Pharmacy school and ROTC COOP or Post 9/11 or Both?

[workingfarmer]

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[CUninja]

I'm pretty sure that you cannot do ROTC for pharmacy school. At least I could not, but I also was not prior enlisted.

There are some considerations to make here. Time spent in HPSP is NOT creditable for retirement, even though you are in reserve status as a 2LT.

I would do Guard/Reserve, because that time would be creditable toward retirement, then apply to become an officer after you finish pharmacy school (Them agreeing to allow you to become an officer and change MOS is not a given however.) Then do HPLRP. This all hinges on you going to a cheaper pharmacy school near a Guard/Res unit of your choosing, and whether said unit has an opening in your MOS. You would however be on the hook for 5 years instead of the standard 3. (3 accession + 2 HPRLP). Note that this only works if you have <56K in loans. (HPLRP pays 28k/yr after taxes.)

Otherwise, I would get out and do HPSP or GI Bill.

It should go without saying that you should not be on active duty enlisted and go to pharmacy school at the same time.

 

[workingfarmer]

I'm pretty sure that you cannot do ROTC for pharmacy school. At least I could not, but I also was not prior enlisted.

There are some considerations to make here. Time spent in HPSP is NOT creditable for retirement, even though you are in reserve status as a 2LT.

I would do Guard/Reserve, because that time would be creditable toward retirement, then apply to become an officer after you finish pharmacy school (Them agreeing to allow you to become an officer and change MOS is not a given however.) Then do HPLRP. This all hinges on you going to a cheaper pharmacy school near a Guard/Res unit of your choosing, and whether said unit has an opening in your MOS. You would however be on the hook for 5 years instead of the standard 3. (3 accession + 2 HPRLP). Note that this only works if you have <56K in loans. (HPLRP pays 28k/yr after taxes.)

Otherwise, I would get out and do HPSP or GI Bill.

It should go without saying that you should not be on active duty enlisted and go to pharmacy school at the same time.

Thanks for you input! I am DEFINITELY not thinking about doing active duty and pharm school. I am actually ETS-ing beginning of next year and hoping to begin pharmacy school. However, I am trying to see some of my options. I see you are air force and they do have a 2 yr hpsp (super competetive) for pharmacy. The ARMY does not have a HPSP for pharmacy but does have the HPRLP upto 120K w.o taxes so im assuming 28K/yr for 4 years, They also do have a ROTC-HPSP COOP program just for pharmacy students and that is what I am trying to get info for mainly because I haven't really found concrete evidence and also can imagine PY1 and PY2 years and ROTC would be a crazy load.

 

[BC_89]

Thanks for you input! I am DEFINITELY not thinking about doing active duty and pharm school. I am actually ETS-ing beginning of next year and hoping to begin pharmacy school. However, I am trying to see some of my options. I see you are air force and they do have a 2 yr hpsp (super competetive) for pharmacy. The ARMY does not have a HPSP for pharmacy but does have the HPRLP upto 120K w.o taxes so im assuming 28K/yr for 4 years, They also do have a ROTC-HPSP COOP program just for pharmacy students and that is what I am trying to get info for mainly because I haven't really found concrete evidence and also can imagine PY1 and PY2 years and ROTC would be a crazy load.

I dont know what your mos is, but if you plan on making a career out of this, stick with the post 9/11 gi bill AND go to reserves. Remember there is a clause that came out last year that all public schools must give a veteran utilizing the gi bill (within 3 years of being active duty) INSTATE tuition in all 50 states. While in reserves, 4 years of drill pay + 2 week summer training with your point system will nearly be equivalent to 10 months of active duty. Remember the slots for pharmacy school in the army also have a slot for RESIDENCY for pharmacy students at Tripler, BAMC, Seattle, and I believe Tacoma dont quote me on that. point is ROTC will not benefit toward your career service in the army and your OCS is chill and fast. In the meantime if time permits, change your mos to 68Q (what I am) when you go to reserve status and before you go to pharmacy school. Pharmacist only use CHCS system in all areas of inpatient and outpatient. When you go back to active duty as an officer, youll already have CHCS computer system down good and just take that accession bonus when you sign. As for student loans psh gi bill will nail nearly all of it depending if you chose cheap instate pharm schools but at that go under PSLF since your gonna retire with a pension anyway right? gives ya cheaper payments or just pay it all out with the 120k loan payback option (more like 90k after tax and write it off on your joint spouse tax returns).

Assuming your ETS in jan next year, given option to change mos by march, youll be done with AIT by aug school time and that whole time counts towards active serve PLUS you have to go to fort sam for schooling in texas (during that time claim state residency and that way you LES doesn't take out state income tax and still has no effect on your instate tuition due to the clause I mentioned above...currently what I'm doing and lovin that extra cash). Good luck and wish you well.

 

[workingfarmer]

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[BC_89]

Good points. The only issue is I have to remain non-deployable during my reserves time in order to finish Pharmacy school. I am not aware of any programs that allow such thing while in school in the reserves/nat. guard unless in some form of ROTC. That is not a guarantee unless I am not tracking it. The ROTC-HPSP option is guarantee-ing me a job in the current market after I graduate with prior year service as an O-3 without special RB pay for those years and it is also ensuring me non-deployable status. ROTC is also paying my tuition, giving me book stipend, and a stipend every month (similar to drill pay in reserves). I am also eligible for both Ch. 30 and 33 GI Bill as well like you mentioned but I personally would rather deal with the ROTC for two years than try to do two years of residency after pharm school then trying to get a job in the saturated job market. Even if I choose to do residency I do it as O-3 with prior service which works out greatly in my favor than in the civilian sector. PSLF is malleable and there are many forums on that here. I plan to pay off probably about 40-50 K loans immediately which most of it will go towards my house,car etc. anyways..... You are right I am missing out in 10 months of AD time but I would rather take a guaranteed seat at this point and finish off with this military career then if health permits transition into the civilian sector.

To be honest I don't know that much on the rotc/hpsp coop pharmacy program (age cut-off, packet forms, etc). The active duty pharmacists im with don't know either (then again their not prior service). If you happen to gain more info on this let me know since the site is really vague. Only mentions financially being covered (rotc + hpsp) with a 6 yr AD obligation.