USPHS / Army Vet pros/cons

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

ameropean_chelsea

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2014
Messages
953
Reaction score
750
Hey all, so I've started looking into the benefits the U.S. Commissioned Corps as well as the Army's scholarship program for vet students. Obviously the financial incentives are enticing, but I'd love some more information from people with direct experience (or if you know someone).

I do not come from an Army family (I know some ROTC people from college, but that's about it). I grew up abroad, so having a transient lifestyle is no biggie to me, but obviously there are other issues that come with working for the government/army. Any insight would be appreciated.

Finally, one of my big concerns is that if I do this program (no clue how competitive it is, just a hypothetical) then I won't be able to do certain summer internships because of training or something (again, I don't know a lot about the specifics). Currently I'm most interested in lab animal medicine and public health research/response teams, but I really want to keep my options open and explore as much of the veterinary world as I can. Diverse experiences have helped me in the past, and I'd like to continue that in the future.

Members don't see this ad.
 
I can speak to the Army route as I am in that program at present. Competition for selection is keen -- you need a very strong academic and leadership profile to stand out among your peers. I did not come from a military family so it's not a huge obstacle to entering the program. Once in the program you do 45 days a year of training: I attended AMEDD BOLC (Basic Officer Leaders Course) this past summer for instance. I also made time in my clinics schedule to do away rotations at military facilities. If your academic schedule does not permit you to leave school, you get orders that tell you to stay at school for the training period. If you had an opportunity you really wanted to do, you could probably make it an ADT provided you did BOLC first. There is also a requirement to do an internship year with the Army after graduation (FYGVE)

As for what vets can do in the Army, there are specific MOSs for : Preventative Medicine, Laboratory Animal, Pathology,Clinical Medicine, and Comparative Medicine. You start out doing food safety/inspection, animal care work, etc and after three years in you have the option of of pursuing additional training in the above areas on the Army's dime (though this does incur an additional service obligation).

I can also suggest reading this blog by an Army veterinarian: http://www.elliottgarber.com/. If I remember correctly, he does have a SDN account and posts occasionally so he may pop in to this thread.

If you have specific questions feel free to ask them here (anyone) or send me a PM.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I can speak to the Army route as I am in that program at present. Competition for selection is keen -- you need a very strong academic and leadership profile to stand out among your peers. I did not come from a military family so it's not a huge obstacle to entering the program. Once in the program you do 45 days a year of training: I attended AMEDD BOLC (Basic Officer Leaders Course) this past summer for instance. I also made time in my clinics schedule to do away rotations at military facilities. If your academic schedule does not permit you to leave school, you get orders that tell you to stay at school for the training period. If you had an opportunity you really wanted to do, you could probably make it an ADT provided you did BOLC first. There is also a requirement to do an internship year with the Army after graduation (FYGVE)

As for what vets can do in the Army, there are specific MOSs for : Preventative Medicine, Laboratory Animal, Pathology,Clinical Medicine, and Comparative Medicine. You start out doing food safety/inspection, animal care work, etc and after three years in you have the option of of pursuing additional training in the above areas on the Army's dime (though this does incur an additional service obligation).

I can also suggest reading this blog by an Army veterinarian: http://www.elliottgarber.com/. If I remember correctly, he does have a SDN account and posts occasionally so he may pop in to this thread.

If you have specific questions feel free to ask them here (anyone) or send me a PM.
Is it true that you can't even qualify if you aren't physically fit?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Is it true that you can't even qualify if you aren't physically fit?

Yes

"It is your responsibility to arrive at OBC in good physical shape. Upon arrival, you will be expected to meet a height and weight requirement, as well as pass a physical fitness test (consisting of 2 minutes of push-ups, 2 minutes of sit-ups and a 2 mile run). Ask your local Health Care Recruiter to provide you with the current Army standards for height/weight and physical fitness."

http://vetopportunities.amedd.army.mil/hpsp/faq/HPSP_FAQs.pdf
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
It's more than just physical fitness though, if you've ever had the mildest case of asthma then just give up on that idea now. I'm a little bitter, but I spent over a year going through the process and getting denied even getting a physical exam done because I had an inhaler that I never used when I was a kid (and haven't even owned one in over 15 years) has made me a little bitter toward that route.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
It's more than just physical fitness though, if you've ever had the mildest case of asthma then just give up on that idea now. I'm a little bitter, but I spent over a year going through the process and getting denied even getting a physical exam done because I had an inhaler that I never used when I was a kid (and haven't even owned one in over 15 years) has made me a little bitter toward that route.
That sucks :( I understand why they have the physical requirements, but an inhaler that you never used? :(
 
It's more than just physical fitness though, if you've ever had the mildest case of asthma then just give up on that idea now. I'm a little bitter, but I spent over a year going through the process and getting denied even getting a physical exam done because I had an inhaler that I never used when I was a kid (and haven't even owned one in over 15 years) has made me a little bitter toward that route.
That's super frustrating. I was considering going that route, but I guess that's not going to happen now. I'm pretty much in the same boat. I had a little bit of exercise induced asthma when I was younger, but I never needed an inhaler (even though I had one).
 
Is it the case that even if you have anxiety or have sought therapy in the past, you cannot be a candidate?
 
It depends. In a nutshell, it makes enlisting a lot harder, sometimes impossible
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Thoughts on how to be a competitive candidate for HPSP?

I might have read some where that, besides meeting their minimum academic and physical requirements, having a 'military family' looks good. Is this true?

And if this is the case, would it be better to apply for officer training with a Bachelors, and then apply for the HPSP in your DVM program?
 
Brain dump ahead:

- You can get a waiver for conditions that are 'permanently disqualifying' (i.e. the condition is not likely to change and affects your ability to enter military service). I ended up having to get a waiver as I had eye surgery almost twenty years ago. I know a few other people who have applied for waivers and had them granted. That said, each waiver is unique and just because a condition was waived for another candidate does not mean it will waived for you. Nota bene: you need to be completely open about anything in your medical history lest it come out later and you get pegged for 'fraudulent commissioning'.
- You do not need to be in good physical shape (i.e. running, push ups, sit ups) to apply for the scholarship but you must be in good condition to train to that standard later on. Although someone above posted about PT at BOLC, the first test you must pass is once you finish school and go on active duty.
- In applying for the scholarship, you will write a statement of motivation that will be read by the selection board. Basically, you explain why you want to be an officer in the Army Veterinary Corps and what you 'bring to the table' so to speak. If you have a family history of military service this is a good place to include it. You only have about a page to make your case so it is best to talk about your leadership experiences and keep things concise. You have the opportunity to include letters of support with your application so seek out individuals so can sing your praises and complement the points you make in your statement.
- The best way to become an Army veterinarian is to go to vet school and then talk with a healthcare recruiter. Although some of the individuals at BOLC with me this summer were prior service enlisted, ROTC, OCS, etc you do not need 'extra credit' before the board to be selected (though it probably helped their application). If you do choose to enlist or seek out another commissioning route before vet school, bear in mind that you take on a service obligation and that your command has no obligation to release you to attend vet school or pursue HPSP.

Bottom line to be a successful applicant: Excellent GRE, grades (vet and undergrad), superb letters of recommendation, a coherent statement of motivation, a healthy dose of luck.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
bear in mind that you take on a service obligation and that your command has no obligation to release you to attend vet school or pursue HPSP.

... Thanks for this.

Would you say that the process is more intensive via HPSP [given the contextual circumstances and competitiveness] than applying after school? Also, do Army veterinarians employed after school have any help with their loans once commissioned?
 
Some stuff I learned from an army vet who presented at my club:

  • Scholarship can be 1-3 years, pays for fees, books, tuition, health insurance, supplies and 2000$/mo stipend
  • Yearly, paid officer training during summer
  • Commitment 3 years minimum
  • Loan repayment possible with further service
  • Mostly do military dog or large animal work
  • Some choice of location (give ranked list of choices) and they match you
  • First assignment is 2 years of care for military dogs and base pets
  • Then you can go overseas/deployed or manage clinics
  • Can do CE- lab, phd, residency, mph, etc
  • Mil salary $65k/yr and healthcare; over time can be 6figure or when deployed; after twenty years get yearly half base pay salary for rest of life
  • Can live on or off base
  • About 500 army vets now
  • Downsides: clinics have corporate bureaucratic feel; soldiers pay for own pets' care (but discounted); fewer and less diverse patients; deployment can be very stressful (the man presenting broke down in tears during the presentation when talking about his horrifying overseas experiences)
  • High level of medicine for military dogs- everything paid for!!
  • Can be some public health (like rabies prevention), separate from USDA food inspections.
 
Do you know anyone who has been accepted to the HPSP with prior military experience (AF enlisted)? My husband has been in for 6 years, is planning to reenlist for another 4 years, finish his BS during this time, apply to vet school and to the program.
 
@ Yugen: 3 year scholarships tend to be very competitive as they offer the greatest benefit to the applicant (i.e. a 2 year and a 1 year scholarship comes with the same 3 year active duty service obligation if I recall). You can also apply for a commission after vet school ('direct commission') and in the past this has also been incentived with loan repayment benefits. There are also Army Reserve commissions out there if that lifestyle works for you. Given that the Army is trying to maintain or downsize itself in the foreseeable future, I don't know how large of a carrot they will be dangling.

@Beagleholly: Some good objective info in there. It can be hard to gauge what one's experience might be like in the Army because the nature of the job can vary by location, command environment, etc

@ ADM1220: It's certainly possible to take the path your husband is. It may be challenging to complete a rigorous course of study while on active duty, though with a supportive command and the right job environment it could be possible to some courses though lab sciences may be problematic. I would look into saving GI bill benefits and using the tuition assistance program potentially based on what I've read in the MilMed forums on SDN. There are a few posts over there about people going from enlisted to Med School this way. Lastly, I can think of at least two non-Army prior service people in my HPSP cohort though they may have taken time after their obligation ended to pursue coursework.
 
@Bismarck Thank you for your insight. I am going to check out the MilMed forum. My husband was accepted to be a recruiter for the next 4 years. He will complete his B.S. during this time since he is non-deployable and will have a more flexible schedule. Then he plans to apply to vet school- likely whatever vet school I am currently at since we will own a house there. He is transferring his GI Bill to me for vet school and wants to use the Army scholarship for his vet schooling. If this works out as planned, we will have little to no vet school debt when done and he will retire from the military as a Major.
 
Top