Please use me for answers...I can help.

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I, too, was recruited by an E-4. And had I any of way of knowing better I would have thought perhaps this guy doesn't belong on the integrity pedestal I placed him on seeing that he was within 4 mos of retirement. RETIREMENT!!! and was still an E-4.
Are you certain about that? How long ago was it that you signed up for HPSP? There has been a high year tenure (HYT) for quite some time now.

Members don't see this ad.
 
I was recruited by an E-5... dunno how many years he had in.

I still remember his name.
 
Are you certain about that? How long ago was it that you signed up for HPSP? There has been a high year tenure (HYT) for quite some time now.

I signed on that line in 1996. I don't even know what HYT means. I am in the military but not of it.

11 years ago. Man, how could I have had any idea what I'd be dealing with now. And I only have a 3 yr commitment. Amen to the fact that I'm not an Academy Grad or USU or even worse, both.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
E5's for a time could retire with 20. HYT for an E5 now is 14 years and E4's are at 8...I believe. Not up on all that stuff anymore. I went with a few friends whose recruiter for HPSP were enlisted guys. None of us understood how or why an enlisted guy was recruiting medical students. I guess it just wasn't in our area apparently.
 
I will be the voice of reason here, at least in my mind. I received a three HPSP Optometry scholarship in 93 and am about to complete 11 years of service in the Air Force. I cannot possibly conceive of any mode of practice that I would like better than what I do now. I was not lied to from my recruiter, of course in my opinion I had a much better deal....I finish my last three years of school on the AF's dime and I come in to practice Optometry. This is my 6th duty station and I would not trade any of the experiences that I have had for the pull of big money as a civilian. I would not have any of the free time to enjoy the extra salary. As far as the 6 assignments go, I have been treated very fairly and have been able to pick all but two of them. The two that I did not pick, Barksdale AFB, LA and Turkey, were excellent locations that allowed me to grow in many ways.

Before I get flamed as not being in the Medical Corps and not knowing any different, I really don't care how many people think that I am an idiot for enjoying my profession both as a Health professional and an officer. I feel honored when people say "Thank you for your service." How many times has a health professional heard that from someone on the street that finds out that you are in the health career? Granted, I have not taken a bullet as a result for my service, but I have had patients that are lucky to be in my eye exam room who are grateful for the care that I provide them.

Don't crucify this recruiter for trying to get the word out about the military medical system. Perhaps if some of you would quit bitching about how broke the system is and do something constructive, the system might eventually change. When you bitch about having a non-Physician as a commander (Nurse, Pharmacist, Optometrist, Administrator), are you as a Physician ready and willing to cut back on patient care to become a real leader of troops and deal with all the stuff that a commander has to deal with? Commanders have to make difficult decisions that may not make sense to those in the exam rooms. Yes, sometimes they get focused on trivial minutiae and lose the big picture, but sometimes that might just have the right site picture instead of a griping clinician that is counting down until their ETS.

Flame on.

BK

I agree that the world of optometry in the military is heavenly, compared to physicians. You never deploy !!!! No free 7-18 month deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, nor do you have to deploy wherever some Southeast Asia disaster erupts. You can witness your kids' birth, watch them grow, and your spouse doesn't have to go thru a lot of stress when you're away forever.

Also, you actually learn your job in Optometry School, whereas we physicians have to rely on 'residency' for our job training. So another source of distress, getting one's residency of choice mixed with the concerns of lengthening one's commitment in order to pursue that residency (ie if one does a GMO tour), is something Optometry never has to be concerned about.

I currently am a GMO, and I would happily give up my $15K (hasn't gone up since the 1990s) doctor bonus to have the life of an optometrist !!!

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=324400
 
I was wondering...

If I want to pursue Optometry once my GMO commitment is up, can I get a 2nd HPSP scholarship???
 
I agree that the world of optometry in the military is heavenly, compared to physicians. You never deploy !!!! No free 7-18 month deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, nor do you have to deploy wherever some Southeast Asia disaster erupts. You can witness your kids' birth, watch them grow, and your spouse doesn't have to go thru a lot of stress when you're away forever.

Also, you actually learn your job in Optometry School, whereas we physicians have to rely on 'residency' for our job training. So another source of distress, getting one's residency of choice mixed with the concerns of lengthening one's commitment in order to pursue that residency (ie if one does a GMO tour), is something Optometry never has to be concerned about.

I currently am a GMO, and I would happily give up my $15K (hasn't gone up since the 1990s) doctor bonus to have the life of an optometrist !!!

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=324400

Yes and I have seen so many people deploy multiple times, while I am happy back at my duty station (Sarcastic tone). I feel that I am letting those people down because I have not deployed deployed despite the desire to do so as a military professional.

Get your info straight before you say that Optometry does not deploy. Army Optometry has been in the AOR for quite some time and the AF has started to pull our share the past few years.

The military of today is much, much smaller than even in the first Gulf War, but with many more deployment taskings. That is a fact of life. I am ready, willing and able to do my time in the AOR anytime that I am called and will do so with honor.

You have a very valid point concerning Optometry vs GME training. However, my point about the needs of the military do in fact come first. There are residency programs that need to be staffed in order to staff the individuals service's manning requirements. Too many or too few drive residency requirements. That is the point that needs to be hammered into HPSP applicants, not the "possibility" of a civilian deferment.

BK
 
2) compliance of my military patients is higher than the civ population (no hard numbers- just feel). Possibly b/c of free healthcare :)

It is not free. All AD members pay a high price to get “free " medical care. Some actually pay with their life...
 
Just do Ophthalmology!? Sounds like an easy residency to get

Probably worth the effort though... beats working at the LensCrafters in the mall...
 
It is not free. All AD members pay a high price to get “free " medical care. Some actually pay with their life...

i think you miss the point that i was trying to make regarding higher levels of compliance and it is a benefit when treating a patient. In the civ world sometimes patients are admitted just b/c they will not go for appropriate follow up.

I am aware since I am a member that you pay with less freedoms and the possibility that one might loss his/her life.
 
EX-44E3A beat me to the punch--100% agree with what he said

You come here as a recruiter. How can you possibly come here and rip on the very people you recruited? We're the problem? Wrong. You're the problem. You and every recruiter and officer like you who give us the line, "shut up and do what your supposed to and be grateful for the opportunity to do it because you don't have debt."

...
Your job is to recruit. You get medals for getting signatures, not for getting quality people who made the right decision for themselves, so get off the high horse and actually address the comments made here. Don't lay the blame here. We're a little more experienced than the average joe you're talking to about your program.

Hello,
This is my second post under this username, (my old username was years ago while I was pre-med).

I found this forum again through doing a search due to my personal experiences with my AMEDD recruiter and OBLC and IRR and I really feel like I am being duped, and not for good reason at all.

I am not longer pre-med but in a MS in nursing program set to graduate this June with a generalist MS in Nursing and starting the 9 month program to Family Nurse Practitioner license.

Oh, I took my oath into the Army Nurse corps and "thought" I was going to OBLC this fall but...recruiter says, "complications". I also applied...venting here, hang on...as Active duty but, understand that I had to sign as reserve commission due to being in school.

Okay, so not sure why my recruiter had me take the ASVAB. He said to show that I would qualify as enlisted since I was going to be 41 at graduation and that I would be too old for AD, (since found out that AD for nurses is up to age 46). Recruiter also said if I failed NCLEX-RN I would have to go enlisted, no, I am not stupid, I don't think so. Then again, after funding my undergrad and now graduate school I'd better manage to "pass" NCLEX-RN but, if I fail, the Army will give three months to retry for three times. Then its either pass or be dismissed, not go enlisted.

So, since I am in limbo and not going to OBLC due to this "complication" he tells me of I wonder if I will ever get to OBLC or if I just stay on IRR forever?

Oh, student loans and all over over 145K for undergrad and graduate, (including FNP) so I did take the HPLRP but, when I have an addendum put into my contract due to changing my work history, (adding a year of RN work) and adding the FNP, I am going to ditch it, the three extra years for the dent in my loans isn't what I really wanted, would rather have a larger bonus payment.

Yet, now that my vent is over...nice to read you here and nice to join this forum.

MyrnaGen
p.s. who doe not understand what my recruiter is doing with my packet and contract??
 
Just kidding...

Yes, highly unoriginal...I actually got that from an anesthesiologist in New York Presbyterian in the elevator the other day...I was in uniform and he could see my nametag...he just thought he was the bee's knees.

I do always appreciate an attempt at a laugh...:)
I have a feeling his sense of humor is closer to ideal than your sense of ethics.
 
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