MDSSP Reserves vs National Guard?

[conrad123]

Looking into both the MDSSP program for the army reserves and the national guard, the reserves appears to be far superior:

1. There is no drilling in the reserves during med school.

2. Who get paid drill pay each month in the reserves---along with the stipend.

3. When fulfilling obligation to reserves you can do only the DIMA--ie three weeks a year and no weekend drills.

4. Nat. Guard ASR program is on hold and not taking new applicants.

I'd rather do Nat Guard, but the reserves appears to be the better, more flexible option---and in the big picture, it all serves the same purpose.

I'm I wrong in any of these assumptions?

Thanks for the help,
Conrad

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[punkiedad]

Looking into both the MDSSP program for the army reserves and the national guard, the reserves appears to be far superior:

1. There is no drilling in the reserves during med school.

2. Who get paid drill pay each month in the reserves---along with the stipend.

3. When fulfilling obligation to reserves you can do only the DIMA--ie three weeks a year and no weekend drills.

4. Nat. Guard ASR program is on hold and not taking new applicants.

I'd rather do Nat Guard, but the reserves appears to be the better, more flexible option---and in the big picture, it all serves the same purpose.

I'm I wrong in any of these assumptions?

Thanks for the help,
Conrad

Not sure about the differences to reserves vs. Guard specifically, but I do know the National Guard just upped their HPLRP (loan repayment program) to 120k for an additional 3 year committment after graduation. If the reserves do not have this, I would strongly look at the Guard......Again, I have no knowledge of anythign from the reserves though.

Also, don't forget about deployments. If you are going to do the reserve / guard thing you must expect to be deployed at some point / or multiple times.

In the Guard deployment for docs (don't know if this is for everyone) is 90 days boots in sand. Noot sure what the reserve compoenet says about deployments.

 

[DeadCactus]

I would be very surprised if the obligations for MDSSP were different between the Guard and Reserve.

I've heard that one of the major differences between the Guard and Reserve is that the Guard does not have any hospitals. This apparently has implications on what you do during the weekends you drill...

 

[bongobingo]

bump. please help me clarify the pros/cons of reserves versus guard. so this is the info i got from this thread, is it correct:
1) mdssp students in the reserves do not have to do 1weekend/month training and they still get stipend+12 monthly weekend drill pays? in the guard you must do at least 1 drill per quarter and if u do only 4 drills per year you get paid only 4drills per year?

2) same question as above with regards to residency?
3) post residency reserves allow you to do this "IMA schedule" where you do continuous 3wks/yr at some hospital instead of 12drills/yr+2wks annual training?

and an additional question from me:
4) What are the differences in "annual training" between guards and reserves? I.e. is it common that a guard unit goes somewhere like germany for its annual training? Are there many different dates for annual training? So if your vacation falls on a certain 2week period then that is when you go on your annual training (and I understand you can be deployed somewhere for a much longer period, but if youre not deployed, then perhaps you choose when to go and where?). How are you assigned your hospital or annual training assignment in the reserves?