Mdssp/fap/strap

[robberbaronista]

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Hi all,
Have a few questions I am hoping someone can help with- hard time getting recruiter to call back and want other opinions/info anyway.

Things to consider about the following question:
I am currently a 4th year student in the Army MDSSP program. I am entering a 4 yr residency in July. I am supporting my family (4) with one income, which is tough to do on a resident salary. I love the IDEA of the Army, but I have no prior service so my exposure to the ACTUAL Army is quite limited, so I am somewhat naive when trying to make these decisions.

1. If I do no program during residency, is it possible for me to drill during my 4 years of residency and owe 2 more drilling years after I am done? If so, would I be deployable during my residency?

2. Suppose I take STRAP. That brings my total owed from 6 years to 11 years, correct? And that commitment would start AFTER residency, meaning I would be looking at 15 years post graduation....Yikes. Does HPLRP come in to play in this scenario, assuming I enter a CWS?

3. Is it possible to enter FAP after taking MDSSP? I understand that FAP is AD while MDSSP is reserve. If so, how does the commitment/process work? I think I would owe 5 years of AD and then 6 in the reserve (11 total, with 5 being AD), is this right?

4. Are there any other scenarios/options out there that are better than these 3 that I am missing.

Thanks for any info. I do appreciate it.

 

[notdeadyet]

1. If I do no program during residency, is it possible for me to drill during my 4 years of residency and owe 2 more drilling years after I am done? If so, would I be deployable during my residency?

It depends on when you signed and what the policy was at the time. MDSSP used to be a 2:1 payback that began as soon as you stopped taking the incentive (in which case your assumption above would be right). But it switched a while back to the payback beginning AFTER residency. Find out from your folks which obligation payback plan you're susceptible to. Policy is that docs in residency are not deployable. Fellows are deployable on a case by case basis.

2. Suppose I take STRAP. That brings my total owed from 6 years to 11 years, correct? And that commitment would start AFTER residency, meaning I would be looking at 15 years post graduation....Yikes.

If you take STRAP for 4 years after MDSSP for 4 years, you will owe 12 years. MDSSP and STRAP are both 2:1 paybacks but if you take both of them, MDSSP becomes 1:1 (so you'd owe 4 years) and STRAP stays 2:1 (so you'd owe 8 years). Payback begins after you finish residency.

Does HPLRP come in to play in this scenario, assuming I enter a CWS?

You can not take HPLRP while you are in the obligation payback phase. If you take STRAP and MDSSP both, you can delay your payback while you take HPLRP, but while you are on HPLRP, you are not paying back any time.

3. Is it possible to enter FAP after taking MDSSP? I understand that FAP is AD while MDSSP is reserve. If so, how does the commitment/process work? I think I would owe 5 years of AD and then 6 in the reserve (11 total, with 5 being AD), is this right?

My understanding is that FAP is only for folks who do not have obligations to the military (you can't join while you already owe years for HPSP or other programs). Even if they were okay with taking someone who owed years to the Guard or Reserve, you'd have to get approval from your chain of command to release you, which they would be reluctant to do.

 

[robberbaronista]

Thanks for the info NDY. I dont see trying to get a waiver to join FAP.

I only took MDSSP for 3 years during med school. So, next question:

If I take STRAP for the last two years of residency (PGY 3-4), does this reduce my MDSSP to 1:1 (meaning I finish residency with 7 years of obligation)? Or do I have to do all 4 years for that perk (meaning I would finish with 11 years)?

Also, would I be able to take HPLRP for these two years (assuming my specialty is still in the CWS list)?

I do appreciate everyones help, just trying to figure out the most beneficial way to serve.

 

[robberbaronista]

anyone?

 

[notdeadyet]

If I take STRAP for the last two years of residency (PGY 3-4), does this reduce my MDSSP to 1:1 (meaning I finish residency with 7 years of obligation)? Or do I have to do all 4 years for that perk (meaning I would finish with 11 years)?

You need to take STRAP immediately after MDSSP to get the 1:1 deal for MDSSP. It needs to be uninterrupted from med school through residency (MDSSP--> STRAP). Otherwise, everyone would do 4 years of MDSSP then do 1 year of STRAP at the end of residency to reduce an 8 year payback to a 6 year payback.

 

[robberbaronista]

Hello again,

I have another question:

I am most interested in drilling during residency. I know that my ability to do this depends on when I signed my contract (January of 2011), but I have looked at my contract and it does not specifically state when my payback period can begin. The closest I can come is a section detailing dates of program participation, obligation, and 8 year statutory obligation.
It reads:
I am scheduled to complete MDSSP: 20130513
Therefore, if I recieve a stipend for this period, my service obligation will end: 20180513
My statutory obligation blah blah blah will end: 20190112

Does this seem to say that I will be expected to participate in the reserves from 05/2013 to 05/2018? If so, that means I get to drill and serve time during residency?

Any input would help with this mess. I have been in touch with several people at AMEDD/STRAP management, and I cant seem to find anyone who knows anything about anything. If you dont have an answer to the above questions, can anyone suggest a contact point for me to pursue my questions?

Thank you all again

 

[robberbaronista]

anyone?

 

[notdeadyet]

I am most interested in drilling during residency. I know that my ability to do this depends on when I signed my contract (January of 2011), but I have looked at my contract and it does not specifically state when my payback period can begin. The closest I can come is a section detailing dates of program participation, obligation, and 8 year statutory obligation.
It reads:
I am scheduled to complete MDSSP: 20130513
Therefore, if I recieve a stipend for this period, my service obligation will end: 20180513
My statutory obligation blah blah blah will end: 20190112

Does this seem to say that I will be expected to participate in the reserves from 05/2013 to 05/2018? If so, that means I get to drill and serve time during residency?

Tough to say. Your "service obligation" is your payback period in this case. But for folks under the new MDSSP payback guidelines, your payback begins post-residency. This indicates your payback ends 5 years from med school graduation, which either indicates that you're under the old MDSSP payback guidelines or it could be that you're under the new payback guidelines and your service obligation will be postponed and not start until after you finish residency.

Any input would help with this mess. I have been in touch with several people at AMEDD/STRAP management, and I cant seem to find anyone who knows anything about anything. If you dont have an answer to the above questions, can anyone suggest a contact point for me to pursue my questions?

Have you contacted the AMEDD Officer recruiter? They should have the latest info on what the new contract looks like and if yours is it.

 

[robberbaronista]

I havent gone the recruiter route yet. We dont have one here in town, and the last one I talked to was not exactly full of real information, or information that turned out to be true. I guess that is really one of my only choices.
Thanks for the info, and I do appreciate your help

 

[notdeadyet]

I havent gone the recruiter route yet. We dont have one here in town, and the last one I talked to was not exactly full of real information, or information that turned out to be true.

It has to be an AMEDD Officer Recruiter. Who recruited you when you joined?

 

[robberbaronista]

It has to be an AMEDD Officer Recruiter. Who recruited you when you joined?

Believe it was some third party group who did most of the work other than the contract. Cant remember their name. How can I go about finding an AMEDD office recruiter?

 

[notdeadyet]

Call 800-go-Guard and ask for your states AMEDD OFficer Recruiter.