Class of 2020 - HPSP Scholarship Applicants (Navy/Army/Air Force)

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BobbyBeavis said:
Perhaps you were right, but on the contrary. My classmates whom received or were thinking of applying for the HPSP are now skeptical due to the Trump victory.
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Many classmates who wanted the scholarship/plan on joining after graduation came out on saying that they will no longer pursue a military career because of Trump.
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I have been selected for the 3 year Air Force HPSP scholarship. I had to get a waiver for having previous back pain. I went to MEPS and everything was all good there. As part of my initial waiver, I have to have a range of motion consultation with an orthopedic doctor from MEPS. Does anyone know what the consultations are like? My recruiter told me they wouldn't give you a consultation unless they thought you were going to pass it and that is more of a formality to cover themselves in case anything were to happen to you in the future. Does anyone know if that is true?

thanks for the help!
 
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I haven't found a specific answer to the question I'm about to ask, so here it is with some relevant background:

First of all, I am at this point only 'strongly considering' applying to the Army HPSP. I understand the financial incentives during school and residency, but beyond the payback period I am a little confused. People have stated that going the military route is not wise for those only going for financial reasons, and I agree. The commitment is a serious one and although I have always been curious about military service, I am by no means a die-hard military person who has always dreamed of being in the service. Once I got into medical school and started crunching numbers, the HPSP became more and more attractive.

However, people have stated repeatedly that it only works out as a net positive if one goes into a primary care field as military doctors earn similar salaries regardless of specialty (i.e. surgeons earn based on rank/years of service rather than specialty). So I could theoretically earn $100k's more as a civilian physician in my desired field. The problem is, no one really mentions whether or not a physician who trained through the military route can return to a civilian practice once the years of payback are completed. Why couldn't one go through HPSP, complete all required payback and service (8-11 years or w/e it is), and then join a civilian practice and earn civilian wages? What am I missing in regards to why, for example, a military orthopedic surgeon could complete contractual obligations for HPSP and then go and join a private, civilian practice and make $700k/year?
 
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RainbowGolf93 said:
I haven't found a specific answer to the question I'm about to ask, so here it is with some relevant background:

First of all, I am at this point only 'strongly considering' applying to the Army HPSP. I understand the financial incentives during school and residency, but beyond the payback period I am a little confused. People have stated that going the military route is not wise for those only going for financial reasons, and I agree. The commitment is a serious one and although I have always been curious about military service, I am by no means a die-hard military person who has always dreamed of being in the service. Once I got into medical school and started crunching numbers, the HPSP became more and more attractive.

However, people have stated repeatedly that it only works out as a net positive if one goes into a primary care field as military doctors earn similar salaries regardless of specialty (i.e. surgeons earn based on rank/years of service rather than specialty). So I could theoretically earn $100k's more as a civilian physician in my desired field. The problem is, no one really mentions whether or not a physician who trained through the military route can return to a civilian practice once the years of payback are completed. Why couldn't one go through HPSP, complete all required payback and service (8-11 years or w/e it is), and then join a civilian practice and earn civilian wages? What am I missing in regards to why, for example, a military orthopedic surgeon could complete contractual obligations for HPSP and then go and join a private, civilian practice and make $700k/year?
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Not sure if you realize it or not, you posted this in the Military Dental Forum.
 
@USArmyHPSP

Oops. I got linked here from another thread that stated this one is similar. I apologize. That said, I think the general answer to my question would be similar for dental and medical professions. Can an HPSP dentist, then, return to civilian practice after fulfilling payback?
 
RainbowGolf93 said:
@USArmyHPSP

Oops. I got linked here from another thread that stated this one is similar. I apologize. That said, I think the general answer to my question would be similar for dental and medical professions. Can an HPSP dentist, then, return to civilian practice after fulfilling payback?
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I'm confident @USArmyHPSP provided you an excellent response with all the details. I'm just going to mention a little here for future folks looking for info.

Once your obligation is finished, you're done. You sign a contract with the government that is legally binding and you must abide by the conditions set forth in it.
Once your contract is nearing completion, you are not required to renew. As long as you have fulfilled your obligation to the military, they will not force you to stay.

Yes, STOP LOSS is a thing. But there are lots of rules surrounding it and is very unlikely. But I also can not predict what things will look like ~20 years in the future.

If you're talking about doing orthopedics, you're looking at parting ways from Active Duty around 2032. I'm too lazy to look it up right now, but is it ~6 years? Assuming you match into an ortho program straight out of school (from my understanding is unlikely; for anyone, not you specifically). Again, that is the absolute fastest. It is more likely around 2035ish.

If you are Class of 2020, I believe you are no longer eligible. If there are any 3 year slots remaining, I would guess that packages have been submitted and the spots are filling up fast, if not gone already.

I hope this helped a little. But in case my info conflicts with @USArmyHPSP I would listen to his guidance as he is the subject matter expert.
 
Anybody hear back about the 3 year army scholarships yet? My recruiter said should be around Jan 1st, could be before or after... Just wondering if anybody else might have heard something about the board processing time. lol the wait is killing me :shifty:
 
Just got the call, I was selected for the Navy 4-year HPSP scholarship AND 4-year HSCP! Woohoo!
 
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schmoob said:
I'm confident @USArmyHPSP provided you an excellent response with all the details. I'm just going to mention a little here for future folks looking for info.

Once your obligation is finished, you're done. You sign a contract with the government that is legally binding and you must abide by the conditions set forth in it.
Once your contract is nearing completion, you are not required to renew. As long as you have fulfilled your obligation to the military, they will not force you to stay.

Yes, STOP LOSS is a thing. But there are lots of rules surrounding it and is very unlikely. But I also can not predict what things will look like ~20 years in the future.

If you're talking about doing orthopedics, you're looking at parting ways from Active Duty around 2032. I'm too lazy to look it up right now, but is it ~6 years? Assuming you match into an ortho program straight out of school (from my understanding is unlikely; for anyone, not you specifically). Again, that is the absolute fastest. It is more likely around 2035ish.

If you are Class of 2020, I believe you are no longer eligible. If there are any 3 year slots remaining, I would guess that packages have been submitted and the spots are filling up fast, if not gone already.

I hope this helped a little. But in case my info conflicts with @USArmyHPSP I would listen to his guidance as he is the subject matter expert.
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When desert storm ended there was a drawback and then Bosnia happened...a lot of people were doing stop loss tours. When Iraqi freedom was full stride, we saw a lot of officers being retained past their active duty obligation. It's impossible to say that wont happen again especially if Trump does something stupid. Just my 2 cents... the medical HPSP is not worth it financially - no freaking way. Medical specialists are underpaid and over worked. You might do okay if you're doing out-patient or clinic family medicine but get ready to deal with the 438947389 kids these young military kids are having. Dental is another story - I whole heartily believe it's worth it for the money. Even if you absolutely hate the military or don't believe in the systems or regulations in play, suck it because the government just gave you a million dollars essentially to grind 4 years chair-side. Nothing is harder than dental school and I do believe the majority of HPSP dentists find their experiences worthwhile. And Schmoob is correct, when you're in your last year, HRC (human resources command) will usually contact you and ask what you want to do. If you want to put in a UQR (unqualified resignation) no one is going to stop you. Unless you're stop loss'ed..lol
 
Bis-GMA111 said:
get your packets in EARLY. definitely gives you a higher chance of getting it as i was told, since you're not competing with as many applicants. good luck and if any of you have questions about the hpsp (army or navy) be sure to send me a message. i'll be glad to help! cheers.
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When should I call the recruiter and start the whole process? I'm planning to apply to a dental school this summer and hopefully start going to a dental school next year.
 
I remember calling my recruiter at 8 in the morning, the day AADSAS opened up

In fact give them a call as soon as you can since it is a lot of paperwork. They'll either get the application started right away or they'll have you call back when they're ready to begin the process.
 
sooj123 said:
When should I call the recruiter and start the whole process? I'm planning to apply to a dental school this summer and hopefully start going to a dental school next year.
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The right time is now. Some recruiters may want you to have a DAT score before staring your application to ensure you're in the competitive range, but the Army is already recruiting for HPSP for your timeframe.
 
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How long after you completed MEPS did you come back from your board review? I completed MEPS in November and it is now April and I still have not come back from board review. I am a Navy applicant. I have called my recruiter every month and he keeps saying the same thing, you are just pending board review.
 
Phil4real_865 said:
How long after you completed MEPS did you come back from your board review? I completed MEPS in November and it is now April and I still have not come back from board review. I am a Navy applicant. I have called my recruiter every month and he keeps saying the same thing, you are just pending board review.
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The date of MEPS completion is not a good indication of when you will hear back. The important date is when your application was 100% completed and submitted for board review.
 
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Hey guys,
Applying for 4yr Army HPSP scholarship, have an acceptance from a DO school. My packet is complete and going for board review on April 4th. Anyone have any idea how many spots are open still, if any? How long has it been taking to hear back this cycle?
I know most of the talk on here if for dental school but hopefully some medical people are around!
 
faheyra9 said:
Hey guys,
Applying for 4yr Army HPSP scholarship, have an acceptance from a DO school. My packet is complete and going for board review on April 4th. Anyone have any idea how many spots are open still, if any? How long has it been taking to hear back this cycle?
I know most of the talk on here if for dental school but hopefully some medical people are around!
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Those boards are separate and no one here will have that info.
 
An M1 here who just got selected for a 3-year HPSP a couple of weeks ago, just wanted to ask how long is the average wait time to get a security clearance?
 
After starting this process for the Navy I completed my entire application and submitted and was only pending board review. It has been over 4 months since I was submitted for board review. My recruiter did not return my emails or phone calls. I am about to start medical school in 2 months and I needed answers on the status of my scholarship. I contacted my financial aid office who, after calling twice, was able to get a hold of my recruiter. I was then told by the Financial aid office, not by my recruiter, that my recruiter did not think I was a competitive applicant. This was after he reassured me that was getting the scholarship just 4 months earlier. I came to the Navy in good faith that I would be treated better than this. However, I still want to serve. What do I do next?
 
Phil4real_865 said:
After starting this process for the Navy I completed my entire application and submitted and was only pending board review. It has been over 4 months since I was submitted for board review. My recruiter did not return my emails or phone calls. I am about to start medical school in 2 months and I needed answers on the status of my scholarship. I contacted my financial aid office who, after calling twice, was able to get a hold of my recruiter. I was then told by the Financial aid office, not by my recruiter, that my recruiter did not think I was a competitive applicant. This was after he reassured me that was getting the scholarship just 4 months earlier. I came to the Navy in good faith that I would be treated better than this. However, I still want to serve. What do I do next?
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If I were in your shoes, I would call this recruiter's supervisor, ask to set up an in-person meeting with the supervisor, and explain everything you just wrote.

I would request a new recruiter as well and get a clear, written plan moving forward (possibly for the 3-year HPSP).
 
Phil4real_865 said:
After starting this process for the Navy I completed my entire application and submitted and was only pending board review. It has been over 4 months since I was submitted for board review. My recruiter did not return my emails or phone calls. I am about to start medical school in 2 months and I needed answers on the status of my scholarship. I contacted my financial aid office who, after calling twice, was able to get a hold of my recruiter. I was then told by the Financial aid office, not by my recruiter, that my recruiter did not think I was a competitive applicant. This was after he reassured me that was getting the scholarship just 4 months earlier. I came to the Navy in good faith that I would be treated better than this. However, I still want to serve. What do I do next?
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For one thing I'd ask in the military medicine section instead of the dentistry section.
 
So my recruiter called today and said there was a miscommunication; apparently I didn't receive the 4 year HPSP like I'd been told originally. They've offered me the HCSP instead. School starts for me in like 2 weeks so I'm freaking out. Can't believe this happened!
 
Phil4real_865 said:
After starting this process for the Navy I completed my entire application and submitted and was only pending board review. It has been over 4 months since I was submitted for board review. My recruiter did not return my emails or phone calls. I am about to start medical school in 2 months and I needed answers on the status of my scholarship. I contacted my financial aid office who, after calling twice, was able to get a hold of my recruiter. I was then told by the Financial aid office, not by my recruiter, that my recruiter did not think I was a competitive applicant. This was after he reassured me that was getting the scholarship just 4 months earlier. I came to the Navy in good faith that I would be treated better than this. However, I still want to serve. What do I do next?
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Does branch matter to you? Private message me ASAP, there are still a few spots for the Army. No guarantee we can get you ready in time but since you have already put a packet together it may not take much effort to get you to the board as fast as possible.
 
Dewey2012 said:
So my recruiter called today and said there was a miscommunication; apparently I didn't receive the 4 year HPSP like I'd been told originally. They've offered me the HCSP instead. School starts for me in like 2 weeks so I'm freaking out. Can't believe this happened!
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Did you ever receive a final select letter? Or were you just professionally recommended?
 
O Gaúcho said:
Did you ever receive a final select letter? Or were you just professionally recommended?
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I guess just professionally recommended? He said I was actually an alternate but my name wasnt labeled correctly or something on board results
 
Armyhealth said:
Does branch matter to you? Private message me ASAP, there are still a few spots for the Army. No guarantee we can get you ready in time but since you have already put a packet together it may not take much effort to get you to the board as fast as possible.
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Are the spots for dental or medical?

Dewey2012 said:
So my recruiter called today and said there was a miscommunication; apparently I didn't receive the 4 year HPSP like I'd been told originally. They've offered me the HCSP instead. School starts for me in like 2 weeks so I'm freaking out. Can't believe this happened!
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damn dude that's rough
ask if you got a chance as an alternate for the 3 year one
 
RainbowGolf93 said:
@USArmyHPSP

Oops. I got linked here from another thread that stated this one is similar. I apologize. That said, I think the general answer to my question would be similar for dental and medical professions. Can an HPSP dentist, then, return to civilian practice after fulfilling payback?
Click to expand...

Rainbow, most who take the HPSP do return to civilian practice after the payback years. The retention rate overall is around 30ish percent for HPSP recipients regardless of dental/medical/optometry/veterinary/clinical psych. I had four medical, 1 dental and 1 veterinary HPSP awarded the scholarship this year only two out of the six have any ideas of making it a career.
 
Sounds about right. Out of my class of 10 AEGD residents 6 are out, the 7th is getting out soon, and the rest of us are back in residency and will be around a while.
 
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