Losing your HPSP scholarship?

[StarboardMD]

Does anyone know what happens if you are currently in med school on HPSP and you develop say knee problems, asthma, depression, or something else that is sort of...frowned upon...in the military? Will they revoke the scholarship and make you pay it back? Or would they make you stay and be a gimp until you've done your time?

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[cyclegirl]

I know that if you get a disqualifying condition they will medically discharge you. Now if you have to pay them back or they just let it slide I have no clue. The medical condition usually has to be pretty serious like insulin dependent diabetes, cancer, loss of limb or loss of function in that limb, anything that prevents you from passing the PRT, stuff like that.

 

[NavyFP]

Does anyone know what happens if you are currently in med school on HPSP and you develop say knee problems, asthma, depression, or something else that is sort of...frowned upon...in the military? Will they revoke the scholarship and make you pay it back? Or would they make you stay and be a gimp until you've done your time?

The question will be - Can you practice medicine?

If yes, gimp.

 

[dpill]

The question will be - Can you practice medicine?

If yes, gimp.

Why do you keep asserting they won't disqualify you? Do you have some personal experience? One of our fourth years got kicked out of Navy HPSP last year because he reported he had been diagnosed with asthma. He wasn't trying to get out of the program. NavyFP, have you had a different experience? As for paying back money, I am not sure. By contract (AF at least), they are entitled to make you pay it back. Whether they will or not, I don't know.

 

[NavyFP]

They changed directors in the past year and the new director is not inclined to let anyone out.

 

[StarboardMD]

So the reason I ask is that I have a friend who's a senior in undergrad on a ROTC scholarship. When he was diagnosed with PTSD last year, the Army wigged and he's still trying to figure out whether they will merely release him from his obligation or if they will make him pay back four years of tuition at $40k/yr. I had another buddy who got kicked out senior year for being overweight and he owes Uncle Sam $160k in tuition. Granted, ROTC and HPSP are totally different programs, but the same mental/physical requirements apply. Would a diagnosis of depression or ADD or a knee problem that prevents me from being able to complete the fitness test be a problem? You'd still be totally functional as a physician, but as far as deployability, etc. I might think the Army would be less than pleased.

 

[colbgw02]

So the reason I ask is that I have a friend who's a senior in undergrad on a ROTC scholarship. When he was diagnosed with PTSD last year, the Army wigged and he's still trying to figure out whether they will merely release him from his obligation or if they will make him pay back four years of tuition at $40k/yr. I had another buddy who got kicked out senior year for being overweight and he owes Uncle Sam $160k in tuition. Granted, ROTC and HPSP are totally different programs, but the same mental/physical requirements apply. Would a diagnosis of depression or ADD or a knee problem that prevents me from being able to complete the fitness test be a problem? You'd still be totally functional as a physician, but as far as deployability, etc. I might think the Army would be less than pleased.

one major difference between ROTC and HPSP (one that shouldn't be overlooked) is that you don't hold a commission until the end of ROTC. while with HPSP, the inaugural event of your scholarship is receiving a commission. i knew lots of people who had ROTC scholarships who had legitimate medical problems (both physical and psychological) who were separated from the military. none of them had to pay back anything because they were "good faith" new onset conditions. i wouldn't go by that though, because signing that oath of office could make all the difference in the world.

 

[cyclegirl]

You need to be deployable otherwise you are no good to the military and you will be medically discharged. At OIS this summer they emphasized that if you do not pass the physical fitness test 3 times you will be discharged and that goes for being overweight or having a medical problem. I think they said you can only get 3 medical waivers for the test in your career but I am not sure if the number is correct but I know it was less than 5. So I guess you should stay in shape and pass the fitness test. If you have a medical condition that is a different story.

 

[psychbender]

A few months after commissioning, I tore my ACL (complete tear). I had surgical reconstruction, rehabbed myself, and I'm back to normal. I informed my recruiter of the injury shortly after it happened, and was informed that I would stay in so long as I was able to pass the PFT requirements when the time came. I don't know if there is anything else I have to do, paperwork-wise; but my surgeon told me that for ROTC folk, he writes a letter stating the nature of the injury, the surgery, and how the rehab progressed (including whether or not he thinks the patient will be able to function to the level required). Hope that helps.

 

[VolatileNavyDoc]

You need to be deployable otherwise you are no good to the military and you will be medically discharged. At OIS this summer they emphasized that if you do not pass the physical fitness test 3 times you will be discharged and that goes for being overweight or having a medical problem. I think they said you can only get 3 medical waivers for the test in your career but I am not sure if the number is correct but I know it was less than 5. So I guess you should stay in shape and pass the fitness test. If you have a medical condition that is a different story.

This is technically true, but realistically doesn't happen. In general, NavyFPs posts contain good gouge pertaining to Navy administrative matters.

You can get almost anything waived as a physician if you want. I have seen a guy who made LCDR who had not passed a PFA in 4 years. This is 8 failures. He was not able to execute his overseas orders, but was not kicked out either. He just got CONUS orders. I have also seen physicians actually deployed who have autoimmune diseases. Not to mention, there are quite few active duty Marines and Sailors with HIV.

As a physician, if you want to get it waived, you probably can. Then again, if you are wanting to get out, you can probably do that too if you have a justified reason.

As far as I know, if they discharge you for a newly diagnosed medical condition, you wouldn't have to pay them back any money. If you lied on your initial paperwork, and had the condition before signing your contract, you could be responsible for the money the govt has forked out.