Looking at HPSP scholarship opportunities while I already have a full tuition scholarship. I Would love some advice.

[NegativeMargin]

I am a non-trad at 29 years old, still young enough to do HPSP. I've always dreamed of being a physician in the Air Force, this isn't just a money thing. That said, I am in a position where the living stipend would greatly benefit me as my schools COA is incredibly low and my current scholarship is for tuition only and would only account up to that COA anyway.

Since I already enjoy the prospect of being in the AF, and almost joined before even considering medicine years ago, I am wondering if this is something that makes sense. I have reached out to the medicine-specific recruiters, but I have had my fair share of experiences with recruiters and really don't expect to get very many straight answers. My question is, what are the alternatives?

I could join the HPSP for a 3 year program instead of 4, I could join after residency, I could not join at all.. or maybe there are other opportunities I haven't heard of? where they don't give me a tuition scholarship but still give me the living stipend and maybe that allots me a shorter commitment afterwards?

My grandfather was in the Navy and my father was in the Marines and both of them have always steered me away from serving, so you can bet I've heard all the BS that must be put up with.. that said, I keep getting this urge to join much the same way I had the urge to go into medicine. If at the end of this I end up serving for 4 years or so, wouldn't it have been worth it to also have a living stipend and to be connected to the Air Force sooner? I would love some advice.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[LongRoad2potential]

The Navy HSCP program is great financially if you already have a full ride. Active duty E6 enlisted pay, plus BAH and the time gets added on to the back end for retirement years (at 20 you'd get 23 for 3 years of medical school). Plus you can get out and go AF after your payback. Honestly I wish the other branches would copy it.

 

[NegativeMargin]

The Navy HSCP program is great financially if you already have a full ride. Active duty E6 enlisted pay, plus BAH and the time gets added on to the back end for retirement years (at 20 you'd get 23 for 3 years of medical school). Plus you can get out and go AF after your payback. Honestly I wish the other branches would copy it.

Do you know of any programs that would not require me to leave medical school for OCS, or other branches equivalents, and would let me focus on building up research hours and taking usual summer/winter breaks? I have heard the HPSP and MDSSP programs require drilling every year or going to officer training school at the end of my 1st year, and I would much rather just do all that after I graduate.

 

[whodareswins]

Do you know of any programs that would not require me to leave medical school for OCS, or other branches equivalents, and would let me focus on building up research hours and taking usual summer/winter breaks? I have heard the HPSP and MDSSP programs require drilling every year or going to officer training school at the end of my 1st year, and I would much rather just do all that after I graduate.

The only way to accomplish all that will be to wait to join the military after completing residency. Military scholarships like HPSP fund activities for medical students only while they are in school, not after. This is why you are required to do all your military training during your school breaks, or as electives during your MS3/MS4 years. The Air Force (or other branches) won’t be sympathetic to you saying that you wish to defer your military obligations so you can do research.

 

[Konigstiger]

Do you know of any programs that would not require me to leave medical school for OCS, or other branches equivalents, and would let me focus on building up research hours and taking usual summer/winter breaks? I have heard the HPSP and MDSSP programs require drilling every year or going to officer training school at the end of my 1st year, and I would much rather just do all that after I graduate.

Technically you don't have to go to training at the end of first year, it's just highly recommended that you do. I'm pretty sure you could request school orders every year and just do research or take a break instead of going to training. However, that would mean that you would have to do your training sometime during fourth year or after graduation but before reporting to your first duty station, and I think the latter is strongly discouraged since it overcomplicates things and could affect your residency timing.

 

[LongRoad2potential]

Are you even sure you want to go military? Even from doctors it requires service to the nation and sacrificing some of your own comfort and ambition. Might want to rethink your actual motivation if you think you'll be able to run it ala carte...

Do you know of any programs that would not require me to leave medical school for OCS, or other branches equivalents, and would let me focus on building up research hours and taking usual summer/winter breaks? I have heard the HPSP and MDSSP programs require drilling every year or going to officer training school at the end of my 1st year, and I would much rather just do all that after I graduate.

 

[NegativeMargin]

Are you even sure you want to go military? Even from doctors it requires service to the nation and sacrificing some of your own comfort and ambition. Might want to rethink your actual motivation if you think you'll be able to run it ala carte.

You shouldn't be so quick to judge someone you do not know at all. Nah you're right, it's just been a passing fancy for my entire life, looking up to my own family members who serve, asking them every question, and not once thinking critically about it /s.

As is in line with every piece of advice I have gotten from ever veteran and person still serving including family members, unless it is in writing it is not a guarantee, and me doing my due diligence to fully understand what exactly will be required of me, and to look for ways to serve that will best use my skill-set and align with my desires is entirely possible, and not at all at odds with the programs offered or what they are there for. It is especially important now, before the commitment, because once you do commit your life is there's.. I get that and still want to serve.

I think I outlined my intentions quite well, and I've found programs specifically for people like me. I'd be an idiot not to pick the option that is best for me. Half the programs out there for med students don't involve the military match, and every single one I have seen allow people to defer OCS. It is wisdom and foresight that have me in a position to be grappling with this commitment, and it's met with that response? You'd rather someone not look into anything and sign up blindly? I'm going to do everything in my power to make the best decision possible, and anyone doing anything differently, especially if they are blessed enough to have an acceptance and a full scholarship, should think twice.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Lol. Nah you're right, it's just been a passing fancy for my entire life, looking up to my own family members who serve, asking them every question, and not once thinking critically about it /s.

As is in line with every piece of advice I have gotten from ever veteran and person still serving including family members, unless it is in writing it is not a guarantee, and me doing my due diligence to fully understand what exactly will be required of me, and to look for ways to serve that will best use my skill-set and align with my desires is entirely possible, and not at all at odds with the programs offered or what they are there for. It is especially important now, before the commitment, because once you do commit your life is there's.. I get that and still want to serve.

I think I outlined my intentions quite well, and I've found programs specifically for people like me. I'd be an idiot not to pick the option that is best for me. Half the programs out there for med students don't involve the military match, and every single one I have seen allow people to defer OCS. It is wisdom and foresight that have me in a position to be grappling with this commitment, and it's met with that response? You'd rather someone not look into anything and sign up blindly? I'm going to do everything in my power to make the best decision possible, and anyone doing anything differently, especially if they are blessed enough to have an acceptance and a full scholarship, should think twice.

I think it was a fair question--you are asking the question in the context of feeling that you aren't receiving enough financial aid, and even asked about whether you could wind up with a shorter commitment/whether you could defer some of the training that's required as part of the program. You previously posted asking about working during medical school. Clearly the financial implications of attending medical school are weighing very heavily on you. You may have well-thought-out reasons for considering military medicine, but none of us know you personally or could possibly know your background. So there was really no need for you to take such offense, especially when on the outside it appears you are only considering this right now because of financial reasons.

There are plenty of good reasons to pursue military medicine. If it's really what you want to do, then do it. However, if your primary concern is the COA, I would not sign up under duress on relatively short notice. As you have said, you're likely to be told a bunch of things by recruiters that may or may not be true and you're unlikely to have time to independently look into all aspects of the program in the time you have before you have to pay for school.

You cannot be the only person at your prospective school grappling with the low COA. I would reach out to current students to see what they have done to bridge the gaps.