Scholarship from the army

[cattykitty]

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Now that so many of us have gotten into vet schools, I was wondering what are your thoughts on getting a scholarship from the army and then serve in the army for few years after you graduate.

For more info...
http://www.goarmy.com/amedd/hpsp.jsp

 

[Klhughes]

I can tell you from personal experience the application alone is a lot to go through. Make sure you are doing it for more than just the money too. I applied for it during my first year and ended up being kind of glad when I did not receive it because while the money is great, I don't think I was ready to be locked into something for 4 years after graduation. There are also a lot more people applying for it now so it is even harder to actually get the scholarship. You do also have the option of going into the army after graduation. They will stay pay off a portion of your debt (I think when I applied last year it was around $120,000 that they would pay back). You just don't get the monthly stipend during school like you do with the scholarship.

 

[robeezy08]

I was also looking into the scholarship for 2nd thru 4th years = 3 years active duty and 5 years reserve.
For more info, there's also a thread on the vet school forum, if someone can post link that'd be great!
I spoke on the phone, briefly, to a vet who's finishing up her 3rd year of active duty. I quickly jotted down some pros and cons:

The Vet - female, married and husband is in the military (marines I think) She was lucky enough to get stationed at Miramar, Ca. Opting to continue active duty after she completes Miramar....


Cons
not alot of freedom during 3 years service - they give list of vet openings on bases (not sure if worldwide or just US), then you rank and give reasons of rank then they place you.
She lucked out b/c Miramar wasn't on list, and she had to ask herself! Husband was assigned to Miramar so that prob helped assignment.
If war, you get deployed. 1st assignment not overseas, 2nd assignment possibly sent to hot zone.
3 of her friends (also on scholarship) in Iraq and 3 went to Afgh.
Residency doesn't count when calculating how many years you payback


Pros
if you get stationed in s.cali you're lucky! (There's an Army base in Hawaii too!)
3 years active duty goes by really fast.
After 3 years you must become a reservist for 5 years - either active or inactive. If active, you can still get deployed; if inactive you most likely will not get deployed but your "benefits" decrease.
Opportunities to travel around the world. She did humanitarian work in Alaska
Vetcorp leader wants to revamp program
Benefits/stipends and....payoff school loans!

Need more info:
how long are deployments (months?) ______
how much surgery experience ________
what about doing a residency (does it matter what type of residency you choose/what if you're deployed during residency?)_________
Salary as a first year grad ______

OK that's it for now!

 

[twelvetigers]

*poof*

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=606182

 

[robeezy08]

You ROCK
Thanks!

 

[stoby08]

I would find out more details like are you going to get deployed in the middle of vet school. Also I don't think be in the army gets you automatically into vet school so you still have to do the work on top of military serve. You have to be able to survive that kind of life and your spouse does to if you have one. I was in the navy and loved it my husband is in the airforce. I would just get all the little details, they need the numbers so they will sometimes say anything to get you in. But it is a life changing experience.

 

[No Imagination]

I would find out more details like are you going to get deployed in the middle of vet school. Also I don't think be in the army gets you automatically into vet school so you still have to do the work on top of military serve. You have to be able to survive that kind of life and your spouse does to if you have one. I was in the navy and loved it my husband is in the airforce. I would just get all the little details, they need the numbers so they will sometimes say anything to get you in. But it is a life changing experience.

Not sure I follow you. But most people on this forum (and the OP) are referring to the Army FOLLOWING vet school (after you have been accepted to vet school). I don't think there is any chance of being called in (if they even can) while you are a vet student. You are worth far more to them as a vet, not as a vet student.

 

[bunnity]

No Imagination is right - it's a three year scholarship and you apply the spring of your first year of vet school. You can also apply the next year for a two year scholarship or third year for a one year scholarship. Then after you graduate you do three years active duty, five years reserves.

After you graduate you are promoted to captain, so your salary would be whatever a captain's salary is.

 

[Airborne Vet]

It is too late to apply for the 09-10 academic year, since the board met on March 15th.

If anyone is considering applying next year, know that there's quite a bit of electronic paperwork involved, most of which is to obtain a secret security clearance. So get started early.

You have to obtain this paperwork directly from an AMEDD recruiter. Do not bother with your local armed forces recruitment depot, unless it's to get the phone number of the nearest AMEDD recruiter.

Feel free to PM me if you've got any questions.

 

[robeezy08]

No Imagination is right - it's a three year scholarship and you apply the spring of your first year of vet school. You can also apply the next year for a two year scholarship or third year for a one year scholarship. Then after you graduate you do three years active duty, five years reserves.

Is it 3 years active duty regardless of how many years you take the scholarship?

 

[cRose]

Is it 3 years active duty regardless of how many years you take the scholarship?

nope. the Army requires that you serve for every year that they sponsor you. So if you got the scholarship after completing your second year, you would only have to serve for 2 years of active duty. I think that if you do an internship/residency then you will owe them more time, but I MAY BE WRONG on that one.

 

[Angelo84]

According to a friend that go the scholarship this year it is three years active duty regardless of how many years they sponsor you.

 

[bunnity]

I'm pretty sure three is the minimum.
Now if you did the program as, say, a human doctor, you could get a four year scholarship in which case you would owe four years of active duty.
Vet students can only get up to three years of scholarship and I think regardless you will owe 3 active and 5 reserves.

 

[cRose]

Sorry, I was wrong. I could have sworn that I read 1 year service = 1 year sponsorship, but like others have mentioned, it IS 3 years regardless.

Direct from the Army Vet Corps website.

"What Does the Army Expect of You?

• Full-time Student: You are expected to be a dedicated, full-time student, putting your best effort toward your studies.
• Army Reserve Officer: You will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve.
• 45 Days Active Duty for Training: While a student, you will be required to perform a training period for each school year in which you participate in the scholarship program. This training may be performed at an Army veterinary service facility near your school, or you could work at one of the Army facilities, such as the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. or Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. Either way, you'll be exposed to a veterinary service system that excels at training people for rewarding careers in military veterinary medicine. If your academic program does not permit time away from school, arrangements may be made to allow you to continue your studies while performing annual training at school.
• Active Duty Obligation: three year active duty obligation, regardless of which year scholarship you receive.
• Reserve Duty Obligation: a five year obligation in the Individual Ready Reserve."

 

[robeezy08]

I also thought it was 1 year active duty for every year sponsored, so wrong though...thanks everyone for clearing that up!