Question about MDSSP and Obligation Time

[ChackieJan]

First off, to give some context, I don't have any experience in the military and am just now learning about it. I'm a second year medical student and am trying to figure out how this all works. I spoke with a recruiter for the ARNG and it filled in some gaps but created some others. Here is my question:

If I do 2.5 years of MDSSP and then stop taking any stipends in the form of MDSSP or STRAP during residency, am I paying off time during residency when I go to drill? In other words, with a 5 year residency could I have all of my obligation time payed off by the time I'm done?

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[notdeadyet]

No. If you take MDSSP for 2.5 years during medical school, you will incur a five year drilling obligation that you will begin paying off after completion of residency. What life will look like during the years you take MDSSP during medical school and residency varies by command (how much you will drill and act soldier/doctor-like every month). But your five years will be fully functional/deplorable.


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[ChackieJan]

No. If you take MDSSP for 2.5 years during medical school, you will incur a five year drilling obligation that you will begin paying off after completion of residency. What life will look like during the years you take MDSSP during medical school and residency varies by command (how much you will drill and act soldier/doctor-like every month). But your five years will be fully functional/deplorable.


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Okay, that makes a lot more sense to me. The other scenario seemed way too good to be true. Say I do 2 years of MDSSP and 4 years of STRAP (but stop taking MDSSP during residency). I would only owe 4 years obligation after residency, correct? I'm pulling this from the National Guard's website:

Am I understanding correctly that if I do 2 years MDSSP (4 years of obligation) and then 4 years of STRAP (4 years of obligation; -4 years of obligation from MDSSP) that I only owe back 4 years post residency?