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The MD/Ph.d program doesn't seem to have as many perks as the regualy MD program does on thier website
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- Thread starter Jet915
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Medicnas- Just curious, Why do you plan to choose HPSP over USUHS? Are you planning on being a lifer in the military or just going in for your education and payback and then moving on to the civilian sector???
BTW, I'm impressed by your research. Thanks for the links!
M
medicnas
Republicandr,
Thanks, and you're welcome.
To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure. I didn't apply to USUHS, so that's out. Remember that with USUHS it's a 7 year committment. The only people, in general, that go there are lifers, or lifer hopefuls.
My main hangup is that I want some flexibility, and that's a rare commodity in the Armed Forces. The most flexible, by far, is the National Guard program (if your state offers it). BUT, and there's always a but, you have to attend a state school. I'm also not sure how they treat out of state applicants.
As far as HPSP goes, I'm still not sure. I can afford to dick around though b/c I'm an AAC (lucky me). So, I will wait until all of my financial aid packets come in during the spring before I choose. If I do it, I wouldn't see myself as a lifer. In fact, I would leave as soon as my obligation is up. Why? Well, even though I want to serve, I don't want to kill my career. I want very much to be a surgeon, and they have a finite professional life with quick burnout. The best technical years of a surgeon are 33-40 IMO and you're giving a chunk of those to the branch of your choosing. And for surgeons the pay disparity becomes almost ridiculous after residency. Now I'm not saying I wouldn't stay in if I was really happy...but geez, it's a lot of money to give up and that decision isn't only my own. I intend on having a bunch of kids to put through college. Also, I'm not really willing to give up anything as far as training goes. As of now I want to do ortho (I have for a while, in fact at my last interview the interviewer said "Geez, you ARE an orthopaedic surgeon" hehe) and the Army has great training for that. However, even though I really want to do ortho now, I may not want to do it later (I'm keeping an open mind)...and I might be screwed out of doing what I really want to do b/c of the Army (or whoever) requirement to do the residency inside the service.
So, basically, I just prattled on about nothing...whined actually, and yes I would like some cheese with it
I'd really like to know how anybody else had dealt with these concerns, or what benefits have the counterbalanced these with that I might not have? You know, I have really thought about just serving later...as a DOD contractor (physician) when I'm retired. I mean, that's a great way to serve your country and it doesn't have any strings attached??
Whiney and useless,
Neil
Thanks, and you're welcome.
To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure. I didn't apply to USUHS, so that's out. Remember that with USUHS it's a 7 year committment. The only people, in general, that go there are lifers, or lifer hopefuls.
My main hangup is that I want some flexibility, and that's a rare commodity in the Armed Forces. The most flexible, by far, is the National Guard program (if your state offers it). BUT, and there's always a but, you have to attend a state school. I'm also not sure how they treat out of state applicants.
As far as HPSP goes, I'm still not sure. I can afford to dick around though b/c I'm an AAC (lucky me). So, I will wait until all of my financial aid packets come in during the spring before I choose. If I do it, I wouldn't see myself as a lifer. In fact, I would leave as soon as my obligation is up. Why? Well, even though I want to serve, I don't want to kill my career. I want very much to be a surgeon, and they have a finite professional life with quick burnout. The best technical years of a surgeon are 33-40 IMO and you're giving a chunk of those to the branch of your choosing. And for surgeons the pay disparity becomes almost ridiculous after residency. Now I'm not saying I wouldn't stay in if I was really happy...but geez, it's a lot of money to give up and that decision isn't only my own. I intend on having a bunch of kids to put through college. Also, I'm not really willing to give up anything as far as training goes. As of now I want to do ortho (I have for a while, in fact at my last interview the interviewer said "Geez, you ARE an orthopaedic surgeon" hehe) and the Army has great training for that. However, even though I really want to do ortho now, I may not want to do it later (I'm keeping an open mind)...and I might be screwed out of doing what I really want to do b/c of the Army (or whoever) requirement to do the residency inside the service.
So, basically, I just prattled on about nothing...whined actually, and yes I would like some cheese with it
I'd really like to know how anybody else had dealt with these concerns, or what benefits have the counterbalanced these with that I might not have? You know, I have really thought about just serving later...as a DOD contractor (physician) when I'm retired. I mean, that's a great way to serve your country and it doesn't have any strings attached??
Whiney and useless,
Neil
