Navy HSCP + Residency Question

[TheEphus]

Hey guys, I have a question about the Navy HSCP program for pharmacy with regard to residencies. Hopefully there's one of you with some idea of the military structure with this program!

I applied and was recently accepted for the HSCP program starting next fall, my P3 year. I was wondering what my chances are of either entering a residency upon graduation, or at least being placed in a setting where I can get a start on the clinical side of things.
The Navy looks to be a great opportunity, but I want to make sure I'm setting myself up with the skills needed for a career on the clinical side, rather than just in dispensing. If I choose to accept the program's terms, my commitment will be 3-7 years post-graduation, and if I don't end up in a clinical setting then I'm afraid I will have missed a big opportunity. (It would be tough to go back and try to do a clinical residency that far from graduation).
Ultimately, a long career as a clinical pharmacist in the Navy sounds awesome!

Would I have any say in this upon being commissioned? Are HSCP pharmacists eligible to do a PGY-1 type residency, or do they immediately send you wherever there's need for a pharmacist (be it "community", clinical, or otherwise)?

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[RutgersEMSOP10]

In the Navy, a Residency is DUINS (Duty Under Instruction) in which you receive your full pay during the time in residency. You will not be able to delay your commission upon graduation to do a non-DUINS civilian residency. You will also not be eligible for DUINS with HSCP time owed. The Navy Residency is more of a retention incentive. HSCP is your commission incentive.

The odds of clinical work at your first duty station depend on the situation. Realistically, it will take anywhere from 6 months (if you're rockstar hardcharger) to a year and a half to be fully acclimated and indoctrinated into the Navy and MTF (military treatment facility) life. You will be learning CHCS, AHLTA, ScriptPro or P2000 or Innovations or whatever else, and Essentris (kill me now). You will be learning how to write a FITREP and (if a Division Officer) EVALS for your enlisted sailors, how to route chits, memos, counselings, and follow the chain of command.

At my MTF we have 5 first tour LTs. Outpatient DivO, Inpatient DivO, Refill center DivO, Branch Health Clinic Coordinator, fill in (newest guy) and a Clinical Medical Homeport Pharmacist. The last works in the Coumadin and Polypharmacy clinics (ambulatory care). She helped stand the clinics up and her position will be taken over by civilians. It is not an active duty billet. And odds of you staying IN the Navy after a tour like that are low - you will be left in the dust by your DivO counterparts on leadership and general military knowledge and your FITREPs will likely reflect that.

I am the Inpatient DivO. Without any inpatient clinical pharmacists, my job has the potential to be fairly clinical. Depends on what you do with it. I am working closely with my Clinical Coordinator to get a lot of things up and running. My civilian staff pharmacist and myself do PK monitoring and dosing, MedRec, IV to PO switches, renal dosing (all via MD calls) but are working on getting protocols in place for pharmacist initiated actions.

If you want to be a "clinical pharmacist: in the traditional sense, the military is probably not going to afford you that opportunity. The civilians usually fill those roles - if you deploy the MTF needs to maintain their pharmacy services and a clinical pharmacist is not as easily replaced short term as an administrative one or a staff pharmacist (hint: the other LTs work more).

But I love the Navy. I've gotten to do a lot more than my civilian counterparts. I got underway on the USNS COMFORT 2 years ago for a 6 month humanitarian aid tour to 9 countries. Just 2 years out of pharmacy school I took over an inpatient pharmacy division. My Department Head trusts me to pretty much run it how I see fit. How many 2 year grads can say that?

 

[RutgersEMSOP10]

In the Navy, a Residency is DUINS (Duty Under Instruction) in which you receive your full pay during the time in residency. You will not be able to delay your commission upon graduation to do a non-DUINS civilian residency. You will also not be eligible for DUINS with HSCP time owed. The Navy Residency is more of a retention incentive. HSCP is your commission incentive.

The odds of clinical work at your first duty station depend on the situation. Realistically, it will take anywhere from 6 months (if you're rockstar hardcharger) to a year and a half to be fully acclimated and indoctrinated into the Navy and MTF (military treatment facility) life. You will be learning CHCS, AHLTA, ScriptPro or P2000 or Innovations or whatever else, and Essentris (kill me now). You will be learning how to write a FITREP and (if a Division Officer) EVALS for your enlisted sailors, how to route chits, memos, counselings, and follow the chain of command.

At my MTF we have 5 first tour LTs. Outpatient DivO, Inpatient DivO, Refill center DivO, Branch Health Clinic Coordinator, fill in (newest guy) and a Clinical Medical Homeport Pharmacist. The last works in the Coumadin and Polypharmacy clinics (ambulatory care). She helped stand the clinics up and her position will be taken over by civilians. It is not an active duty billet. And odds of you staying IN the Navy after a tour like that are low - you will be left in the dust by your DivO counterparts on leadership and general military knowledge and your FITREPs will likely reflect that.

I am the Inpatient DivO. Without any inpatient clinical pharmacists, my job has the potential to be fairly clinical. Depends on what you do with it. I am working closely with my Clinical Coordinator to get a lot of things up and running. My civilian staff pharmacist and myself do PK monitoring and dosing, MedRec, IV to PO switches, renal dosing (all via MD calls) but are working on getting protocols in place for pharmacist initiated actions.

If you want to be a "clinical pharmacist: in the traditional sense, the military is probably not going to afford you that opportunity. The civilians usually fill those roles - if you deploy the MTF needs to maintain their pharmacy services and a clinical pharmacist is not as easily replaced short term as an administrative one or a staff pharmacist (hint: the other LTs work more).

But I love the Navy. I've gotten to do a lot more than my civilian counterparts. I got underway on the USNS COMFORT 2 years ago for a 6 month humanitarian aid tour to 9 countries. Just 2 years out of pharmacy school I took over an inpatient pharmacy division. My Department Head trusts me to pretty much run it how I see fit. How many 2 year grads can say that?

 

[TheEphus]

Thanks for the quick and informative reply!

It's coming down to a choice between a huge burden lifted with loan repayment, good retirement/benefits, and a very unique opportunity with the Navy, or essentially having the guarantee of doing what I'm passionate about in pharmacy for the duration of my career. Not an easy choice!

 

[ucrx]

The above poster said pretty much what I would have. You get a ton of opportunities with Navy pharmacy that you wouldn't otherwise, but they may not include clinical. Even if you do a residency your job will almost never be 100% clinical (or even close). If you want to do residency, work your ass off and impress the right people and you have a decent chance of getting it at the end of your commitment. But if doing clinical is where your heart is, Navy may not be for you. Of course, most clinical jobs aren't what students think they are.

 

[flip05]

Hey guys, can someone shed me some light as far as getting a scholarship from the navy

 

[TheEphus]

The above poster said pretty much what I would have. You get a ton of opportunities with Navy pharmacy that you wouldn't otherwise, but they may not include clinical. Even if you do a residency your job will almost never be 100% clinical (or even close). If you want to do residency, work your ass off and impress the right people and you have a decent chance of getting it at the end of your commitment. But if doing clinical is where your heart is, Navy may not be for you. Of course, most clinical jobs aren't what students think they are.

Thank you for your input as well... I have a lot to consider, obviously. I kind of get the vibe that a lot of the military pharmacy jobs kind of morph into managing a pharmacy/hospital over time. Is that the overall trend? I'm a little leery of the idea, considering I obviously chose pharmacy, and not healthcare management.

 

[TheEphus]

Hey guys, can someone shed me some light as far as getting a scholarship from the navy

Get in touch with a healthcare recruiter in your area near the end of your P1 year. Try to speak to someone who specifically recruits medical officers, if possible; my recruiter was an officer who was a healthcare management major in college. It helped that she knew her stuff, and where I was coming from.

They will walk you through the process. It involves a lot of paperwork, signatures, extensive background check, a physical like any other recruit. You'll need letters of recommendation and a personal statement I believe.

Should you be accepted, they're currently offering E-6 enlistment while in P3 and P4 years (I've heard rumors you can apply for this for only your P4 year as well). You get paid a salary like any other enlisted sailor. Your commitment is a minimum of 3 years after graduation. Should you choose to accept their loan repayment program (two $40,000 payments) then you would be required to serve an additional 2 years per lump sum. Maximum benefit from the program puts you at a minimum 7 year commitment in that case.
There are only a few spots nationwide per year from what I hear... 5-15? No idea of an exact number -- it changes from year to year based on budget and needs. The application is somewhat first-come, first-served. That is, if you have a desirable application package at their first board meeting, you have a higher chance of being approved.

The stage that I'm at is decided whether or not I want to accept the offer. I should receive a call/email/letter sometime in May (end of my P2 year) with the fine print and details. At that point I make a decision.

As for the benefits for pharmacists currently in the Navy, you would have to ask someone else.

 

[flip05]

Get in touch with a healthcare recruiter in your area near the end of your P1 year. Try to speak to someone who specifically recruits medical officers, if possible; my recruiter was an officer who was a healthcare management major in college. It helped that she knew her stuff, and where I was coming from.

They will walk you through the process. It involves a lot of paperwork, signatures, extensive background check, a physical like any other recruit. You'll need letters of recommendation and a personal statement I believe.

Should you be accepted, they're currently offering E-6 enlistment while in P3 and P4 years (I've heard rumors you can apply for this for only your P4 year as well). You get paid a salary like any other enlisted sailor. Your commitment is a minimum of 3 years after graduation. Should you choose to accept their loan repayment program (two $40,000 payments) then you would be required to serve an additional 2 years per lump sum. Maximum benefit from the program puts you at a minimum 7 year commitment in that case.
There are only a few spots nationwide per year from what I hear... 5-15? No idea of an exact number -- it changes from year to year based on budget and needs. The application is somewhat first-come, first-served. That is, if you have a desirable application package at their first board meeting, you have a higher chance of being approved.

The stage that I'm at is decided whether or not I want to accept the offer. I should receive a call/email/letter sometime in May (end of my P2 year) with the fine print and details. At that point I make a decision.

As for the benefits for pharmacists currently in the Navy, you would have to ask someone else.

TheEpus, I appreciate your information. Im currently finishing up my bachelors at the same time working at the hosp as a tech and I got all my pre reqs done but still deciding if I should go for pharmacy school. The only thing thats holding me back is the amount of the debt that I'll be accumulating once I commit to pharm school.
If you enlist as e6 during your last 2 years in school, would they pay for those years without applying to the loan repayment program ?

 

[TheEphus]

Yes, they pay you as part of the HSCP program if you're accepted for it. If they're paying you those two years, you're fully committed. The loan repayment is a benefit that you can use if you'd like once you're a Navy pharmacist, but it is optional.

Edit: Also, and I think this goes without saying, don't count on this program to pay for your student loans as you're deciding whether or not to go to pharm. school. Like I said, there are limited spots, and any of this information could change by the time you would get to your P2 year.

 

[Lubeckd]

Wow, one of my friends wanted to enlist as well, but i heard you need 2 years of experience as a pharmacist in order to enlist. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

 

[xubap]

Get in touch with a healthcare recruiter in your area near the end of your P1 year. Try to speak to someone who specifically recruits medical officers, if possible; my recruiter was an officer who was a healthcare management major in college. It helped that she knew her stuff, and where I was coming from.

They will walk you through the process. It involves a lot of paperwork, signatures, extensive background check, a physical like any other recruit. You'll need letters of recommendation and a personal statement I believe.

Should you be accepted, they're currently offering E-6 enlistment while in P3 and P4 years (I've heard rumors you can apply for this for only your P4 year as well). You get paid a salary like any other enlisted sailor. Your commitment is a minimum of 3 years after graduation. Should you choose to accept their loan repayment program (two $40,000 payments) then you would be required to serve an additional 2 years per lump sum. Maximum benefit from the program puts you at a minimum 7 year commitment in that case.
There are only a few spots nationwide per year from what I hear... 5-15? No idea of an exact number -- it changes from year to year based on budget and needs. The application is somewhat first-come, first-served. That is, if you have a desirable application package at their first board meeting, you have a higher chance of being approved.

The stage that I'm at is decided whether or not I want to accept the offer. I should receive a call/email/letter sometime in May (end of my P2 year) with the fine print and details. At that point I make a decision.

As for the benefits for pharmacists currently in the Navy, you would have to ask someone else.

My question is, if you are selected for HSCP, then after graduate pharm school and become a commissioned officer, what is your starting rate?

 

[deleted437652]

Could be wrong, but I think you'are an O2 or O3 upon graduation with 2 years of service if you do the HSCP route. This provides your
base pay, but there are extras as well. Not the same exact thing, but I'm pretty sure the commissioned close. They provide this link on their websites that has benefits a few pages down.

 

[TLAD123]

My question is, if you are selected for HSCP, then after graduate pharm school and become a commissioned officer, what is your starting rate?

PharmD's (along with any other doctoral level degree) start at O3 rank. If full two years of HSCP are done in school, those two years (or less, however long you were a part of the program) are counted towards pay/retirement/etc.

Masters degrees (PA, PT, OT, etc) come in at LTJG (O2), while bachelor degrees come in at O1.

Pay = Base pay + BAH + BAS + any additional special pay.

Pharmacy special pay (POSP) is given yearly (it is 15,000, and taxable). You don't get it if you take the 1-2 years of loan repayment, AND the loan repayment is taxed. It is one or the other. If you become board certified, you get an additional thousand or so per year for board certified pay.

No residency right out of graduation. Complete commitment first, as stated as above.

I'm in my last year of Pharm school and HSCP, commissioning summer 2014.

 

[vwslayer]

In the Navy, a Residency is DUINS (Duty Under Instruction) in which you receive your full pay during the time in residency. You will not be able to delay your commission upon graduation to do a non-DUINS civilian residency. You will also not be eligible for DUINS with HSCP time owed. The Navy Residency is more of a retention incentive. HSCP is your commission incentive.

The odds of clinical work at your first duty station depend on the situation. Realistically, it will take anywhere from 6 months (if you're rockstar hardcharger) to a year and a half to be fully acclimated and indoctrinated into the Navy and MTF (military treatment facility) life. You will be learning CHCS, AHLTA, ScriptPro or P2000 or Innovations or whatever else, and Essentris (kill me now). You will be learning how to write a FITREP and (if a Division Officer) EVALS for your enlisted sailors, how to route chits, memos, counselings, and follow the chain of command.

At my MTF we have 5 first tour LTs. Outpatient DivO, Inpatient DivO, Refill center DivO, Branch Health Clinic Coordinator, fill in (newest guy) and a Clinical Medical Homeport Pharmacist. The last works in the Coumadin and Polypharmacy clinics (ambulatory care). She helped stand the clinics up and her position will be taken over by civilians. It is not an active duty billet. And odds of you staying IN the Navy after a tour like that are low - you will be left in the dust by your DivO counterparts on leadership and general military knowledge and your FITREPs will likely reflect that.

I am the Inpatient DivO. Without any inpatient clinical pharmacists, my job has the potential to be fairly clinical. Depends on what you do with it. I am working closely with my Clinical Coordinator to get a lot of things up and running. My civilian staff pharmacist and myself do PK monitoring and dosing, MedRec, IV to PO switches, renal dosing (all via MD calls) but are working on getting protocols in place for pharmacist initiated actions.

If you want to be a "clinical pharmacist: in the traditional sense, the military is probably not going to afford you that opportunity. The civilians usually fill those roles - if you deploy the MTF needs to maintain their pharmacy services and a clinical pharmacist is not as easily replaced short term as an administrative one or a staff pharmacist (hint: the other LTs work more).

But I love the Navy. I've gotten to do a lot more than my civilian counterparts. I got underway on the USNS COMFORT 2 years ago for a 6 month humanitarian aid tour to 9 countries. Just 2 years out of pharmacy school I took over an inpatient pharmacy division. My Department Head trusts me to pretty much run it how I see fit. How many 2 year grads can say that?

Rutgers! I have a ton of questions for you...thinking about applying for a Naval scholarship and want to know just how much clinical pharm I can experience this way?