Usuhs

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

AubreyMaturin

Senior Member
10+ Year Member
5+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2005
Messages
113
Reaction score
1
Although most of the people on this site are interested in HPSP, there are still a number of us who are thinking about, or going to, USUHS. And there seems to be alot of people right now trying to decide between USUHS and HPSP as may 15 is fast approaching. So I am going to start a USUHS sticky (as soon as I figure out how to make a sticky).

Please post your experiences, opintions, and any info/ideas about attending USUHS on this thread so that we can provide info for people who need it.

Members don't see this ad.
 
Thank you for starting this thread! You are awesome!
 
I went to undergrad on a ROTC scholarship at Cal Berkeley, and my dad was a Navy doctor (flight surgery/medicine resident/allergy-immunology fellowship so I thought I knew what I was getting into. At the time, there were 2 big Naval air stations in the Bay Area, a Navy teaching hospital, a big naval station, a big sub-base, and probably more stuff that I've since forgotten. Anyway, I thought getting back to California would be a sure thing. My second or third year of med school was the last year they accepted interns for the Oakland program.

Going to USU was a big adjustment for me - I'd come from a pretty diverse and tolerant atmosphere to the place where straight white conservative Christian males were the rule, not the exception. I am/was straight and Christian, but really felt like I stuck out. I was also an engineer as an undergrad, so there was a pretty steep learning curve for me that first term in Bethesda. I started playing rugby for the school and made some friends from the various year groups at school, as well as some residents, attendings, and various flavors of staffers, which gave me a pretty good perspective on lots of things. (Yes, pre-clinicals suck, but you need to learn it and be able to regurgitate it. Yes - wearing the short white coats in the hospital makes you an object of ridicule, but it's a rite of passage. Yes - the plastic black shoes and polyester uniforms are the most hideous clothes ever designed for women, and they do make you look fat. Use your wit and personality to meet men. Yes - some of the military's rules seem ******ed to you, but when you're taking 100,000 people to war, it might make sense to you some day. So don't date that corpsman.) I got thru school, and looking back, I had a really good time.

I did a surgery internship in Virginia. It wasn't San Diego, but it was the best place for me as an intern, as I am a "learn by doing" person, and I did a truck load of procedures. From what I remember, I worked a lot. And it sucked. But I came out a pretty good doctor with awesome surgical skills.

I did a tour with the Marine Air Wing in North Carolina, and decided that I wanted to be a physiatrist. I kissed up to the Navy specialty leader and the Walter Reed Program. I did research and presented at a national conference. I took care of the Marines and did a reasonably good job of being one of their officers. When I applied for PMR, I got selected. However, the Navy in its infinite wisdom decided to stop training PMR residents, and sent me back to the fleet.

So now I"m finishing my obligated service as a flight surgeon, and saving a lot of my salary for the distant future when I become a poorly paid resident. I've talked to a couple PDs who seem interested in me. In the meantime, I try to stay clinically relevant by moonlighting a little, volunteering in the local community health clinic, taking the opportunities for research when they pop up (about one good project every two years or so), teaching ATLS and ACLS, and putting on conferences for my fellow operational doctors. I'm reasonably accepting of the fact that when I finally do become a resident, I"ll likely be older than all my classmates, most of the other residents, and probably a good number of the attendings.

So, no I didn't get what I wanted. I am not a kick ass Navy orthopaedic surgeon living in Northern California. Not even remotely. But I got a really good education, met some good friends, got some not-so-great experiences and some really great experiences. I'm glad I took the route I did, but I made a lot of compromises. It depends on what you want, and what you are willing to give up. Think about it.

Trix
 
Members don't see this ad :)
trixmd said:
When I applied for PMR, I got selected. However, the Navy in its infinite wisdom decided to stop training PMR residents, and sent me back to the fleet.

So now I"m finishing my obligated service as a flight surgeon, and saving a lot of my salary for the distant future when I become a poorly paid resident.

You got screwed. I know you're trying to put the best light on this, but I want everyone thinking about USUHS/HPSP to know that bad things happen to good people on military scholarships.

PS: CaliGrl, remember in your other thread about how you wanted to get back to California? Read that post and choose carefully knowing you have a very good chance of not getting a California residency or billet. In the civilian world, that's simply not the case (though it depends on your specialty of choice--PM&R is not competitive in the civilian world, but very much so in the military).
 
Sometimes, I feel like I got screwed. Royally. No candlelit dinner, no dancing, no wine. S_C_R_E_W_E_D. But many other times, I feel really lucky. I got school (college and medical school, mind you), fees and books paid for and drew a salary. I got a great education. I"m a really good clinician. I've gotten to know some amazing people, both inside and outside the white doctor coat. I get to do some really fun things. Last month, I spent a week tromping around a snow covered mountain, learning how to survive in the snow and take care of patients in austere conditions. (Without bringing them in from the cold. I don't remember that part coming up in Tintinelli..) Tomorrow, I'm leaving for Key West to do 10 more days of arduous training... over spring break no less. Sometime in the next few month, I may get the opportunity to interview to be an aide for a congresssman or senator for a year. Very few people are offered chances like these outside of the military, much less doctors. For that I am profoundly grateful and would not trade it away. I also make a little more than the average primary care provider, which is enough for me and my lifestyle right now.

Having said that, I seriously doubt that I will have a 20 year military career. This is because 1) I cannot train in the specialty in which I wish to work. 2) I don't have a lot of control over where my family lives (which means where my children will go to school) and if I get to see them every day (deployments, being a geo-bachelor, etc). 3) If worse comes to worst, my job will entail taking care of patients while being shot at. All of these things were acceptable to a younger, thinner, single, more adventuresome "me," but each passing day, I find that is not the case. So I"m willing to do the rest of my time and then part company with the Navy.

Going to USU or getting an HPSP scholarship opens up a world of possibilities, but nothing comes for free. You just have to decide what is important to you, and what you are willing to sacrifice.

I also want to clarify that I mis-typed something. I was selected for PMR, they canc'd the program, and left me out in the fleet. I never actually started the residency. Not sure if that makes a difference, but I wanted to set the record straight.

Trix
 
Military Medicine
If I needed justification for my decision to enter USUHS, I would not have to look further than my own family. My grandfathers where; a USN Admiral and USA Colinel. My father is a retired USN Captain. Now that I have found my career as a physician, joining the Navy is a good fit. However, there are more reasons why I am choosing military here some of the main ideas:

- Why USUHS? If I wanted to become an academic physician, I would go to Harvard or Duke. If I wanted to be a Primary doc, I would go to Wash U or Umass. I want to be a military officer and a physician, so I am going to USUHS. Just as Hopkins or Duke train you to be the best in the buissness, USUHS does the same but for a different buisness. I believe that USUHS is the best school in the country for miltary medcine.

- USUHS vs HPSP. I am choosing USUHS over HPSP because I am willing to give up career flexibility (mil vs civilian med) in order to have the most opportunity that I can in a specific career (military med). I believe that USUHS will give me a leg up over HPSP because I will become a part of military culture and learn how to get what I want out of it before I start practicing medicine. As an HPSPer I would spend most of my time on the outside, not truly integrating into military culture before I graduate. USUHS grads are, often overtly, given preference over HPSPers for residency and other opportunities. USUHS provides more opportunities to make the right connections early so that I can get to where I want to go (in terms of residency, station, etc...).

- Why military medicine? I am choosing military medicine over civilian becasue it is a perfect fit for me. I am flexible about my choice of specialty and can be happy doing just about anything. The military offers unique opportunities that the civilian world does not...I really want to spend time on the operational side of things GMOs etc... I think that I am a do-er not a think-er, so I would prefer to stay away from research (though I rule nothing out), and the miltary offers more physically demanding job opportunities as a physican

- Fulfilling a sense of patriotism. I want my patient base be people who are laying down their lives for our country. Some people really like kids so they want to be Peds, others really want to help the elerly so they go into geriatrics, I want to help those who work at securing our freedom. I feel this is my best contribution to society, and the career that I can be most proud of.

- moneymoneymoneymoney...MONEY. Although the pay as a military doc is quite lower (for the most part) than its civilian counterparts, I think that the military, USUHS especially, provides more financial security overall. If I was a civilian doctor, I would make my decisions about residency, specialty, and location based on $$$$, because I would be trying to pay off my 300,000+ interst loan before I retire. I would be driven by $$$, and always preocupied by it. I may never get rich, but I probably won't spend as much time worrying about $$$ either.

There are certainly other reasons for my decision, and my logic is certainly not infalible (or even logical). Bottom line...I want to be a career physician, and USUHS is the best option to pursue this goal.
 
I. What is USUHS?

- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences is a medical school that was created by congress for the purpose of educating miltary personal to become physicians in the Army, Navy (supports Marines), Air Force, and Public Health Agency. USUHS is located just outside of Washing to n D.C., next to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda MD.


II. Payback

- 7 year commitment, NOT INCLUDING internship + residency.
All in all: 4-years at USUHS + 1-year internship + 3-year (minimum) residency + 7-years payback = 15+ years in the military.
- USUHS = military career.


III. Benefits

- Rank of 0-1 with all entitlements while in med school. ~45,000$ per year, ~1500 of which is tax free. There is no rank progression while in school, but you are automatically promoted 0-3 upon graduation. For more info on pay as a military doc go to "HPSP FAQ" sticky

- The school has 0$ tuition, and most med school related expenses are covered...Lab fees, travel, books etc...


IV. Requirements as a student

- You are in uniform from day 1, no more civilian life.

- Strict rules of conduct, behavior, and physical fitness standards.

- School is all year around, no extended summer break. You start officer training over the summer before your first year of medical school.


V. Admission Criteria

(stats taken from US News and World Report)
- Avg GPA = 3.53
- Avg MCAT = 9.4 O composite
- Acceptance rate 15.5%

- Must pass physical standards exam
- Must pass National security inquiry

- 50% of all acceptances are people with prior/current military experience

For uncut info go to
http://usuhs.mil/
 
I've already posted my opinions of USUHS with the advantages clearly outweighting the disadvantanges...but just recently have I noticed one big disadvantage going the military route...I'm finding myself deciding what internship to apply to at the end of this year based on what provides the most opportunities in a military career vs. what really interests me. For example, Peds in the Navy is currently a dead end...unless things change. If I chose peds would I be screwing myself? Then there's Ob/gyn...great field...I'd be able to go straight through w/o a GMO. Would I be choosing this field with the prospect of becoming an attending in four years or b/c I truely enjoyed the rotation...hard to say. Then there's Gen Surg...my number one choice so far but looking ahead...I won't be able to make attending for about 7-8 yrs after graduating med school (1 yr internship, 2-3 yrs GMO- 4 yrs gen surgery). I'm actually looking forward to a GMO, but a big part of me would like to just go straight through residency. I've often wondered what route I'd choose if I was in civilian med school.

Just something to think about before making your decision.

I'm definitely glad I've chosen this route (not to mention I've been able to spend 3 months of third yr in Hawaii).

rotatores

USUHS 2006
 
Thank you to everyone for the comments. This is a very needed thread.

It seems that if you are interested in specialties that are needed in the military (IM, Cards, ID, Gen Surg, Rads, FP etc...) then USUHS is great. If you are hoping to be one of the few obscure navy subspecialists than it is a greater risk.

One benefit of USU over HPSP is that since you owe 7 years, a GMO tour won't add to your commitment.

The big civilian jobs will always be out there, whether you go to school on your own or serve in the military first, but this experience won't be.
 
If you want to get college paid form, and the military sounds interesting; you could take a 3-4yr HPSP, then serve 3-4yr GMO. Once you are finished with your GMO you would be free to enter civilian residency training. It would be possible to explore the military, and then be sure to train in the filed of your choice. This way you get college paid for, a solid paycheck for a couple of years after, and still get to make your own choices in the end.

This is not really an option with USUHS because you would have to do a 7-year GMO in order to pay back commitment. USUHS = military career no matter how you cut it. Even if USUHS students where given 1st choice in residencies, some programs do not exist or may be eliminated in the military. So if you want your career to hinge on a particular specialty then USUHS is a bad idea.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Please Disregard: I found the "Waitlisted at USUHS thread" Thanks anyway!


Well, I got the letter today saying that I was waitlisted for a spot at USUHS, meaning that I was recommended for acceptance but no slots were available. Does anyone have any experience with this? I'm just trying to figure out the liklihood of a slot opening up (e.g., someone drops for medical). You'd think they'd give the boot to a civie applicant over a current AD officer, but I guess them's the breaks :(
 
Put some thought into choosing your branch for USUHS before you fill out the preference sheet, it could make the difference of getting a spot or getting waitlisted. Especially if you interview late in the cycle. Here is a message from another thread discussing this.

( Courtesy of Celiac Plexus)
The following info on the USUHS waitlist was garnered from the adcom, and students there during the application cycle of 1998-9....

At your interview, you have to fill out a form on which you state your preference of branch assignment. Although there is some small print that basically says that you will consider any spot, this rank/preference thing is extrememly important for your acceptance chances to USUHS.

Here is how the adcom uses this info: they take your #1 choice and if you are accepted and pass all the physical/security crap, and if a spot is available in your #1 choice, they will offer that spot to you. If your #1 choice branch has no spot available then you are placed on the waitlist for that branch. Later on if a spot opens up in your #1 branch, and your name is at the top of the waitlist for that branch, then you will be offerred the spot.

So you can see how this preference plays a big role in whether you will get a spot. Let me give you an example in case you still don't see how the preference thing can work against you. Let's say 2 guys are accepted at the same time. Guy A put army at the top of his preference list. Guy B put air force at the top of his list. Even though these applicants are identical in every objective, and subjective way, the army guy gets an offer because there are open spaces in the army, and the air force guy gets waitlisted and never gets in because the air force waitlist never really moves.

When I applied in '98-'99 I put navy as my first choice. I was told by students there to put army as my first choice since the aramy has the most spots available, and has the biggest quota for USUHS... also the army waitlist moved a lot faster because of this. But I decided that if I was going to go to USUHS, I wanted to be in the navy (kind of a family tradition thing). I was accepted and placed on the navy waitlist. Well I got a call in June of '99 from the USUHS adcom asking me if I would be willing to take an army spot if one opened up. The lady fromt he adcom said that the army waitlist was the fastest moving list and it looked like the list would be exhausted any moment... there were only a couple of people left on the army waitlist. Anyway, I wound up withdrawing my name at that time from the waitlist since I was already accepted at a different med school.

To summarize, it matters a whole lot which branch you put down on that form. If you get waitlisted, you get put on a waitlist for your #1 branch choice. If your preferred branch take many people off of the waitlist, and you interview very late in the cycle, you are essentially dooming your chances at USUHS. Consider that when I appliied (and it probably isn't much different now), army was the easiest to get, followed by navy , followed by air force for which it was practically impossible to get off of the waitlist. Apparently air force is the smallest branch for physicians, has the cushiest bases, and the cushiest work environment. Therefore it is very popular, with not many spots available. If you picked air force, and are waitlisted, well... good luck.

p.s. - i posted this info last summer/fall but i guess it went unnoticed...
 
thanks for the great information. is anyone currently attending USUHS? please pm me as i would really like to hear your experiences.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
AubreyMaturin said:
Put some thought into choosing your branch for USUHS before you fill out the preference sheet, it could make the difference of getting a spot or getting waitlisted. Especially if you interview late in the cycle. Here is a message from another thread discussing this.

( Courtesy of Celiac Plexus)
The following info on the USUHS waitlist was garnered from the adcom, and students there during the application cycle of 1998-9....

At your interview, you have to fill out a form on which you state your preference of branch assignment. Although there is some small print that basically says that you will consider any spot, this rank/preference thing is extrememly important for your acceptance chances to USUHS.

Here is how the adcom uses this info: they take your #1 choice and if you are accepted and pass all the physical/security crap, and if a spot is available in your #1 choice, they will offer that spot to you. If your #1 choice branch has no spot available then you are placed on the waitlist for that branch. Later on if a spot opens up in your #1 branch, and your name is at the top of the waitlist for that branch, then you will be offerred the spot.

So you can see how this preference plays a big role in whether you will get a spot. Let me give you an example in case you still don't see how the preference thing can work against you. Let's say 2 guys are accepted at the same time. Guy A put army at the top of his preference list. Guy B put air force at the top of his list. Even though these applicants are identical in every objective, and subjective way, the army guy gets an offer because there are open spaces in the army, and the air force guy gets waitlisted and never gets in because the air force waitlist never really moves.

When I applied in '98-'99 I put navy as my first choice. I was told by students there to put army as my first choice since the aramy has the most spots available, and has the biggest quota for USUHS... also the army waitlist moved a lot faster because of this. But I decided that if I was going to go to USUHS, I wanted to be in the navy (kind of a family tradition thing). I was accepted and placed on the navy waitlist. Well I got a call in June of '99 from the USUHS adcom asking me if I would be willing to take an army spot if one opened up. The lady fromt he adcom said that the army waitlist was the fastest moving list and it looked like the list would be exhausted any moment... there were only a couple of people left on the army waitlist. Anyway, I wound up withdrawing my name at that time from the waitlist since I was already accepted at a different med school.

To summarize, it matters a whole lot which branch you put down on that form. If you get waitlisted, you get put on a waitlist for your #1 branch choice. If your preferred branch take many people off of the waitlist, and you interview very late in the cycle, you are essentially dooming your chances at USUHS. Consider that when I appliied (and it probably isn't much different now), army was the easiest to get, followed by navy , followed by air force for which it was practically impossible to get off of the waitlist. Apparently air force is the smallest branch for physicians, has the cushiest bases, and the cushiest work environment. Therefore it is very popular, with not many spots available. If you picked air force, and are waitlisted, well... good luck.

p.s. - i posted this info last summer/fall but i guess it went unnoticed...

So how exactly does the waitlist work as far as how they select people on the wait list to get an acceptance? Once your put on the waitlist, are you racked and stacked based upon some score they come up with for you, or is it based on the time you were put on the waitlist (ie...the first person put on the wait list, despite having low credentials compared to another, gets it first over some one put on the list later with far better credentials)? Thanks for the help!
 
Hi all -

I was just accpeted off of the waitlist into USUHS and am really torn about going for a number of reasons - the main one of which is personal. I am in my mid 34's, single and female and really want to be get married and have a family in addition to my career. But I understand that 60% of the incoming students are already married with kids and certainly the rigors of the program are not going to allow for a whole lot of extra-curricular searching for a partner, especially one who will adapt to the military lifestyle.

As trivial as this may sound, family is very important to me , as is medicine - and I do not want to sacrifice one over the other. Any insight and feedback would be tremendously helpful as I have to give me decision ASAP!

Thank you!
 
AGerm17 said:
Hi all -

I was just accpeted off of the waitlist into USUHS and am really torn about going for a number of reasons - the main one of which is personal. I am in my mid 34's, single and female and really want to be get married and have a family in addition to my career. But I understand that 60% of the incoming students are already married with kids and certainly the rigors of the program are not going to allow for a whole lot of extra-curricular searching for a partner, especially one who will adapt to the military lifestyle.

As trivial as this may sound, family is very important to me , as is medicine - and I do not want to sacrifice one over the other. Any insight and feedback would be tremendously helpful as I have to give me decision ASAP!

Thank you!

There are definately disadvantages to going to USUHS if you want to get married....military lifestyle is #1, so if you are torn between military/non-military options I'd probably go with the non-military option. If, however, you are torn between HPSP and USUHS I would say don't discount USUHS. There is still plenty of time to socialize, especially first year, and even though the percentage is high for those entering already married there have been several people who have "found the one" in their class, or another class, at USUHS and are either engaged or married. I think the current MS2 class at USUHS has around four or five engaged couples between two members of the class. Anyway, just my two cents.

Bottom line, my vote is non military if you are debating between military or not. If you are debating HPSP or USUHS go with whichever school you like better as both will have the same/similar amounts of time for socializing.
 
AGerm17 said:
Hi all -

I was just accpeted off of the waitlist into USUHS and am really torn about going for a number of reasons - the main one of which is personal. I am in my mid 34's, single and female and really want to be get married and have a family in addition to my career. But I understand that 60% of the incoming students are already married with kids and certainly the rigors of the program are not going to allow for a whole lot of extra-curricular searching for a partner, especially one who will adapt to the military lifestyle.

As trivial as this may sound, family is very important to me , as is medicine - and I do not want to sacrifice one over the other. Any insight and feedback would be tremendously helpful as I have to give me decision ASAP!

Thank you!

Either way, it sounts like you would need a partner who is willing to be a housewife while you go to med school and beyond. I don't see how you would have more time or be more likely to find someone in a civilian school. USUHS provides good financial security, making it conducive to family biulding... Especially during residency and pregrad years.

As far as the service being more time consuming than civilian med, It is possible that the military allows you more time for family... but that probably depends on your station and job descrition at the time. Civilian med school is probably more time consuming than military at all times... the only equalizer being that you don't get deployed as a civilian.

Bottom line, I don't think that your idea of social life should affect your decision to go to USUHS or stay civie. I think that you will be faced with the same issues either way. In my oponion, the military is a better choice for family biulding, and neither is a good choice for socializing.
 
I'll just throw in my two cents as a first year USUHS student. The number one reason I cam here is because of the pay. I am one of the married guys with two kids. I have to support them.

HOWEVER, Don't kid yourselves, we are a party school. The average age is around 25, and we are all making somewhere between 40k and 60k. That's a lot of pocket change, and whenever I go out and about in Bethesda, I see USUHS students. With money and location (Washington DC/Bethesda) we are the perfect recipe for fun, Especially for the single guys and gals.

UNIFORMS: Not a bad deal. Women may complain about them because of style purposes, but for me it makes life easier. I don't have to set any clothes out the night before, and I look sharp when I go to class after only taking ten minutes in the morning to get dressed.

CLASS DEMOGRAPHICS: 50% of the class has a military background. HOWEVER, that includes ROTC and academy guys. So, it's not 50% old guys with mustaches. Also, our class is 33% female, so the local population has to make up the female delta.

CLASS: I'm not sure about other school experiences, but in the first year we only had 4 people per cadaver. We dealt with live parasites, worked over pigs for cardiovascular training, started IVs on eachother, and we don't go to school all year round. Over the summers we have a few weeks off followed by non-academic military experiences. We play GI Joe in the woods for a few weeks all together as a class. Then, I'm going to Peru, to the tropical medicine research lab in the Amazon. Others are going to Kingsville TX to get backseat rides in T-2s (Navy training jet).

COMMITTMENT: Yeah, you have to pay your time back. Plus, unlike the civilian world, we have ranks in the military. So, a nurse of higher rank could boss you around. Get off your MD power trip, and you will do fine.
 
I would really like to get into USUHS, even if it takes multiple tries. If I don't get accepted this year (which I'm hoping isn't the case), what would be some good backup plans to improve my chances for future applications?
 
inflamesdjk02 said:
I would really like to get into USUHS, even if it takes multiple tries. If I don't get accepted this year (which I'm hoping isn't the case), what would be some good backup plans to improve my chances for future applications?


I experienced the same problem back in 1996. I submitted my stuff and didn't even get a secondary. So, what did I do to get where I'm at now? I retook Orgo, retook the MCATs with dramatic improvement, served in the AF (just get some job experience in anything to show maturity), and best of all got a Master's degree. It worked for me, but I am in no way endorsing this plan for everyone. The bottom line, show improvement in academic potential and show maturity. That's all they pretty much are looking for. If you don't do anything to improve and re-submit, don't even waste their time or your own.

I'll comment more on military medicine at a later time. I wouldn't do it differently if I had to do it over again. Yes, the military is not a perfect system and yes the military is udergoing a few budget cuts, but the training programs in the Air Force (all I can speak for) are merging with civilian programs. Thus you'll get some really good training at no cost to you and get paid more than an intern or resident anywhere else.

USUHS 2006
 
Just realize that if you are put on a waiting list, you may still recieve an acceptance up until two days after class started. Somebody last year dropped after doing the summer officer indoctrination course and decided the military wasn't for him or her, so they dropped. The school called a few candidates on the waiting list, and voila, we had a new classmate two days after class started.

The big thing USUHS worries about is people not liking the military. Everybody that has quit has cited not wanting to be in the military. We don't have a high dropout rate, only a few people per class before graduation, but the number one reason people drop, is because they don't want to be in the military. SO, my recommendation is to join the guard or do something to prove you like the military lifestyle.

Also, don't be afraid to call the admissions office. The staff may lose paperwork or misfile it, or your transcript might not have been sent, your college professor may have forgotten to write your rec letter, etc. The office will tell you they don't like a million calls, but invent some reason to call them. Don't be afraid to call and check on the progress of your paperwork, see if they got a rec letter, etc. You may even get an early interview. I called up in September two years ago to see if they received my August MCAT score, and the admissions director told me that a spot opened up in late october for an interview. She apologised for the short notice, but asked if I would be able to fill that spot. HECK YEAH! So I filled it, and got accepted.

USUHS has a rolling admissions. That means if you are good enough to attend, and there is a spot, you get an acceptance letter. HOWEVER, if you are one of the last interviewees and you have a nobel prize in biochem, a medal of honor from Baghdad, and love the military--you will be put on the waiting list if there are no spots. Spots fill up by December. Do not despair. Lots of people turn down their acceptance--most likely because of the military committment. So, lots of waiting list people get picked up.

Good luck

inflamesdjk02 said:
I would really like to get into USUHS, even if it takes multiple tries. If I don't get accepted this year (which I'm hoping isn't the case), what would be some good backup plans to improve my chances for future applications?
 
From the DoD News website:

IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2005

DoD Appoints Rice as Fifth President of USU

The Department of Defense announced today that Dr. Charles L. Rice will become the fifth president of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) on July 1.


Rice comes to USUHS from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), Washington, D.C., where he was the Petersdorf Scholar-in-Residence. His appointment by Dr. William J. Winkenwerder, the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, was approved by the secretary of defense after a nationwide search.



A retired U.S. Naval Reserve captain, Rice succeeds retired Navy Vice Adm. James A. Zimble, who held the office of the president for more than 13 years before retiring in August 2004. Rice is a Navy-trained surgeon and researcher, and professor of surgery and professor of physiology and biophysics at the University of Illinois at Chicago.



“Dr. Rice brings outstanding leadership, scholarship and medical capabilities to the university, continuing its legacy of educational excellence,” Winkenwerder said. “With his unique combination of military and civilian medical experience, he is ideally suited to the university’s mission to provide high-quality medical education for the Military Health System and the challenges we face in the years ahead.”



Prior to his position with AAMC, Rice served as UIC’s Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs from 1999 to 2004 and as vice dean of the College of Medicine from 1994 to 1999. In addition to his appointments at UIC, Rice has also held faculty appointments at the University of Chicago, the University of Washington, and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.



“I am deeply honored to have been selected for this important position,” Rice said. “It is a unique institution with outstanding school of medicine and graduate school of nursing faculty and students. This university serves an invaluable role in the healthcare of our country and the military services. I consider this to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to merge my academic, military and public policy interests"
 
The USUHS handbook says it has an upper age limit for applying. There are, however, age waiver policies in place for prior-service applicants.

What was the oldest student anyone recalls seeing in their class? Thanks.
 
At my interview, Dr. McManagle told us that he had just signed off on an acceptance for a 35 year old.

Corey
USUHS 2009
 
inflamesdjk02 said:
what kind of drug tests do you have to pass to get into usuhs and when? urine test after you get accepted or what?

No offense, but if you even have to ask that question, USUHS is probably NOT the place for you.
 
inflamesdjk02 said:
i'm talking about prescription drugs my friend

Well, addiction to prescription drugs is a huge problem too. We had an active duty member in my unit forging prescriptions in order to feed a 60 percoset/day habit :eek: until they were caught. How the person was able to stand up (much less see patients!) is beyond me.

But if you have a legitimate prescription you should be fine. As far as I know, the drug screen only covers the usual suspects (i.e., opiates, THC, methamphetamines, etc.). If you are taking something that has one of these substances, make sure to let them know before they send your blood and urine to the lab.
 
i shouldn't have a problem then, i just want to make sure i don't get caught up in a bunch of paperwork over something trivial.

thanks for the info!
 
AubreyMaturin said:
If you want to get college paid form, and the military sounds interesting; you could take a 3-4yr HPSP, then serve 3-4yr GMO. Once you are finished with your GMO you would be free to enter civilian residency training. It would be possible to explore the military, and then be sure to train in the filed of your choice. This way you get college paid for, a solid paycheck for a couple of years after, and still get to make your own choices in the end.

So is this what you're going to do?
 
Thanks for all who shared your stories! I'd like your advice-- please take a crack at my situation:

I want to apply to the USUHS med school in 2006 but I know it will be tough to get accepted because of a low undergrad GPA (3.0). Can anyone who's been through the process point me toward the best things to emphasize on my application?

I have 6 years active duty AF (non-medical field), a master's degree in SE Asia studies (3.9 GPA), EMT certified, Rescue Diver certified, hospital volunteer experience, speak two foreign languages, work with people every day (law enforcement), 100 out of 100 on the AF fitness test, one short medical exercise deployment to Africa (I worked nonmedical support but spent time with the medical people talking and helping them when possible).

I haven't taken the MCAT yet, but based on practice tests I expect a strong 30+ score. I have prepared and reviewed a lot since my undergrad-- I just didn't strive for the top grades back then because I was eager to get started on a military career. (Yes, shortsighted and stupid and I regret that now!) Now I know I want to have the military career but spend it taking care of fellow airmen as a doctor.

A big kicker to my application process is that I can't take additional classes to boost the GPA right now. (BTW, does my non-science masters degree have any effect on my total GPA in the eyes of medical schools?) I'm active duty in an overseas location and there are no night science classes available. For the same reason, I can't really do any research. In a couple of years I can separate from the military and do research or a postbacc program if necessary, but I hope it doesn’t come to that. I don’t want to wait that long and I definitely don’t want to get out of the AF.

Anyone got advice on what to point out on my application? Anything I mentioned sound hokey that I should leave off? Thanks for anyone who wants to take a guess at my chances or especially give any advice on improving them!
 
you have great experience, especially the medical one. the non-science masters is very interesting, and you clearly do well in military life. the one question will be can you do the academics? do well enough on the the MCATs to offset your gpa (33+) and turn in your application at the earliest date allowed and i think you will be extremely competitive.

USU 2009
 
Mev, do you mean apply for the 2006 entering class or apply in 2006 for the 2007 class?
 
I'm planning on applying in 2006 for the class that starts 2007. That is, as long as I get an MCAT score next April that I'm satisfied with.

Another question for the experienced... What should I do about LORs? I finished my undergrad six years ago, and as I said, my grades were not great. I'm not in touch with any professors from that far back. Even if I did get back in touch with the school I'm a little afraid of how the premed committee at my undergrad institution would write me up (it was University of Washington and I hear they are pretty much heartless number-crunching perfectionists-- they reject students with 3.9s from THEIR medical school).

Can I get LORs from my unit commander and a couple of military and civilian doctors I've worked with? Is that a good idea or will I look like I don't know what I'm doing applying to med school? What are USUHS's specific requirements?

I probably could ask profs from my masters degree but they are not science people at all and might not have a clue how to write a recommendation for this. Thanks for any help you have!
 
You have to have one academic science rec, there is no way around it.

then I would recommend one from your masters for non-science academic rec, then one strong one from the military. A good add on would be a letter from a doc you shadowed who got to know you reasonably well.

avoiding your undergrad's official premed committee sounds like a good idea but might be hard, you'll have to look at what med schools require in that respect. if you do have to use them, meet with the head in person and show him all you have done since college and strong MCAT scores (or practice ones if that is all you have). I applied six years out of college and had to use my undergrad committee and did what I outlined above; he was really curious about all of the military things and seemed happy to help.
 
mev said:
Thanks for all who shared your stories! I'd like your advice-- please take a crack at my situation:

I want to apply to the USUHS med school in 2006 but I know it will be tough to get accepted because of a low undergrad GPA (3.0). Can anyone who's been through the process point me toward the best things to emphasize on my application?

I have 6 years active duty AF (non-medical field), a master's degree in SE Asia studies (3.9 GPA), EMT certified, Rescue Diver certified, hospital volunteer experience, speak two foreign languages, work with people every day (law enforcement), 100 out of 100 on the AF fitness test, one short medical exercise deployment to Africa (I worked nonmedical support but spent time with the medical people talking and helping them when possible).

I haven't taken the MCAT yet, but based on practice tests I expect a strong 30+ score. I have prepared and reviewed a lot since my undergrad-- I just didn't strive for the top grades back then because I was eager to get started on a military career. (Yes, shortsighted and stupid and I regret that now!) Now I know I want to have the military career but spend it taking care of fellow airmen as a doctor.

A big kicker to my application process is that I can't take additional classes to boost the GPA right now. (BTW, does my non-science masters degree have any effect on my total GPA in the eyes of medical schools?) I'm active duty in an overseas location and there are no night science classes available. For the same reason, I can't really do any research. In a couple of years I can separate from the military and do research or a postbacc program if necessary, but I hope it doesn’t come to that. I don’t want to wait that long and I definitely don’t want to get out of the AF.

Anyone got advice on what to point out on my application? Anything I mentioned sound hokey that I should leave off? Thanks for anyone who wants to take a guess at my chances or especially give any advice on improving them!
:mad: i just typed a whole response and it got deleted. :mad: :mad:
 
If you're female and single at USUHS, you are a HOT commodity. Because most of the women coming in (who were only about 30% of the class) were either married or engaged, we had about 5 women who were single, and almost all of them are now dating a fellow classmate. Here is a GREAT place to meet men: there are several of my male classmates that are already talking about checking out the female possibilities of the class of 2009. Also, I can speak from experience about family: there is NO OTHER MEDICAL COMMUNITY IN THE UNIVERSE that will make it easier for you to make it happen. I had my first baby 2 months before classes began, and already some of us are planning to have babies next summer. They take great care of you here, and I couldn't be more pleased about being both a med student and a wife/mom. We also make enough, even during med school, to afford daycare, especially if you're both getting student salaries.

I hope this doen't discourage any prospective men who came hoping to find a girl!

AGerm17 said:
Hi all -

I was just accpeted off of the waitlist into USUHS and am really torn about going for a number of reasons - the main one of which is personal. I am in my mid 34's, single and female and really want to be get married and have a family in addition to my career. But I understand that 60% of the incoming students are already married with kids and certainly the rigors of the program are not going to allow for a whole lot of extra-curricular searching for a partner, especially one who will adapt to the military lifestyle.

As trivial as this may sound, family is very important to me , as is medicine - and I do not want to sacrifice one over the other. Any insight and feedback would be tremendously helpful as I have to give me decision ASAP!

Thank you!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Thanks for the LOR advice DCM. I just checked and found out UW doesn't have a premedical committee. Now that almost seems worse since I'll have to come up with three science profs to write me a recc. (At least that's the way I interpreted the USUHS admissions guide-- three academic science and one clinical-- sound right?) This goes back to why I wasn't very excited about pursuing science back when I took all those classes-- big, impersonal school, dozens or hundreds of students in each class, profs didn't want to talk to you and sent you to their TA's. There were so many sections there's not a single professor I even had twice. You can bet your bootie they aren't going to remember me. Sigh, I guess it's a trip home to reintroduce myself to the ones where I got the best grades and see if they'll listen to my current qualifications and have a heart.

Thanks too for the word about women at the school USUHS2008. 30% women is still a high number for the military-- it's maybe 15% in my field! It's good to know the school is a family-friendly place. I've considered having a kid before I start school too and I was a little worried a medical school wouldn't take me seriously thinking a baby and medical school could mix! Going to such a big undergrad university really makes me appreciate a smaller place with a more personal, human feeling. Sounds like a great school.
 
I consolidated, organized, and edited all the interview feedback currently on www.studentdoctor.net for USUHS. You can get the document here: USUHS interview feedback.

Let me know if you find it handy, think it would be handy, or have feedback! I dont' know why I'm helping my competition, but I've heard USUHS classes are pretty cooperative and I figure I'll work towards that early :laugh:
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
mev - sounds like you're getting solid advice all around. Concerning the LOR's - my recommendation is to get strong letters from your current CO and possibly your last CO (assuming you were a "golden boy" who was well respected in the command). I also strongly recommend a LOR from a physician you're shadowing. Make sure the letters are glowing. The best way to do that is to provide them a "go-by" letter - you essentially write the letter yourself, then submit it to them for any changes. Leave very little to chance.

I also agree with the advice of applying very early on during the process. DO NOT wait around to apply. Also, apply to civilian schools and the HPSP (always have a back up plan).

BTW, MoosePilot, you're exactly right about the cooperative spirit at USUHS. People often went out of their way to help others do well. You'll find once at USUHS, you're only competing with yourself. You want your peers to excel, because you, your spouse and/or your kids might be under their care one day (that scenario has played out at least 5 times already for me and I graduated in 2002).

Good luck.
 
helo doc said:
mev - sounds like you're getting solid advice all around. Concerning the LOR's - my recommendation is to get strong letters from your current CO and possibly your last CO (assuming you were a "golden boy" who was well respected in the command). I also strongly recommend a LOR from a physician you're shadowing. Make sure the letters are glowing. The best way to do that is to provide them a "go-by" letter - you essentially write the letter yourself, then submit it to them for any changes. Leave very little to chance.

I also agree with the advice of applying very early on during the process. DO NOT wait around to apply. Also, apply to civilian schools and the HPSP (always have a back up plan).

BTW, MoosePilot, you're exactly right about the cooperative spirit at USUHS. People often went out of their way to help others do well. You'll find once at USUHS, you're only competing with yourself. You want your peers to excel, because you, your spouse and/or your kids might be under their care one day (that scenario has played out at least 5 times already for me and I graduated in 2002).

Good luck.

Cooperation among students is still going strong... amazingly strong. (Class of 2009)
 
mev said:
Thanks for all who shared your stories! I'd like your advice-- please take a crack at my situation:

I want to apply to the USUHS med school in 2006 but I know it will be tough to get accepted because of a low undergrad GPA (3.0). Can anyone who's been through the process point me toward the best things to emphasize on my application?

I have 6 years active duty AF (non-medical field), a master's degree in SE Asia studies (3.9 GPA), EMT certified, Rescue Diver certified, hospital volunteer experience, speak two foreign languages, work with people every day (law enforcement), 100 out of 100 on the AF fitness test, one short medical exercise deployment to Africa (I worked nonmedical support but spent time with the medical people talking and helping them when possible).

I haven't taken the MCAT yet, but based on practice tests I expect a strong 30+ score. I have prepared and reviewed a lot since my undergrad-- I just didn't strive for the top grades back then because I was eager to get started on a military career. (Yes, shortsighted and stupid and I regret that now!) Now I know I want to have the military career but spend it taking care of fellow airmen as a doctor.

A big kicker to my application process is that I can't take additional classes to boost the GPA right now. (BTW, does my non-science masters degree have any effect on my total GPA in the eyes of medical schools?) I'm active duty in an overseas location and there are no night science classes available. For the same reason, I can't really do any research. In a couple of years I can separate from the military and do research or a postbacc program if necessary, but I hope it doesn’t come to that. I don’t want to wait that long and I definitely don’t want to get out of the AF.

Anyone got advice on what to point out on my application? Anything I mentioned sound hokey that I should leave off? Thanks for anyone who wants to take a guess at my chances or especially give any advice on improving them!

I am in a similar boat. I have a low GPA for undergrad (2.5) but kept things up for my two masters (3.5/3.8). Unfortunately, neither are in science. I also have 6 years, taking command next summer, two operational deployments to Afghanistan, coordinated HA medical missions for our docs to treat the locals, will be shadowing a surgeon here, and hopefully will get a letter from him.

As for classes, I think I'll have to go with taking courses at the base ed center and whatever I can't fill (I think there are one or two classes), I have to do via distance with another school in Raleigh when I get back home. Don't want to separate from the service so I think USUHS will be the best option for me too. Let me know how the process goes - I'd be curious to see what I'll be up against since I'll apply in 2007. Cheers!
 
USUHS2008 said:
If you're female and single at USUHS, you are a HOT commodity. Because most of the women coming in (who were only about 30% of the class) were either married or engaged, we had about 5 women who were single, and almost all of them are now dating a fellow classmate. Here is a GREAT place to meet men: there are several of my male classmates that are already talking about checking out the female possibilities of the class of 2009. Also, I can speak from experience about family: there is NO OTHER MEDICAL COMMUNITY IN THE UNIVERSE that will make it easier for you to make it happen. I had my first baby 2 months before classes began, and already some of us are planning to have babies next summer. They take great care of you here, and I couldn't be more pleased about being both a med student and a wife/mom. We also make enough, even during med school, to afford daycare, especially if you're both getting student salaries.

I hope this doen't discourage any prospective men who came hoping to find a girl!

Good news for me :) I'll be class of 2010, kinda scary since I graduated undergrad in 2000, but as a single female this makes me smile!
 
Good luck to all the applicants tomorrow! Just be yourself, and try to relax. Its an enjoyable process and much more relaxed than you would expect.
 
in reply to:

"moneymoneymoneymoney...MONEY. Although the pay as a military doc is quite lower (for the most part) than its civilian counterparts, I think that the military, USUHS especially, provides more financial security overall. If I was a civilian doctor, I would make my decisions about residency, specialty, and location based on $$$$, because I would be trying to pay off my 300,000+ interst loan before I retire. I would be driven by $$$, and always preocupied by it. I may never get rich, but I probably won't spend as much time worrying about $$$ either."

One thing students forget is opportunity cost. How many HPSP/regular in-debt med students are able to save $600 a month towards retirement? Because I am. I just did a quick calculation and discovered that if I stopped saving for retirement after school ended and just let compound interest do it's job, I'd have $953,680.99 at a conservative 9% return by the time I'm 65. You can't recover that time to make your money work for you after graduation.

How many are able to buy a house in this (perhaps not-forever) hot market that has already risen in value $150,000 in one year like I did? Not many, I would imagine.

So yes, I agree that it is a wise financial investment. If you don't blow your salary on BMW's like some of my classmates...
 
How Flexible is USUHS with the prereqs? I am graduating in May and would have to take 4 labs to meet all the prereqs I don't have (Bio2, Organic2, Physics 1&2). However, I am graduating w/ a ChE degree so hopefully I can use some of the labs I have already taken. Specifically:

I am taking Bio2 Lab
For Organic2 I am taking Molecular Biochem Lab
For Physics1&2 I could use:
1. Two separate 3 hour ChE lab courses (covered fluid flow, heat transfer, mass transfer/chemical separations, reaction engineering)
2. Two Physical Chemistry Labs (probebly a stretch)

Do you think I will be fine if I don't take the physics labs?
Thanks
PalmettoGuy
 
PalmettoGuy said:
How Flexible is USUHS with the prereqs? I am graduating in May and would have to take 4 labs to meet all the prereqs I don't have (Bio2, Organic2, Physics 1&2). However, I am graduating w/ a ChE degree so hopefully I can use some of the labs I have already taken. Specifically:

I am taking Bio2 Lab
For Organic2 I am taking Molecular Biochem Lab
For Physics1&2 I could use:
1. Two separate 3 hour ChE lab courses (covered fluid flow, heat transfer, mass transfer/chemical separations, reaction engineering)
2. Two Physical Chemistry Labs (probebly a stretch)

Do you think I will be fine if I don't take the physics labs?
Thanks
PalmettoGuy
I'd call admissions and talk to Joan Stearman and find out what the admissions folks think about it. They're pretty good about giving you an answer and if they don't know, they will ask about it and get back to you. I would think that those are pretty standard requirements for all medical schools but if you can convince them that you got the same info--I dunno.

:luck:
 
DrYo12 said:
I'd call admissions and talk to Joan Stearman and find out what the admissions folks think about it. They're pretty good about giving you an answer and if they don't know, they will ask about it and get back to you. I would think that those are pretty standard requirements for all medical schools but if you can convince them that you got the same info--I dunno.

:luck:

Yeah, Joan is great. Her email is just [email protected]. She loves to interact with students, so I highly recommend sending her an email.
 
Just wondering if there are any Exercise Science (Kinesiology) Undergrads out there interested in USUHS (besides me!) and what their prep included. I have geared my last year towards the required sciences but don't know whether to apply to Kinesiology grad school or apply directly to USUHS. There are not any real research opportunities in my bacc program. Any insight would be appreciated!
 
Top