OMFS residency before HPSP payback

[stormshadow23]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Does anyone know how often (if at all) the military lets you attend a civilian residency in OS before having to payback your time for dental school? Say, could I apply to PASS, get accepted to a program and have the military say too bad we own you now or that it's fine and I just pay back my time to them as an OS?

 

[ddstothecor]

I know an HPSP scholar who was told that the military commitment could be postponed while attending a civilian OMFS program with the time being paid back later. I was told the same when I was looking into the program (almost become an officer, too). Funny thing is that now that person's only option is to attend the HPSP AEGD, and then hope that one of the seven or so spots that train OMFS officers is the one they get. Civilian programs wouldn't be an option until 4 years have passed.

 

[stormshadow23]

What happened to him? Just got screwed or didn't match to a civilian residency?

 

[ddstothecor]

What happened to him? Just got screwed or didn't match to a civilian residency?

Starts to repay the commitment after graduation at an AEGD (probably - not yet confirmed), and then hopes that a spot opens up for OMS w/the AF next July.

 

[esclavo]

Does anyone know how often (if at all) the military lets you attend a civilian residency in OS before having to payback your time for dental school? Say, could I apply to PASS, get accepted to a program and have the military say too bad we own you now or that it's fine and I just pay back my time to them as an OS?

I am a "deferred" HPSP person. When I interviewed (which I did very early-like May the summer before my senior year) for my AEGD in the Air Force I stated very clearly my intention to do OMFS. About 2 months later, the main guy over all the Air Force assignments called me and told me that the projected need of OMFS in four years was more than the Air Force was projected to matriculate. Thus, he stated that the Air Force would let me apply to civilian programs of my own accord and concurrently to the AEGD (what I really wanted was to go straight into the AF residency program, but they wouldn't have any of that-from what I've heard that has changed) in the Air Force. If I matched they I was cut free for four more years and when I was done with residency, I would owe the 3 years for my HPSP but as an oral surgeon. If I didn't match, I had a snug little AEGD spot waiting for me in Mississippi! 🙂 One caveat is that if they let you defer, make sure you have it in writing and that they keep track of that. The military is notorious for one department making a decision and then the guy next door doesn't know squat about it and you end up having these "anginal moments" where someone calls you up and states that you have to come into the Air Force when you need to report to a civilian residency!!!!!!

 

[ddstothecor]

That person is going to be an intern in S.F. That's where he wanted to do residency, so that's a pretty good step towards the goal.