility of being stuck GMO and what not. They have ways of nickle and diming you for time, although it isn't nearly as bad as USUHS.

I do think the scholarship is great if you're into primary care stuff. If you want a more competitive specialty then you're going to be doing it for the love of your country because it really is costing you financially in the long run.

 

[Limvostov]

If you're thinking about doing the HPSP another medical student wrote about his experience with it, and posted it on the net.

http://lukeballard.tripod.com/HPSP.html

His description of the whole process skips the recruiter's vagueness on some aspects. I know his account helped me solidify my choice in accepting the scholarship. Hope it will help you too! 😀

Thanks for the help here. I have read that page before and it is one of the reason I am really thinking of doing this. I still have some concerns though so I posted in the Military Medicine forum and I hope that someone doing their residency will fill me in on the specifics.

 

[Limvostov]

There are a few other catches including possibility of being stuck GMO and what not. They have ways of nickle and diming you for time, although it isn't nearly as bad as USUHS.

I do think the scholarship is great if you're into primary care stuff. If you want a more competitive specialty then you're going to be doing it for the love of your country because it really is costing you financially in the long run.

How does it hurt financially if you decide on a more competitive specialty? This would allow me to easily afford to have children during school (priceless) and it would take care of all of the stress of the loans and the fact that the govt. may only allow deferment for 4 years of my 5+ year residency if I get into/want to go into something more competitive. I am not too concerned about how much money I make. I want to have a family during school and get into a dicipline that I will love the rest of my life. The money will come with time and I am less concerned with that.

I have looked extensively at the loan equations and it looks like once I finish without the military I would owe about 4k a month for 10 years. With the military I'm out and debt free after 4 years. For a person with the desire to see the world a little, have children during school, and serve the country I think this is a great experience at little to no cost from a financial standpoint.

My biggest concerns right now are how long the unaccompanied tours are and if the military will force me into a specialty that I don't want to do or force to me into extra years of active service by making me do an internship year and/or by adding years to their residency that are not part of the regular civilian residency programs (like making ortho 6 years instead of 5, which would be a nasty trick that would cost my two years of my civilian career). It's too far in the future to see if I will want to make a career out of the military so I want to know that I can leave after 4-5 years if I decide that is what's best for my family at that point.

 

[malisa]

The reason it isn't as good if you want to go into a competitive speciality is because you could make more money (and pay off your debt) than the people that are in the military in the same speciality. If you read on the military forum a lot of people state that.

And I think the longest you would be away from your family is 6 months at a time but it could happen more than once during your 4 year payback (4 year payback and a 4 year residency) and hopefully no GMO tour which I think you could end up being seperated longer. Main reason I didn't go with the scholarship is because I don't like leaving things up to chance and not having control over where I end up.

 

[Premed Worrier]

So....back to DCOM... the osteopathic physician wrote me today in reference to my upcoming interview and informed me that he went to a talk there last year and the facilities were 'absolutely phenomenal'...can't wait to see it for myself...not that I would really know what constituted 'absolutely phenomenal' anyways...but still sounds good!!!

 

[Limvostov]

And I think the longest you would be away from your family is 6 months at a time but it could happen more than once during your 4 year payback (4 year payback and a 4 year residency) and hopefully no GMO tour which I think you could end up being seperated longer. Main reason I didn't go with the scholarship is because I don't like leaving things up to chance and not having control over where I end up.

The GMO tour would not be fun as it would lengthen my obligation to the military, but I still don't understand how doing the military really puts a person behind financially speaking. I plan to talk to the chief hospitalist this week here at home. I guess he did the military route and would like to talk to me about it. I think this will clear things up for me completely. Meeting someone I trust who has done this will make or break this option.

 

[missdochopeful]

The GMO tour would not be fun as it would lengthen my obligation to the military, but I still don't understand how doing the military really puts a person behind financially speaking. I plan to talk to the chief hospitalist this week here at home. I guess he did the military route and would like to talk to me about it. I think this will clear things up for me completely. Meeting someone I trust who has done this will make or break this option.

Definitely don't take the military route if it would just be for the money - it won't be worth it. I also entertained the idea for a short time, but family is my #1 priority and I didn't want to be away from my husband for months at a time and I'd have to forget about the prospect of having kids in the next 10 years! It might be different for men in medical school, but I also know I would not like it if my husband was deployed and I was on my own to run a household and care for the kids 24/7. I'd rather pay back loans! Just my thoughts...

 

[missdochopeful]

So....back to DCOM... the osteopathic physician wrote me today in reference to my upcoming interview and informed me that he went to a talk there last year and the facilities were 'absolutely phenomenal'...can't wait to see it for myself...not that I would really know what constituted 'absolutely phenomenal' anyways...but still sounds good!!!

When I first read your screen name I thought it was "Premed Warrior" Judging by your stats, warrior is more fitting! As for DCOM, you soon will see 😉

 

[malisa]

The GMO tour would not be fun as it would lengthen my obligation to the military, but I still don't understand how doing the military really puts a person behind financially speaking. I plan to talk to the chief hospitalist this week here at home. I guess he did the military route and would like to talk to me about it. I think this will clear things up for me completely. Meeting someone I trust who has done this will make or break this option.

You could be financially behind if you want to go into a very well paid competitive speciality. Someone who just takes out the loans and does the civilian residency and enters the civilian job market will be making civilian pay for that extremely well paid speciality and pay back their debt quickly and be making tons of money. Now if you are in the military for your residency and then serving back your 4 years you won't be making nearly as much as the civilian with the same job specialty. I think that is about the only way military would put you behind. And who knows maybe that is wrong but it sounds right if you crunch the numbers for what some specialties could make and what you know a military doc will make no matter what. But this is of course not supposed to be about the money. Everyone doesn't say don't join the military just for the money for no reason I'm sure they know what they are talking about.

You can find a way to pay off your debt. Hundreds or maybe thousands of docs are doing it.

 

[MossPoh]

You can look up the pay grades for the military stuff as well as talk to people in the military forums. There isn't a variety of ways to make more money in military medicine. Whereas you may make 120,000 in military medicine (not too shabby), a speciality that historically makes more money could make around 300k in private practice. You are pretty locked into whatever you rank with a few bonuses. Generally, promotions happen a lot faster by playing the administrative game over just being a solid doctor. You do get some sweet insurance and other nice benefits with military. They do make their money back with you though. There is nothing wrong with wanting to do it, but make it a decision based on your heart and not the wallet.

Anyway, is the pizza thing pretty popular? I'm probably going to drive up Sunday, December 14 and will be very happy for a beer and food.

 

[JasonI]

Anyway, is the pizza thing pretty popular? I'm probably going to drive up Sunday, December 14 and will be very happy for a beer and food.

Yes, pizza and beer is very popular.

 

[docman85]

So I interviewed last week, and after interviewing somewhere else this week I am almost sure I want to attend LMU.

I was curious if anyone had ever written a letter of intent or if anyone felt like it would be effective (my MCAT was really bad)

 

[Limvostov]

The letter of intent is a good idea. It does, from what I understand, carry more weight when you have an acceptance somewhere else. There is a lot of old posts on this forum and if you search google they will come right up. Gives a great format for doing one.

 

[Limvostov]

Anyway, is the pizza thing pretty popular? I'm probably going to drive up Sunday, December 14 and will be very happy for a beer and food.

I too had the pizza and beer... however, my lovely wife, God bless her and her heart saving intentions, requested that we order a Hawaiian style so that it would be less greasy. Go full grease!!! Get one with the good meat 😀 You will be much more satisfied.

 

[chiogirl]

I don't post much on SDN, but I do read it a lot! I just recieved a call and I have an interview on Dec. 8! I am really excited because its my first choice! I just have to share the good news! (Can't you tell I am excited, look at all the exclamation points haha)

 

[missdochopeful]

I don't post much on SDN, but I do read it a lot! I just recieved a call and I have an interview on Dec. 8! I am really excited because its my first choice! I just have to share the good news! (Can't you tell I am excited, look at all the exclamation points haha)

Yay! Congratulations! Good luck at your interview 😀

 

[docman85]

So after beeing cut down at GA PCOM because of my MCAT, I got to thinking, they did not even bring up the MCAT at my interview at LMU, does that mean it will be fine?!?!?

After having a bad interview yesterday, I can't help but look back on my interview last week and have doubts now (on what I thought was a good interview). Geez I hope I get lucky and don't have to take that blankidy blank MCAT again.... Plus I finally got my fiance convince to move with me if I get into LMU-DCOM (shes a nurse in NP school at Vandy)....

 

[shasta9599]

I don't post much on SDN, but I do read it a lot! I just recieved a call and I have an interview on Dec. 8! I am really excited because its my first choice! I just have to share the good news! (Can't you tell I am excited, look at all the exclamation points haha)

I'll be seeing you that day, I'm one of your tour guides!
Congrats!!!

 

[MossPoh]

I too had the pizza and beer... however, my lovely wife, God bless her and her heart saving intentions, requested that we order a Hawaiian style so that it would be less greasy. Go full grease!!! Get one with the good meat 😀 You will be much more satisfied.

I don't like my pizza unless it has so much crap on it that it is a bicep workout to eat.

 

[JagerDO]

Anyone interviewing this mon. nov. 17? I'll be there and am excited!

 

[MuddyDogs]

So after beeing cut down at GA PCOM because of my MCAT, I got to thinking, they did not even bring up the MCAT at my interview at LMU, does that mean it will be fine?!?!?

After having a bad interview yesterday, I can't help but look back on my interview last week and have doubts now (on what I thought was a good interview). Geez I hope I get lucky and don't have to take that blankidy blank MCAT again.... Plus I finally got my fiance convince to move with me if I get into LMU-DCOM (shes a nurse in NP school at Vandy)....

I wouldn't sweat it too much. I thought I bombed my interview at DCOM and my MCAT isn't what I would call spectacular. I got my call from Dr. Stowers last Friday, which completely surprised me. So, getting all worked up over an interview that's already over isn't gonna help. I would wait out the two weeks and go form there!👍

 

[Limvostov]

I don't like my pizza unless it has so much crap on it that it is a bicep workout to eat.

If by crap you mean mushrooms, olives, onions, and every non seafood meat available ... then you mean really awesome pizza 😎

 

[MossPoh]

If by crap you mean mushrooms, olives, onions, and every non seafood meat available ... then you mean really awesome pizza 😎

Of course. I'm hesitant of seafood anywhere more than 100 miles from the ocean.

 

[JasonI]

Of course. I'm hesitant of seafood anywhere more than 100 miles from the ocean.

Yeah, I have a rule.

 

[Premed Worrier]

Anyone interviewing this mon. nov. 17? I'll be there and am excited!

I'll be there and am excited as well. When I called to get my reservation at the motel they were booked. I ended up at some place downtown, hopefully not 'downtown' though. I'll see you there