ROTC and pharmacy school

[Sir Rx 23]

I have researched this and found some mixed answers. Basically, can you join Army or Air Force ROTC (the only ones my school offers) while in Pharmacy School and, if you can join, do they offer an ROTC scholarship for pharmacy students? I have talked to a recruiter who referred me to an active duty pharmacists who said a couple of his buddies were in ROTC during pharmacy school, but I want to make its not a recruiting gimmick (Invest 2 two years into ROTC and when you go to sign a contract you are met with " Yes you can join ROTC during Pharmacy School, but no one ever said you would be a pharmacist when you go in. You can be in the infantry or you can micromanage the custodians" (no offense intended, there is nothing wrong with managing custodians; its just not my cup of tea.))

Also, does any branch offer the Health Professions Scholarship to pharmacists? I have heard Army and Air Force do not but I want to be sure.

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[USArmyHPSP]

For the Army:

The HPSP is available only after you have exhausted the ROTC scholarship. You need to be in ROTC for the full four years of graduate study and then you can be offered the HPSP for the remaining 2 or 3 years for Pharm or Pharm D. And while you may manage custodians - you will be an officer in the Army, they would be the ones sweeping the floor in and around the pharmacy.

 

[Sir Rx 23]

For the Army:

The HPSP is available only after you have exhausted the ROTC scholarship. You need to be in ROTC for the full four years of graduate study and then you can be offered the HPSP for the remaining 2 or 3 years for Pharm or Pharm D. And while you may manage custodians - you will be an officer in the Army, they would be the ones sweeping the floor in and around the pharmacy.

Right, I knew that. What I was trying to say was that a recruiter may be telling me that I can go into ROTC while in Pharmacy School (as in literally, I can simply enter the program... while in school) but leave out the part that I cannot actually go into the Army as a pharmacist through ROTC. I have heard that recruiters use plays on words and leave parts out like this to make it seem more convincing. What I was asking was can you go through ROTC while in Pharmacy School AND actually go into the Army with a pharmacist MOS? I have heard that you cannot and that you can only get a pharmacist MOS by recieving the HPSP or by going through the process after graduation. I have also heard that the Air Force is currently only accepting pharmacists by HPSP due to too many joining.

Also, are you saying that you can recieve an ROTC scholarship during undergrad and then recieve the HPSP in Pharmacy school? I always thought it was one or the other and that you could only do 4-5 years of ROTC and then you had to begin service. That is why I am asking whether you can wait until pharmacy school to begin ROTC.

 

[USArmyHPSP]

You need to be in ROTC for the full four years of graduate study

ROTC scholarship is only for four years. After that is used, you must either come onto active duty or request an educational delay to enter active duty. If you take ROTC and don't apply for HPSP, there is a chance that the Cadet Command can deny your request to not be called to active duty in order for you to complete the pharm/pharm D degree. That is why they have the agreement between HPSP and ROTC - to PROTECT you. While on the ROTC and HPSP scholarship you cannot be activated. Just don't forget, take HPSP and incur more obligation (year-for-year).

Why the dual scholarship? ROTC scholarship is only for up to four years max. HPSP is up to four years max. Neither can be extended to cover the entire 6-7 years of pharmacy school.

 

[Sir Rx 23]

ROTC scholarship is only for four years. After that is used, you must either come onto active duty or request an educational delay to enter active duty. If you take ROTC and don't apply for HPSP, there is a chance that the Cadet Command can deny your request to not be called to active duty in order for you to complete the pharm/pharm D degree. That is why they have the agreement between HPSP and ROTC - to PROTECT you. While on the ROTC and HPSP scholarship you cannot be activated. Just don't forget, take HPSP and incur more obligation (year-for-year).

Why the dual scholarship? ROTC scholarship is only for up to four years max. HPSP is up to four years max. Neither can be extended to cover the entire 6-7 years of pharmacy school.

Ahh, got it. So, let's say one did not go through ROTC during undergrad. Can they still join ROTC and apply for an ROTC scholarship during pharmacy school?

Also, could you go this route?:
Take out loans to cover undergrad.
Join ROTC during Pharmacy School.
Once graduated and activated, use the student loan repayment option to repay loans for undergrad?

 

[USArmyHPSP]

So, let's say one did not go through ROTC during undergrad. Can they still join ROTC and apply for an ROTC scholarship during pharmacy school?

Yes

Once graduated and activated, use the student loan repayment option to repay loans for undergrad?

Not that I know of for undergrad loans. @Armyhealth may know of something try to send him a message...

Also this is a good resource AACP - Admissions

 

[Armyhealth]

For Pharmacy we have a dual ROTC/HPSP scholarship that will pay for 6 years of school. It has to be offered at the school you are attending for undergrad and you will have to cover the first 2 years of undergrad yourself. One of the best secrets in the AMEDD world. In the contract it will say pharmacy ROTC and will guarantee you a pharmacy AOC.

 

[Sir Rx 23]

For Pharmacy we have a dual ROTC/HPSP scholarship that will pay for 6 years of school. It has to be offered at the school you are attending for undergrad and you will have to cover the first 2 years of undergrad yourself. One of the best secrets in the AMEDD world. In the contract it will say pharmacy ROTC and will guarantee you a pharmacy AOC.

What if I did not join ROTC during undergrad? Can I still begin ROTC in Pharmacy School or is it too late?

 

[Armyhealth]

What if I did not join ROTC during undergrad? Can I still begin ROTC in Pharmacy School or is it too late?

You wouldn't be eligible for ROTC at that point. You could join as a direct pharmacist after school and get 120K student loan repayment.

 

[workingfarmer]

What if I did not join ROTC during undergrad? Can I still begin ROTC in Pharmacy School or is it too late?

If you have already started your 1st year, no you cannot join ROTC anymore because it's a 2 year min. time and 2 year for HPSP so the ROTC-HPSP will not align with your career path at the moment. Your options are Air Force HPSP 3 year or Navy 2 year HCSP or HPSP. If you want to join the Army your option is loan repayment after you graduate. The program is geared for the "super sophomores" who enrolls into ROTC during their freshman year in undergrad and completes two years of undergrad then gets accepted to a 4 year pharmacy school receiving 6 years of school paid for and commission into the army as a pharmacist. In your case you have missed the boat my friend unless you are prior service then you might have some options.

 

[workingfarmer]

Right, I knew that. What I was trying to say was that a recruiter may be telling me that I can go into ROTC while in Pharmacy School (as in literally, I can simply enter the program... while in school) but leave out the part that I cannot actually go into the Army as a pharmacist through ROTC. I have heard that recruiters use plays on words and leave parts out like this to make it seem more convincing. What I was asking was can you go through ROTC while in Pharmacy School AND actually go into the Army with a pharmacist MOS? I have heard that you cannot and that you can only get a pharmacist MOS by recieving the HPSP or by going through the process after graduation. I have also heard that the Air Force is currently only accepting pharmacists by HPSP due to too many joining.

Also, are you saying that you can recieve an ROTC scholarship during undergrad and then recieve the HPSP in Pharmacy school? I always thought it was one or the other and that you could only do 4-5 years of ROTC and then you had to begin service. That is why I am asking whether you can wait until pharmacy school to begin ROTC.

Cadet Command will not allow you to come in as a first year ROTC student and first year pharmacy student. The only way they allow folks to join the program is if you are a third year ROTC student (MS III) and a first year pharmacy student (P1) so that the last two years can be paid by HPSP incurring a 6 year obligation from the ROTC (4 years) and HPSP (2 years)