Usuhs

[Davnport]

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I called the admissions office and they said that this week is the actual week that they send the list of those holding acceptances to other med schools so there might be some movement this week. (but no promises naturally)

thank you!

 

[Soba]

I thank you for your words of encouragement.

I have submitted my primary application last night. Now the waiting game begins.

Getting the letter of approval is more complicated. I wonder how many hoops I need to jump through...

 

[Upgrayedd]

Please don't mock me (too much) for this. Honest question.

I look goofy as all hell with really short hair. I know in the field/at OBLC we will have to keep it short for cleanliness, but at USUHS, does anyone have any suggestions on how long to go (clipper number preferably)?

I just ask because there seems to be some leeway in terms of what the army requires in their basic grooming standards and what a unit commander demands.

Suggestions? Bite the bullet and cut the hell out of it? Grow a stash???

 

[mslall]

Grow a stash

do it!

 

[SirGecko]

So anyone hear anything about waitlist movement?

 

[rkonmd]

Does anyone know if we will be getting compensated for travel incurred during our PCS to Bethesda and whether or not people (like myself) that still need to find a place to live will be allowed some time to do so after we report on August 3rd?

I've heard that during a PCS we are entitled to some house-hunting leave + room and board for 7-10 days?? Anyone at USUHS familiar with that?

 

[DrMetal]

Does anyone know if we will be getting compensated for travel incurred during our PCS to Bethesda and whether or not people (like myself) that still need to find a place to live will be allowed some time to do so after we report on August 3rd?

I've heard that during a PCS we are entitled to some house-hunting leave + room and board for 7-10 days?? Anyone at USUHS familiar with that?

Yes, you will definitely be compensated for your travel (very handsomely I might add, especially if you're driving!), and the mil will move your goods. Here's some good links:

http://apps.mhf.dod.mil/pls/psgprod/f?p=MHF:RELO:279992392232086
http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/perdiem/faq.html
https://www.smartwebmove.navsup.navy.mil/swm/PPO_Listing.jsp
https://www.smartwebmove.navsup.navy.mil/swm/

(the last two are Navy-centric, but same should apply to other services)

Some advice:

1. Set up your move ASAP, as soon as you have orders (so you'll have more flexibility wrt timing)
2. Make a list of your stuff, check it twice, take pictures of things that could potentially be damaged (scratches, breaks, etc) . . . the movers will give you a list too . . .make everything on your list is on theirs. (All of this is important, should you later have to file a claim for something lost/damaged)
3. You have something you really like/cherish--like a '91 Ernie Ball Eddie Van Halen MusicMan, one of the finest instruments ever made--ship it yourself (UPS/Fedex) or carry it with you..... Not that you should do this with all or even half of your goods (otherwise what would be the point of letting the military move you!) , but the point is if you have something that you really cherish and cant live to see lost/damaged, take care of it yourself. (this should really only amount to a few items)

oh and yes, we should have plenty of time to find housing in the month of Aug. Especially if you're single, seems like there's a lot of rooms/apt available. If you're with family and looking for something bigger, might wanna start looking sooner. Good luck!

 

[backrow]

I've heard that during a PCS we are entitled to some house-hunting leave + room and board for 7-10 days?? Anyone at USUHS familiar with that?

You won't be granted house-hunting leave during your report time to USUHS. There is no time for you to be gone once you start the orientation stuff.

The "room + board" you speak of is known as TLE. You can get 10 days total hotel bills paid for on either side of your move. It's basically there so that if you get to the place before your "stuff" does then you're not sleeping on the floor. You will have to ask for a the "TLE Form" when filling out your travel claim and receipts are required.

 

[UofU2009]

Can somebody please post or send me a packing list for OBC? I'm army, leaving this Sunday for OBC, but have yet to receive this info and don't want to struggle getting it even more last minute that I am already. Thanks in advance and I look forward to meeting/seeing you all there.

 

[Soba]

Can somebody please post or send me a packing list for OBC? I'm army, leaving this Sunday for OBC, but have yet to receive this info and don't want to struggle getting it even more last minute that I am already. Thanks in advance and I look forward to meeting/seeing you all there.

Here is the OBC/OBLC website where you can find the packing information:
http://www.cs.amedd.army.mil/obc/1RCOBLC.htm

Hope it is helpful!

 

[mcaliboyw]

The "room + board" you speak of is known as TLE. You can get 10 days total hotel bills paid for on either side of your move. It's basically there so that if you get to the place before your "stuff" does then you're not sleeping on the floor. You will have to ask for a the "TLE Form" when filling out your travel claim and receipts are required.

Is this branch specific or does everyone get it?

 

[DrMetal]

Is this branch specific or does everyone get it?

applies to all, see http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/perdiem/faqtle.html

(the rest of this faq is pretty good too).

But here's what I just found out, you have to request TLE and DLA, from your previous command (it's a request chit, somewhere in your PCS paperwork, which you can obtain from your current PSD). So your commands signs off on it, then you turn it in with your travel claim when you check into your new command.

 

[SirGecko]

Thought I'd post here too that I just got in off of the Navy waitlist. (yeah!)

 

[Spring1644]

Hey SirGecko, may I ask who gave you the call? thanks.

 

[SirGecko]

Hey SirGecko, may I ask who gave you the call? thanks.

It was Joan Stearman.

 

[skim87]

Hey guys, I got my orders through email today and I had a couple questions:

1) When do we do the HIV screening?
2) How do we get an "oath of office" and do we do this before ODS?

Thanks in advance for the help

 

[DrMetal]

Hey guys, I got my orders through email today and I had a couple questions:

1) When do we do the HIV screening?

That's an interesting question, I'm sure you have an interesting reason for asking it! I don't remember if they do an HIV screening at ODS (people who have been there more recently would know, try posting on the ODS thread). But you had to have one done during your initial physical for commissioning. And you'll have it done periodically (once every 2 years, maybe more frequently for certain jobs/communities) while you're in the mil . . . BTW if a servicemember is HIV positive, that usually results in a swift medical discharge. So if you or someone you know thinks he/she might be HIV positive, it would probably be best to determine that now than a year down the line when you'll surely get snagged outta USUHS.

2) How do we get an "oath of office" and do we do this before ODS?

Thanks in advance for the help

Before is better. You just need another officer to swear you in. Recruiting officers in your local area can serve that function just fine.

 

[notdeadyet]

BTW if a servicemember is HIV positive, that usually results in a swift medical discharge.

That's not actually true.

For active duty folks, if you test HIV-positive while you are on active duty, you are not discharged unless you are declared "medically unfit for duty". You can have CONUS duty assignments but can't work most combat specialties. You shouldn't be medically discharged against your will unless you have a comorbidity that prohibits you from doing your job. As long as you meet retention standards (AR 40-501 for the Army), you can stay in. This became policy as of 1990.

Last stat I heard (about five years old) is that 1-2 per 10K servicepeople are serving HIV positive. This is about 10% of the HIV rate in general population.

 

[DrMetal]

That's not actually true.

For active duty folks, if you test HIV-positive while you are on active duty, you are not discharged unless you are declared "medically unfit for duty".

Interesting. Doesn't having HIV = "medically unfit for duty" , I thought it did.

You can have CONUS duty assignments but can't work most combat specialties.

Ok. So won't this preclude you from being in the MC, where you're expected to go OCONUS and work in combat situations, at some point in your career?

Side question: What kind of careers can HIV physicians do (in either civi or milmed)? Are they prohibited from very invasive specs, like surgery?

You shouldn't be medically discharged against your will unless you have a comorbidity that prohibits you from doing your job. As long as you meet retention standards (AR 40-501 for the Army), you can stay in. This became policy as of 1990.

So you're saying they wont let you join from the onset if you have HIV . . .but if you come to acquire it during service, they'll keep you for retention purposes? You sure about that? I though HIV was a 'Pandora's Box' that the mil just doesn't want to touch, and so would rather discharge HIV members than deal with the liabilities . . .

 

[SirGecko]

Dr. Metal, what I've been told about HIV in the military corroborates notdeadyet's statement. Apparently it still kills your career because you can't be stationed outside of the US (not sure what the effect would be on a doctor) but they don't discharge you automatically.

 

[notdeadyet]

Interesting. Doesn't having HIV = "medically unfit for duty" , I thought it did.

Nope. HIV doesn't cut it. Diseases that you might catch being immunodeficient might do the trick though.

Ok. So won't this preclude you from being in the MC, where you're expected to go OCONUS and work in combat situations, at some point in your career?

No, any branch fits that bill. You would be considered non-deployable. The only branch that you are specifically prohibited from serving in is combat arm specialties.

Side question: What kind of careers can HIV physicians do (in either civi or milmed)? Are they prohibited from very invasive specs, like surgery?

No clue.

So you're saying they wont let you join from the onset if you have HIV . . .but if you come to acquire it during service, they'll keep you

Yes. This isn't unusual. There's a whole host of diseases that will DQ you from joining, but they will not kick you out for acquiring. Any psych meds will keep you out, but a huge number of active duty servicepeople are prescribed them once they're in. This isn't unusual.

for retention purposes?

I don't know how much of it is for retention purposes and how much of it is the fact that it is hard to kick someone out of their job for a disease that doesn't affect their ability to do their job.

I though HIV was a 'Pandora's Box' that the mil just doesn't want to touch, and so would rather discharge HIV members than deal with the liabilities . . .

Last I heard, the U.S. military had a few thousand people serving with HIV. You can do a quick google search to verify the policy (not being flippant, I just don't have the links in front of me).

 

[DrMetal]

hmm, ok thanks for the info.

So, (to bring the thread back on track), what would you advise a HIV-positive student thinking about doing USUHS/HPSP? (assuming they contracted after their initial physicial and before matriculation) Advise to go through with it, or go the civi route???

 

[skim87]

lol i was just asking to see if we needed to get our blood checked before ODS. I heard you need to do that along with hep/alcohol/etc. It also said something about it in my orders...

 

[DrMetal]

lol i was just asking to see if we needed to get our blood checked before ODS. I heard you need to do that along with hep/alcohol/etc. It also said something about it in my orders...

figured as much . . .but it's a good discussion to have on the thread anyway . . .for future students.

 

[scooter02]

Hi everyone... I am new to the mil med board and applying for fall 2010. I was just looking over the secondary application for USUHS and noticed that "current use of any psychotropic or psychoactive drug for any reason is disqualifying."

I am on a low dose of Celexa for mild/moderate anxiety (some of which I swear is related to this whole medical school process, plus I just got married and had to plan all that over the last year as well).

Obviously if I am lucky enough to get an interview and had to do the physical, I would stop taking the meds. I am wondering if it matters WHEN I stop. A year, a month, a day before the physical? Do they just take your word for it?

Thanks so much!!!

 

[notdeadyet]

Obviously if I am lucky enough to get an interview and had to do the physical, I would stop taking the meds. I am wondering if it matters WHEN I stop. A year, a month, a day before the physical? Do they just take your word for it?

You need to be off of your meds for one year. I was told that you need to also either have a letter from your physician or do a consult giving you a clear bill of health without the meds (during the physical process), but I'd get that confirmed.

 

[silverhorse84]

I posted this in the c/o 2013 tread too, but some may not go over there (but you should!). I'm non-prior, Navy, and I got my orders this morning via email from LCDR Bristol. Haven't looked over them much yet (and I've got quite a bit planned for today already), but I can try to answer questions 😛

 

[Apocales]

Just a quick question,
Are than any former 18 series on here?
Chris

 

[UofU2009]

Army - Do we need to take our class A uniforms (dress blues) to Ft Sam?

 

[LikesScience]

Army - Do we need to take our class A uniforms (dress blues) to Ft Sam?

Nope.

 

[CUBR]

Quick question, what is the deferring to civilian residencies looking like out of USU? Extremely rare?

 

[Gastrapathy]

hmm, ok thanks for the info.

So, (to bring the thread back on track), what would you advise a HIV-positive student thinking about doing USUHS/HPSP? (assuming they contracted after their initial physicial and before matriculation) Advise to go through with it, or go the civi route???

An HIV+ individual would not be eligible for accession into the military. There are different standards for accession and retention.

 

[TheGoose]

Quick question, what is the deferring to civilian residencies looking like out of USU? Extremely rare?

slim to none

 

[backrow]

Quick question, what is the deferring to civilian residencies looking like out of USU? Extremely rare?

slim, extremely rare, you name it. I know of one recent navy grad who was deferred, other than that I haven't heard of it at all.

 

[deegs]

slim, extremely rare, you name it. I know of one recent navy grad who was deferred, other than that I haven't heard of it at all.

same as what the above posters are saying. This year, one VERY high-speed AF grad got deferred for ENT.

 

[BigD311]

I seriously messed up my MCAT with a 24 (8 8 8 Q). Pretty competitive application for USUHS otherwise. Avg GPA for the school. Very strong ECs and LORs. Strong clinical research for the US govt. Lots of leadership and about 7 years of clinical experience...thousands of hours as an EMT, etc etc

I am going into my 4th year and USUHS is my top choice. Is it worth just trying to apply to only USUHS this cycle and see what happens. Regardless I am going to take my MCAT again, but I am curious to see if my application overall will grab someones attention long enough to get me for an interview.

Opinions?

 

[notdeadyet]

I seriously messed up my MCAT with a 24 (8 8 8 Q). Pretty competitive application for USUHS otherwise. Avg GPA for the school. Very strong ECs and LORs. Strong clinical research for the US govt. Lots of leadership and about 7 years of clinical experience...thousands of hours as an EMT, etc etc

I am going into my 4th year and USUHS is my top choice. Is it worth just trying to apply to only USUHS this cycle and see what happens. Regardless I am going to take my MCAT again, but I am curious to see if my application overall will grab someones attention long enough to get me for an interview.

Opinions?

Sorry to hear you got spanked by the MCAT. It's a tough test. Something to keep in mind, though:

Med schools (incl USUHS) care a lot less about research than they let on and leadership and clinical experience are essentially check-boxes that schools want to see applicants have checked. And everyone has them. How much or what flavor doesn't really matter. EMT is a common background (myself included).

MCAT and GPA are the biggies. If you are average in one and well below average in another, it's a problem. Your ECs might do the trick if they are phenomenal (mayor of a town, holder of significant patent, professional athelete, MOH winner, etc.) but otherwise, the school should be considered a reach. Not to say it can't be done (the stars sometimes align) but it's a reach school.

Applying to schools you'd like to attend before your application is ready is considered a bad strategy. The reason is that schools, right or wrong, view re-applicants differently than they do first time applicants. Not to say that they won't take you on reapplication, but you run the risk of them viewing your application differently. This is not a USUHS thing, it's a medical school thing.

I would not recommend applying to med school until you're ready. If you think that your 28 is pretty reflective of your abilities, then go ahead and apply. But if you think it isn't reflective, I'd suggest not applying to your dream school with the hope of rolling the dice, because your odds may go down as a reapplicant.

 

[BigD311]

i essentially would be relying on my ECs and LORs. I have been told they are phenomenal so if you are interested in knowing what they are before commenting just PM me. Some of them are fairly unique and they make it easy to find out name's of people.

 

[notdeadyet]

i essentially would be relying on my ECs and LORs.

Yeah, that's a problem. ECs and LORs are great and supplement an application, but do not compensate for a very weak GPA or MCAT. GPA shows your work ethic. MCAT shows your aptitude for med school.

If anything, MCAT is taken more seriously, because it is the great equalizer that compares apples to apples. A 24 is well below what's considered average at any US allopathic medical school. At many schools, this will get your application immediately tossed out of fear that you will not be able to get through med school, regardless of your GPA, ECs or LORs.

Now, if 24 is all you are capable of, I say go for it, but definitely apply to DO schools, which are more forgiving of things like MCAT and put more value in things like life experience. But a few months ago, on this thread, you mentioned you were doing great on practice tests. That indicates you can probably do better than 24. And if that's the case, retake and do better before applying to your dream med school or else you'll potentially slam shut doors.

I have been told they are phenomenal so if you are interested in knowing what they are before commenting just PM me.

You sound offended. I apologize if I hurt your feelings. But you asked if folks thought your applying to USUHS with your current app is a good idea. I just don't think it is, not when you're capable of having a much stronger one in another year.

And no need for PMs, you already laid out your application pretty clearly for us on this thread a few months ago on page 39:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=7975455

You have some great ECs and in a balanced app, it'll really help make you shine. But if you can pull better than a 24 on your MCAT, applying to your dream with a 24 is a bad idea because odds are very, very good you'll get denied and have to reapply. And your odds will go down second time around.

Many more people get sunk in this game by rushing things than taking them slow. Med schools admissions folks particularly hate to see evidence of someone rushing in an application. It makes you think that the applicant either isn't taking the process seriously or isn't taking your school very seriously. The former makes you worry about maturity and the latter makes you worry about matriculation.

Neither of these sound like they apply to you. Bite the bullet, study hard, do lots of practice tests and apply a year later. If you can pull up your MCAT by 5-6 points (which, granted, takes a lot of work), you'll be creating a lot of opportunities you'll be denied if you apply now.

Best of luck in your application and sorry if you had a bad test day. All it takes is an ill-timed flu or somesuch to push off a med school application for a year.

 

[BigD311]

Sorry if it seemed as though I was offended. That's not the case. I truly appreciate your advice. I was just hoping to see some additional feedback and wanted to give a more detailed view of my application. I agree with many of the things you had to say. Unfortunately, I think I rushed into my MCAT while taking on a lot of other things and as a result am forced to go at it once again. Whatever though, all things happen for a reason and I am confident things will work out.

Also, you say chances go down if you re-apply. Perhaps this is the case for some schools. However, when I visited USUHS and when I read the information booklet provided by the school they both said that re-applicants are reviewed in the same capacity as first time applicants except they are expected to have improved...understandably so. Where did you get your information from? Again, just trying to get the best information possible for my situation.

Pg 68-69 of the catalog:
Reapplication
Any applicant who reapplies in a subsequent year is evaluated and reviewed along with the entire applicant pool for that particular cycle of application and admission. Reapplicants are advised to enhance their competitive status by demonstrating to the admissions committee continued scholarly activity and clinical motivation. Such evidence includes any or all of the following: completion of additional academic coursework, repeat of the MCAT exam, expanded clinical exposure, 2-8. Medical School Admission Requirements and Application Procedures improved communication or interview skills, and additional contemporary lettersof recommendation. Simply resubmitting a previous application is unlikely to
increase one's competitive standing in a new application cycle.



The only reason why I consider applying with an 8 8 8 is because according to the MSAR, there are people accepted to USUHS with those numbers. If I am in the range, even if its the low end of it, with exceptional EC's, then I am just trying to see if its possible that one of those students could be me. Understand where I am getting at?

It sucks that I am looking to apply while preparing to be rejected but I got into my current University on a wish and a prayer because it was a "far reach" according to my HS guidance counselor...so who knows anyway, right? Everyone says med school admissions is a crap shoot anyway.

Regardless of what I decide, I am going to retake the MCAT and bring up my GPA, and continue to improve my application significantly. Just want to see if other people think giving it a go this cycle for USUHS is worth it.

 

[notdeadyet]

I agree with many of the things you had to say. Unfortunately, I think I rushed into my MCAT while taking on a lot of other things and as a result am forced to go at it once again.

Yep. More folks die of indigestion through this process than starvation, you know?

However, when I visited USUHS and when I read the information booklet provided by the school they both said that re-applicants are reviewed in the same capacity as first time applicants except they are expected to have improved...

Right. It's tougher the second time because they are expected to have done better by the next go 'round.

This is true of all schools. Which is why it's just a generally bad idea to apply before you're ready. If you are within a close grasp, but think waiting a year would eke out another point or two on the MCAT, I say go for it. But if your app is a longshot for the first go-round and you're confident that you could get within close range if you retook the MCAT, retaking the MCAT is the wiser choice.

But there's lots of different ways to skin a cat, so good luck with whatever you decide.

The only reason why I consider applying with an 8 8 8 is because according to the MSAR, there are people accepted to USUHS with those numbers.

Do they show MCAT as a single number? In my day, they displayed a range for each subject, which was pretty meaningless, because folks would look and say, "Wow! They took someone with a 7!" without realizing that the cat could have gotten 12's in the other two subjects. Glad they moved to a single number.

Unfortunately, I wouldn't put much faith in what the lowest matriculant had, because it's not that telling. Who knows what the rest of his application looked like? Also, are you a URM? Sometimes schools are more foregiving of low performance on standardized tests in order to make their school body more representative of the country's demographics.

But again, I'm sure other folks would disagree. I think applying to a school with the thinking that you'll be reapplying is a bad strategy. Maybe an MCAT of 24 is acceptable for USUHS. I don't go there, so I can't say. It wouldn't be at most schools, but USUHS might be different.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

 

[DrMetal]

Maybe an MCAT of 24 is acceptable for USUHS.

It's not. There were applicants with 28,29 MCATs that were rejected or placed on the alternate list during this last cycle (read back in the thread).

IMO, a 24 MCAT would definitely be a show-stopper, unless you have a ~4.0 GPA and had some adverse circumstances at the time of your MCAT (which you'd have to thoroughly explain).

Take it again, study and prep more, you'll probably do better, no big deal if you wait a year to apply, take some time off!

 

[177584]

same as what the above posters are saying. This year, one VERY high-speed AF grad got deferred for ENT.

Not sure if this poster was meaning to say civilian sponsored.....there is a very subtle difference but it does matter. There are 7 ENT slots for USAF students to compete for from USUHS. However 3 of them are automatically taken off the table because they are civilian deferred. USUHS grads cannot get deferred slots however they can get civilian sponsored. Main difference is the Air Force pays the sponsored slots deferred essentially means educationaly delay before coming on active duty...as USUHS you're already on active duty.

Again this is a subtle difference and in fields like medicine where they are hurting for candidates to fill slots it makes no differnece but if you're interested in ENT like me then cutting 7 to 4 is kind of a big deal. (This year 2 military 2 civ sponsored 3 civ def. for ENT)

 

[177584]

It's not. There were applicants with 28,29 MCATs that were rejected or placed on the alternate list during this last cycle (read back in the thread).

There are exceptions to every rule but I think 24 will probably not cut it. I had 29R and was waitlisted when I applied in 05. Not sure if this is still the case but back when I took it 24 was the middle of the pack average. I do know of some who got in with 26 ro 27 though so you're not far off.

 

[SirGecko]

It's not. There were applicants with 28,29 MCATs that were rejected or placed on the alternate list during this last cycle (read back in the thread).

IMO, a 24 MCAT would definitely be a show-stopper, unless you have a ~4.0 GPA and had some adverse circumstances at the time of your MCAT (which you'd have to thoroughly explain).

Take it again, study and prep more, you'll probably do better, no big deal if you wait a year to apply, take some time off!

+1

A 24 isn't really going to cut it at any US MD school. (not to say that it doesn't happen, but the vast vast majority of people with 24's will not get in to medical school) I'd take the year to improve the MCAT and then apply. You would really be shooting yourself in the foot to apply with that MCAT if you feel you can do better. (it isn't like your GPA where it takes forever to improve it, you just need to do well on one test)

 

[mathlegend]

I wear glasses....will that stop me from being accepted into USUHS/HPSP? And what are the physical standards? I'm only going to be a junior in high school now, so nothing is set, and I have time to improve.

 

[177584]

I wear glasses....will that stop me from being accepted into USUHS/HPSP? And what are the physical standards? I'm only going to be a junior in high school now, so nothing is set, and I have time to improve.

You can get into USUHS regardless of wearing eyeglasses....not sure what you mean by physical standards but you can be overweight to a certain point I have no clue what the cutoff is. You don't have to be in shape either but you're expeted to get in shape and stay that way as an officer in the military...I have to say they are not all that strict when it comes to the medical core expcept in the Navy

 

[mathlegend]

Thanks. Physical standards, such as some sort of test that includes running, push up, sit ups I guess. Not sure how fast I can run 1.5 miles or 2 miles and I can't do perfect pushups (90 degree angle). Navy is more strict than Army for medical corps physical standards?

 

[mcclesm]

How disadvantaged is the (average stats, prior service) applicant who submits secondaries mid-September?

 

[Upgrayedd]

How disadvantaged is the (average stats, prior service) applicant who submits secondaries mid-September?

Not terribly. Try for the end of August though...