Some noobish questions regarding HPSP

[DD214_DOC]

Could someone give me what happens at the beginning of HPSP? How the process works? I know I need an acceptance letter.

What happens after that? Are you comissioned on the spot before reporting to OIS? Does the stipend not begin until your first semester of medical school? (which makes sense) Or does it begin immediately? Do you get a uniform, ID, etc. after your comissioning or not until after med school?

Thanks, just curious about the little things.

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[texdrake]

1. Contact a recruiter! You fill out the application and then do the military physical. Once you pass your application is put in front of the board for review. You do need a letter of recommendation. Most recuiters want 3 letters and then they make a composite letter using those 3 letters and information from their own interview with you.

2. If you are selected (they select 3-4 times a year (February, March, and June for sure), you will set a time for your commisioning. You may select any current or former officer to do your commissioning. You are given a bunch of freebies and your first set of "butter bars".

3. You can then attend Officer Basic the summer before medical school or the summer after your 1st year (I recommend the later). Or you can get screwed like me, take the 3 year scholarship and not have it awarded until after officer basic begins and since my school is so backwards in scheduleing we do not get out in time after 2nd year to attend either so I will do my officer basic after I complete medical school. You get your ID at basic too. I had mine made at a local base so I could get discounts and what not since I won't need one untill the end of my 3rd year or so.

4. You get uniforms etc when you attend officer basic. You do not get paid until your school starts (or often a little while after and they just back pay you), unless you attend officer basic prior to medical school in which case you will receive pay while doing so.

5. You are promoted to Captain a few hours or the day before your graduation...which ever is most convienent we do it at DMU in the morning and then graduation is early afternoon.

Feel free to PM any questions you have.

 

[R-Me-Doc]

A few additions/clarifications:

1. Good luck getting info from recruiters. If you go to most regular recruiters and start talking about HPSP they will just look at you blankly. Most recruiters (who spend their time going after high school students) have no idea what HPSP is. Go to the following website to find the nearest specialized health care recruiter in your area: http://healthcare.goarmy.com/contact/recrloca.htm

2. Your stipend will get paid electronically into your bank account; you will have to get this set up once you get settled in med school.

3. You have to buy your own uniforms. You will get a one-time "uniform allowance" which will not be enough to cover everything you need. It's helpful to get as much as you can before going to officer basic, just to save time, or you can get it once you are there. You should definitely get name tapes for your uniforms before going to basic. Lots of military surplus or even sporting goods stores can make these if you just go in and tell them you need name tapes for BDU's. "Dog tags" you have to get made at basic.

 

[DD214_DOC]

What sort of LOR's do they need? I've already been contacted by the health recruiter for the Navy in my area, though I don't really know what to tell him. I'm still a year away, and that's assuming I get in the first time.

 

[brats800]

the recruiter i talked to said that most people who get into medschool can get into the HPSP program....there might even be an automatic acceptance with a mcat of 32 and gpa of 3.5 or something like that...

 

[edmadison]

Just one correction....

If you don't go to OBC before you finish med school, you go after residency.

Ed

 

[texdrake]

I think auto acceptance is 29 mcat and 3.35

 

[bbawco1]

texdrake,
i am almost done with the hpsp process and will be going through my officer's training this summer. I was wondering why you suggest to take it the summer after your first year? I will be doing a md/mph program and would preferebly take a summer of classes after my first year. So if you could tell me why you prefered the summer after first year. thanks

 

[texdrake]

I look at the Summer before entering medical school as the one last hurrah. I partied with my roomies from College, went to Mexico for a week with my brother (we were naughty, very naughty...so much fun), went fishing with the Pops in Colorado and had a great summer. I suggest everyone do it.

That being said if you would rather devote your summer between the 1st and 2nd year to more studying then you are left with little choice but to do it before you start medical school. You can wait though and do it after you finish school, but know that you then do the full 11 week OCS instead of the abreviated HPSP 6 week course....although I have heard of some that never even take it as the army would rather have you doctoring then playing war games....

I was hoping to some how squeeze it in, but it appears it won't happen....bummer.