HPSP MILITARY MEDICAL SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP - advantages, disadvantages, residency, is it for you?

[@racheldoesbalance]

If you haven't subscribed yet, make sure you do so you don't miss any HPSP & medical school content! :) rb.gy/g9v0ks

[@m.a.d8326]

can a dual citizen be allowed to be a millitary doctor in the us

[@kieramo]

I feel like the “you shouldn’t do this scholarship for money” comment doesn’t apply to prior service members. I’ve been in for 5 years going on 6 and this reason is EXACTLY why I’m choosing to do the HPSP scholarship. Prior service members already know how the military works, been deployed, etc. If I can get the military to pay for my Dental school and graduate debt free, then I’m definitely taking this route. For someone who doesn’t have military experience, then yeah you may or may not like the military and may be miserable🤷🏽‍♀️

[@racheldoesbalance]

I'm not a prior service member but I can definitely see your perspective and agree that that makes sense! i think its a great opportunity to get grad school paid for if you know exactly what you're getting yourself into. i think sometimes people that have no connection to the military see the financial benefits and are ready to sign that line without fully knowing what they're getting themselves into

[@karlasanchez4835]

Can we talk about how straightforward and helpful this video is?? I have been watching a multitude of videos that you managed to sum up entirely in one 18 minute video. I appreciate the content and good luck in Med School!!

[@racheldoesbalance]

Aw thank you so much ☺️so glad you found it helpful!!

[@chalpua8802]

Awesome. My friend went HPSP with the Army. He did Internal Medicine and now works for the VA. He said he could have made more, but his goal was to always help less able people. So this was a good choice for him.

[@racheldoesbalance]

Thank you! exactly, everyone's path is different and you just have to do what's best for you and your interests and goals!

[@hopester6720]

Thank you so much for making this video! I really want to be a flight surgeon and I am about to begin my first year of college! I really want to do the best I can to better help me for my future even if that means planning 4 years ahead.

[@racheldoesbalance]

You're welcome, I'm so glad you found this video early on :) let me know if you have any specific questions, I'm mentoring some college/AFROTC students so im here!

[@brianfrancis5548]

@ 12:03 IRR = Individual Ready Reserve. Excellent overview. Clear and concise. Somewhat amazed at the amount of information you managed to present in 18 minutes.

[@Strongerbyhaleigh]

This was SO informative! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk about this!

[@racheldoesbalance]

you're welcome!! glad you found it helpful :)

[@joshuastephenson8283]

Thank you so much for making this video, it has been really helpful

[@racheldoesbalance]

so glad you found the video helpful, its my pleasure! :)

[@85aesculapius]

Thank you lots . Your videos and the comments helps a lot

[@TBoyd819]

Great video! Subscribed because I am currently applying to medical school this year and interested to see your journey. Keep up the great videos! 😊

[@racheldoesbalance]

That’s awesome, good luck with apps and interviews!!! Happy to have you ☺️

[@stilawesome3586]

Thank you for stressing the importance of not just doing it for the money. Military doctors can be subjected to court marital and receive reprimand in their service record for failure to fulfill their duties. I was involved in a mass casualty incident in Iraq in 2006 where our air strip was attacked by mortar fire and 19 of us in all were injured. It was very chaotic for the 3 doctors who were assigned to the airfield who were accustomed to doing routine flight physicals and were now handling severe trauma cases with burns and shrapnel. The attack included around 30 artillery shells striking living quarters where troops were sleeping and air field hangers and missed the aviation fuel storage tanks by about 20 feet. It lasted for 20 minutes so as you had a few people come in another round would hit and then another and next thing you know you had people being placed on the floor, on top of tables, anywhere they could fit them. We were two hours from the nearest hospital and the medevac helicopters had come in from surrounding camps after they got the report there was 19 of us altogether. But the hardest part I thing was triage because you'd have some with flesh wounds and then the 11th guy comes in and he's in a coma with shrapnel to the brain. So they had to run back and forth like crazy. Not far off from the pearl harbor movie hospital scene. The clinic was literally under fire on the airfield for 20 minutes while the had to deal with all this. My last thing to say is my records went without time and date but were signed off. The military had to go back and establish that I was being treated on that day so the doctor had to sign a sworn statement to attach to the medical record so purple hearts could be awarded. The Dr explained the circumstances were to chaotic to take any real time with record keeping because there were so many of us and they had to coordinate medevac and notify the receiving hospital. These doctors came under scrutiny for their inability to keep complete records but given the circumstances the military did not find it necessary to reprimand them and the doctors actually received a meritorious citation. The first year resident failed to identify a spinal injury in my arm that has left my arm partially paralyzed from the attack but she wrote down the symptoms I had so it was enough to get service connected. I think she did great as a first year resident handling something like that and still taking directions from the O5 who was in charge. I mean 3 doctors and 19 trauma patients while under artillery fire is quite admirable yet it goes to show you have to be SURE about the military. My son wants to be a doctor in the air force through hpsp and work for the VA after. I guess all the war stories got him wanting to get in that area.

[@rupvictoria3017]

very awesome vid!!! i’m so excited to go into the medical field in the Air Force Reserve! i got sworn in two months ago and i’m becoming a medical material specialist! i’m shipping out for basic training on November 3rd of this year! i hope to commission one day!! 😊

[@racheldoesbalance]

Thank you! Congratulations on starting your air force journey, that is so exciting & a huge accomplishment. Best of luck at BMT! You can accomplish anything you put your mind to😊

[@rupvictoria3017]

@@racheldoesbalance of course! you’re welcome! thank you!!! yes! totally!! 😊

[@parthmalaviya8234]

This was really helpful....thanks for putting this together!

[@racheldoesbalance]

you're welcome! :)

[@JamesRoldan]

Thanks for sharing Rachel! Very informative!! I'm a 3rd year med student and didn't do HPSP, but I'm starting to like the idea of military medicine more and more! Are there any opportunities like the HPSP that you know of where you can join in as a 4th year or as a resident? Regards.

[@racheldoesbalance]

thank you! :) honestly, im not sure because usually the military figures out the expected # of doctors that it needs in 4 years, then gives that many hpsp scholarships that current year. the problem with not doing hpsp and then serving as a military doc is that military docs have to be officers, so you have to go to officer training in order to become an officer. im really not sure, but if i were you i would reach out to a recruiter near you so you can get a legit answer. they will know more about the numbers and specifics. maybe if someone in the program dropped out and they are in need of filling a position somewhere, it could work out and you could get a spot at OTS then serve as a military doc!

[@JamesRoldan]

@@racheldoesbalance Will do! Thanks once again, Rachel.

[@Jays_squad]

Hi Rachel, thank you so much for this video it was extremely helpful. I am a senior in college majoring in biology. I am applying to medical school next year and I'm very interested in doing the HPSP. I hope to become a surgeon one day, but I see that you do not always get to choose your specialty. I heard you mentioned the HPERB. I looked for it on online and was unable to find it, do you know how one can access it?

[@racheldoesbalance]

you're welcome!! & that's great, good luck applying :) here is the 2021 HPERB, which i found by searching for the term on the air force hpsp facebook group, because someone had posted it there! drive.google.com/file/d/1UFzmyazCDZSB6AaJL7QCAtPQDavgs2li/view?fbclid=IwAR0Dasrry_GNIkpl1Pdxndr_POq4HpPyuPnSvHZLTe41E9vIVJTUrF6fh2U

[@simever3113]

Awesomely explained!

[@courttttttt]

I just subscribed gorgeous. I’m considering this program. I’m in undergrad now.

[@racheldoesbalance]

Great! Thank you🥰

[@daniecolljr2067]

OMG you are so smart and sharp haha thanks for making these videos they are really helpful

[@racheldoesbalance]

Aw thank you! You’re welcome 😊

[@nevertheless2024]

Wow very informative thank you!

[@racheldoesbalance]

You’re welcome!!

[@ace9848]

I've got 2 questions I want to ask you. 1) Do you know anything about neurosurgery residency in the military (HPSP related)? 2) New military attendings can do a fellowship, right after their military residency (HPSP related too)? I'd like to become a vascular neurosurgeon (cerebrovascular and endovascular)

[@racheldoesbalance]

yes, i believe there are spots to become a neurosurgeon through HPSP. and yes, you can finish residency training and then go right into fellowship training, if you apply and get a spot for what you want. that's great though, keep on going with your journey!

[@carterbliss6568]

Thank you Rachel for the nice video. very informative. After the resident, if I work in VA hospitals, can it be counted as payback years ?

[@racheldoesbalance]

you're welcome! :) there is actually an HPSP scholarship that you can earn that is through the VA, not the Air Force. They pay for tuition and fees and give you a smaller stipend than AFHPSP, in exchange to work at VA Hospitals until your contract is up. This is only the second year its been in effect so its very new. Here's the link! va-ams-info.intelliworxit.com/hpsp/

[@mediumoscar]

Great video. I learned a lot, thank you. What kind of doctor do you plan to be?

[@racheldoesbalance]

thank you, I'm so glad! :) I'm not sure yet, still very open to a lot of things but right now I'm interested in Emergency med, internal med, gastroenterology, and family medicine i think. i havent done a ton of shadowing though so i know i need to expand my horizons still

[@omolaraolasimbo5996]

Thank you for the informative video! I wanted to know if you do the training you spoke about before medical school ( COT) is there still another training you must do during the summer between your 1st and 2nd year of medical school? I wanted to use that time to do research but am worried that I won’t be able to due to the need to complete the training. Thanks in advance!

[@racheldoesbalance]

there is a two week aerospace medicine course that you have to complete if you're a 4 year AF HPSP recipient, which im doing this summer before I start clinical rotations. I would say do your best to do cot before med school bc it makes it easier having it out of the way, but if you have to do it in between 1/2 year or 2/3 year, it will be okay because you can work on research all throughout medical school! there are really so many poster competitions and research opportunities you can make for yourself and most students juggle research and school at the same time, but i see where you would want to just focus on research and get a lot done on it during that summer, just dont stress it too much bc you will have ample opportunities for research

[@BenjaminMaciel_MD]

This video is awesome!

[@racheldoesbalance]

Thank you 🥰

[@zchats26]

*watching this ridiculously late* lol. It is December and I just now started talking to a recruiter 🤦🏾‍♀️ guess I’ll look more into It as an MS1

[@racheldoesbalance]

That’s okay, you should still continue with the recruiter now if it’s something you’re interested in! Especially since you’ll be so busy as a medical student during your first year so it may be harder to do the process then with less time that you’ll have

[@kapkanu4385]

Hello Rachael! Thanks for sharing this important bit on residency opportunities in the military. I am a medical doctor from Sierra Leone. I am interested in joining the military and hoping to apply for the Residency training upon passing the USMLE while serving out my contract as an enlistee. I am a permanent resident, here in the USA. What advice will you give me? Thanks again James

[@racheldoesbalance]

That’s wonderful that you’re becoming licensed to practice medicine in the US! Something that i would like to share is that you can’t be an enlisted member of the military and be a practicing physician in the military. Physicians in the military must be officers. Usually enlisted members in the military medical field serve roles similar to techs and EMTs (from what i know - of course always do your own research too). So i would recommend not enlisting in the AF if you want to practice medicine as a physician bc doctors have to be officers. To become an officer you have to complete ROTC, graduate from the USAFA, go to OTS, or complete COT through HPSP

[@Icecold-27]

Hey there Rachel, I really appreciate your time invested in this video, is really helpeful and to the point. I have a question and I am wondering if you can help me, do you know or have any idea why the hpsp is only for us citizens and if there is any option or program like the hpsp but for foreign people ? I am from Costa Rica, I am actually studying medicine looking forward to become a us citizen while at the same time finish my studies so I can serve. Again thank you for your time and help, blessings. Pura vida:)

[@racheldoesbalance]

thank you so much for your comment! it is my understanding that you have to be a US Citizen to get an HPSP scholarship but i would definitely ask a recruiter to make sure because they know all of the details and specific requirements. good luck!

[@Icecold-27]

@@racheldoesbalance Amazing, thank you so much

[@truth00326]

Waoo I'm also want to join military medical college (AFMC) as a cadet but in INDIA because I'm INDIANA 🤩😻 Nice video

[@racheldoesbalance]

Thank you!

[@imranmohamed8177]

Great Video! Can a military residency be counted as time in service?

[@racheldoesbalance]

thank you! :) and no, unfortunately your time in your military residency doesn't count for your years back. i think the military's thinking is they want you as a full, residency trained physician for 4 years that can practice 100% independently during that time!

[@OrganicDolphin]

Hey Rachel can you give us some general tips fir getting into med school? I did bad my freshman year and my GPA is 3.26 but my MCAT is a 516. My ECs are pretty cookie cutter. Can you give me some advice on how to make my application the best it can be?

[@racheldoesbalance]

Definitely! A 516 MCAT is pretty amazing! I would emphasize in your application how you struggled freshmen year, but only focus on how it made you stronger, the lessons you learned from it, and how you became a better/more focused student out of that experience. Your MCAT score clearly shows that you are capable of studying for exams and putting your mind to things if you truly apply yourself, so I think its worth mentioning that. If you have any outside work/clinical/leadership experiences that set you apart, i would really focus on that in the application and how those experiences shaped you and prepared you to become a physician. Find the things about you that make you unique and focus on those. Put your personality in the application, but obviously stay professional. Talk about your passion for medicine and why you are doing this, let your voice come through on your application. Show schools that you are a human - someone that is empathetic, wants to connect with others, and someone that can be there for an individual on the worst day of their life. Show your humanity and what makes you special. And believe in yourself that you are good enough to get in - thats the hardest part! Let me know if you have any other questions :)

[@OrganicDolphin]

@@racheldoesbalance wow thanks so much!! I’ll definitely try to implement this concept when I’m writing out my personal statement. I really do have a lot of growth with a very strong upward trend, and my ECs and experiences are really what helped me get better in school so I’ll try to intertwine those two when laying out my story in the application. I’m feeling good about this cycle! Fingers crossed 🤞, and thanks again 🙏🏽!

[@racheldoesbalance]

@@OrganicDolphin that sounds great, I’m confident you’ll be successful! Wishing you the best, & it’s my pleasure! :)

[@007ETA73]

Thanks for this information. I'm deciding if its right for me.

[@racheldoesbalance]

Of course! I’m happy to answer any questions😊.

[@007ETA73]

@@racheldoesbalance I actually found the HPSP fb group and it’s been super helpful! I’m headed to start my papers tomorrow at the recruiters office :)

[@racheldoesbalance]

@@007ETA73 I’m so glad! That’s so exciting!😊

[@1god2fear21]

Thx for the info, I just started my MSN-FNP program here in Southern California. I was wondering if the HPSP is a potential opportunity?

[@racheldoesbalance]

you're welcome! i'm not sure if there is an HPSP scholarship for NP's, I know there is for PA's. I would ask a local recruiter in your area because they would know best. good luck on your journey!

[@1god2fear21]

@@racheldoesbalance Thank you, I spoke with my local recruiter & he informed me once I finish my MSN program, apply for a DNP Program (going for PMHNP) & once I get a letter of acceptance I can then apply for the HPSP. It's only open for Active Duty with a 3-year min contract, for most Doctorate level - Health Profession applicants (MD, DO, PA, NP). 🦅

[@jonniecash92]

Great video. Very informative. Thank you!! I just heard about this program, and it looks like it's gonna be my path. I'm going to check out your channel for more on your experience so far (as the video is 3 years old now, you are probably preparing for residency). I still have 4-5 months to wrap up my B.S. in Health Science. And I still need Organic Chem 1&2 after that, so, I'm a ways out from applying to Medical School (OSU-CHS here in Tulsa, Oklahoma as a DO). I haven't even started studying for the MCAT and am in the process of gaining health/clinical experience and volunteer hours. Btw, do you know anybody who'd be willing to let me shadow and/or who would provide information/connections? I started researching on my own and first thought I needed to go through OCS to become an officer and then get a specific MOS and get trained in and work a Physician role in the Army. I was thinking I could get experience from the Army that I could put on my Med School app, basically. Today I talked to a fairly new Recruiter (on the job for ~2mos... I know military recruiters are not always fully transparent or competent... Should I seek out more connections for more information? I think I know the answer to that but what was your Recruiter experience like? Do you feel like they gave you all the info you needed?), and he was acting like the HPSP was the only way to go for me (32y/o without an intention to enlist, really, already planning to go to Med School, and earning a B.S. soon) Do you agree? Anyway, I know you are probably busy. I really appreciate what you do! Very best 🙏

[@satariyo3211]

Thanks for the great informative video. So is the HPSP also offered for carribean medical school students. I know you said you took the DO route so was wondering if the HPSP is also offered for other kinds of medical schools. Also If someone cant matriculate into residency they can start off as a GMO is a gmo allowed to become a civilian physician if he/she does enough years or to finally become a civil physician you have to fully finish a residency. Hope one day you become the doctor of your dreams and fulfill the success in life your hoping for. Much appreciated video, Good Luck!

[@racheldoesbalance]

I would double check on this but I don't believe it is offered for carribean medical students because i think they have to be US medical schools (MD or DO) :/ I would still double check to me sure! I believe you can join the military as a doc that is board certified and did residency in the US tho no matter where the degree is from if you dont get into residency, you could serve the 4 years as a GMO then get out of the military bc those 4 years count as payback time! so then you could do a fully civilian residency at that point thank you so much tho!! :)

[@satariyo3211]

@@racheldoesbalance Thank you so much this is so helpful I highly appreciate it hope your channel continues to grow and flourish heading into my college senior year GMO sounds very interesting I would certainly check that out it would be a great opportunity to secure the hard work for the several years of study. I highly appreciate it hope your succeeding in your courses and will become an astounding Doctor Pray. Thank You

[@racheldoesbalance]

@@satariyo3211 thank you so much, your kind words means so much to me! i wish you all the best! your hard work will pay off!!

[@Marie90_00]

Thanks. I have a few questions: 1.The HPSP student can be a general medical officer or air doctor as you said,but can the student choose which one especially if the HPSP student has fear of heights? 2.Being HPSP student does really guarantee job after graduating? Like is it going to be a problem to have a job duo to the obligated years in military after residency? 3. Can every med student attend? Even the one who wants to be a plastic surgeon? Or to be oral and maxillofacial surgeon? 4.Will the student has time or attending university courses in non-active duty times? Thank you.

[@JoeyWang28]

Hey! I had a question, im looking into going into HPSP for neurosurgery but I know it is very competitive, with there only being 2 slots in the entire military. You mentioned you have to apply for Civ and Military residency match, since the military match day is before the Civ one, if you don't get your first pick in the military one, will they let you wait for the Civ one and see if you got into any? Or will they force you into your second pick in the military match. Also how hard is it to get Civ Deferred for Air Force? Thank you!

[@kyleekrivijanski3184]

Can you give more details on what exactly the payback years consist of?

[@racheldoesbalance]

during the payback years, you will be an active duty, attending physician in the military. you'll have the daily tasks of a physician, with more military medicine components, and you could get deployed during your payback years. you are a doctor and an officer so theres more responsibility that comes with that compared to being a civilian physician

[@chanelenicoleherrera364]

Hiii!! I’m currently a freshman in high school and I really want to join the USAF. I graduated middle school in the top 4, and I’m persevering through this year. I’m also interested in medicine, and this video really helped me. I also browsed through the comments, in which some have stated my questions, and you answered them. Thank you so much!! I have a few questions myself if you don’t mind. For medical school, what exactly is a “good” criteria regarding our MCAT score and GPA? I know this question may sound silly, but can you be a veterinarian in the USAF? I really want to pursue it, but I was told it’s only available in the army. Lastly, what happens when you don’t pass your classes in medical school (hypothetically speaking!!! It’s something I will NEVER do, but simply curious) would you have to pay the military back? Would you get kicked out of the military? Thank you for posting your video!! Really helpful !

[@racheldoesbalance]

I'm so glad you were able to get some information from the video and comments! :) you seem like you are on the path for success and you have what it takes to achieve your goals, so keep it up! for MCAT and GPA, do your best on both, but aim for at least a 3.6 GPA to apply with - I think the average GPA for accepted students is about a 3.8. For the MCAT, some people may tell you that you HAVE to have a 510, or else you won't get in, and while you should try your best to achieve the highest score you can, this is not true. DO schools have slightly lower statistics for MCAT and GPA than MD schools have, so it also depends if you are applying mostly DO and mostly MD. I would shoot for at least a 505 on the MCAT, and if its closer to 510, or higher, then thats amazing. you still have the other parts of your application to show how valuable and unique you are, so don't feel like you are defined by your stats. i have not heard of there being any veterinarians in the AF, so the source who told you that is probably right. i have heard of them being in the army too! i would still do a little more research on that though before you completely cross it off your list for the AF. it depends on your medical school - at my medical school, you will go through "remediation" which is a time period after the semester ends where you study all of the material in the class that you failed, then take one big exam that covers all of that class. if you pass this, then you are all good. if you fail this exam, then you get one more chance to pass the remediation exam. i know each school is different though! but for the most part, if you have already made it to medical school - they picked you and they are investing in you, so they want you to do well! plus to keep their accrediation, they need to make sure a certain % of people that matriculated in 2020, graduate on time in 2024. let me know if you have any other questions! :)

[@chanelenicoleherrera364]

@@racheldoesbalance aaahhh!! Thank youuu, you’re so smarttt!! I’ll tell my parents about this. Really, thank you so muchhhh!!

[@racheldoesbalance]

@@chanelenicoleherrera364 awww thank you☺️and no problem, it’s my pleasure!

[@PillarofAutum787]

I had a question, in regards to the medical application with the Air force; they asked about previous medications and honest, I am concerned. Without going into much detail, lets say, I get accepted to med school and apply to HPSP, would they overlook my acceptances due to the meds I used to take?? This is what is holding me back tbh, but I rather know before I apply and get denied due to it. Thank you for your time and response.

[@racheldoesbalance]

when you go to meps and do the evaluation, i wouldnt lie about any medications or anything that youve taken. its very specific based on what the meds were and what the diagnosis was and when it was made, and there are waivers for some things. i would still apply for it if you are interested and if its meant to be then it will work out!!

[@PillarofAutum787]

@@racheldoesbalance I didn't know there was waivers. Thank you for the information Rachel! I hope nothing but the best for you in your career. Hopefully,if all things work, I'll join the AF med corps.

[@racheldoesbalance]

@@PillarofAutum787 Aw thank you!🥰hopefully you will!

[@NicholasAbeyta]

@@PillarofAutum787there’s a waiver for literally everything, but most medications you need to show you can be off of it for a year if it’s something you possibly can’t live without taking. Depending on what the medication is for, that will be disqualifying factor unless you can go without it

[@nicholascampos3301]

When should I start applying ? I am about to start my second year of college, and I would like to know when to start applying.

[@racheldoesbalance]

you would apply for hpsp at the beginning of your fourth year of college, but to be early i would reach out to a recruiter in the middle of your third year of college

[@daphney7877]

hi! what are the international travel opportunities like? how long are they, and do you have a say where you go? thank you :)

[@racheldoesbalance]

You do have a say where you go, but there’s no guarantee you’ll get your tops bc you ultimately have to go where the military needs you. From what I’ve heard, it can be hard to be stationed internationally, but things are always changing. Usually an assignment is three years in one spot, but you can also travel for training or other military things to different places when you’re stationed in one place

[@ziadmghafri6803]

Hey rachel very very glad to be here , if you don't mind of course can i contact you please to ask some of many questions i have , because my dream job is to be a doctor in military

[@racheldoesbalance]

Yes! Send me an email [e-mail] :)

[@amandarodriguez1605]

Hey Rachel, so you do go through basic training right?

[@racheldoesbalance]

Hi Mandy! To become an officer, you do not go through basic training. you go through a training that is similar but is essentially the "officer equivalent" to that training and its called officer training school/commissioned officer training if you do it through HPSP. basic training is for enlisted military members

[@jordyn3632]

I discovered this opportunity pretty late. which is a bummer. I come from a family of sailors, never thought that I could make the cut to join the navy. I'm over the weight limit currently, but I've dropped 50 lbs already. Sadly its too late for me to apply for my M1 year. Wondering if its worth it to try for 3 yrs in the program

[@racheldoesbalance]

if you are still interested, definitely contact a recruiter. there are still ways you could serve as a doc in the military even if you didn't do HPSP. look into all the options if that's what you're passionate about. good luck with M2!

[@medwife9347]

Hi! Do you have any information on deployments and/if you would be deployed? And if so, about how long would that deployment be?

[@racheldoesbalance]

I believe you can expect to get called for about 1 deployment while serving back your four years & the AF is usually about 6 months avg while i think army is 9 months avg (check this cause I’m not in the army) & idk about navy. Keep in mind you’d be a doc and they have to protect you so you can help ppl so you wouldn’t really be on the front lines. Potentially more or less deployments depending on the state of the world/affairs

[@qetsiyah1766]

Do you know where I can find any of the match information for the different branches of the military? I would like to be a neurologist (not 100 % sure), but I do not know if it is possible to become one going the Air Force route.

[@racheldoesbalance]

drive.google.com/file/d/1AHXQacYL-caIFmQdMuhFK96smRIThkal/view?fbclid=IwAR0QMxThM-BgBuf1QJzmxAANRyqcSuOdlA9gVR5oqWDognsFcbUhfs7_d4E

[@racheldoesbalance]

here is the HPERB, which is the document from the AF that is released every June that tells the exact # of residencies and fellowships they gave out each year, and also the base/number of each spot. Im not sure if there is a document like this for the navy or army, but if you go onto the facebook page "Military Physicians and Medical Students" the army and navy is also on that page and they may have info posted there. I use the "Air Force HPSP" facebook page mostly and it posts great info there just about the AF. thats where i got this doc, by typing in "HPERB" into the search bar on the page!

[@qetsiyah1766]

@@racheldoesbalance Wow thank you so much! That is exactly what I was looking for. I did not know about the Facebook group. I will be sure to check it out.

[@gerriklabra8962]

Dear Rachel, I am a neuroengineer planning to do a MD/PHD program, at UC Davis. I basically get trained as a researcher and as a doctor, under the Biomedical Engineering program. Does the HPSP cover such a program?

[@racheldoesbalance]

Hi Gerrik, first off, that is absolutely amazing and so cool! I have so much respect for you for pursuing both of those degrees. To my knowledge, the HPSP scholarship doesn’t cover MD/PhD programs because it is only 3 or 4 years, and if I’m correct your program is longer than that. I encourage you to still reach out to a recruiter to make sure that’s true and to also see if there’s any other options for you regarding military medicine if that’s something you’re committed to doing. Let me know if you have any other questions!

[@bigboop150]

Im trying to understand how long you’re doing active duty for, 45 days at a time ?? Or is it a full year ??? I’m confused

[@dr.sungod2129]

Do you have to do active duty in order to apply or can it be from reserve to?

[@danaysiad.9094]

Hi I have a question that may sound redundant. When it is time for active duty, does this involve expanding practicing our medical license as an active duty military doctor?

[@racheldoesbalance]

Yes, when you start active duty you will be practicing as a licensed active duty military doctor. Does that answer your question?

[@shivahsundar8989]

One question: If I want to do NROTC, how would it affect my eligibility for the HPSP program when I go to med school

[@racheldoesbalance]

You would just have to get the approval from NROTC to get the educational delay for med school instead of going active duty in the navy

[@brenylira9007]

I have a question. If you become a flight surgeon are you supposed to do residency before or after? Or is that part of your residency?

[@racheldoesbalance]

If you become a flight doc/flight surgeon directly after medical school, you are not in residency yet, you are working as a flight doc. It’s common for people to be a flight doc for 1 or 2 years, get great experience, complete some of their active duty service requirement, then reapply to military and civilian residencies. Being a flight surgeon will get you a lot of points on the military residency point system that they use to rank applicants, so it’s a great way to be super competitive for the residency you want. I have heard of people being a flight surgeon or GMO (general medical officer) for 4 years, completing their ADSC, then getting out of the military, but i think that is much less common. Usually it’s before residency :)

[@brenylira9007]

@@racheldoesbalance Okay, thank you so much for this information! Very helpful ☺️

[@emmag639]

Traveling is a cool benefit

[@racheldoesbalance]

I think so too :)

[@utah710]

Wow they do nursing school too! Neat!

[@kansasmypie6466]

Thank you! Is it possible to get an HPSP scholarship with a written clause guaranteeing a civilian deferred residency?

[@racheldoesbalance]

You’re welcome! & no i don’t think you can do that, you find out which residency you get based off of your scores and how they rank you and that is in your 4th year

[@myote143]

can you get a set of uniform for the signing day. who pays the uniform? is there an oath taking involve?

[@racheldoesbalance]

I had a uniform because i was in ROTC so i had a uniform from that but usually people don’t have a uniform at that point and they wear business professional clothes. You can buy your uniform for your HPSP commissioning but you really don’t need to and i think it’s less common. That picture is from my ROTC commissioning and the other ROTC cadets i also commissioned with wore their uniforms too. The Air Force will give you a $400 uniform stipend but you must cover the rest of the costs yourself - and between the different uniforms and all the things you need for them, it is likely to be close to ~900/1000$😅 Yes, you will take the Oath of Office at your commissioning, where you place your right hand up and state it!

[@jaunaanguyen1947]

After serving 4 years of active duty, do we have the choice to get out of the military?

[@racheldoesbalance]

Yes! Once you finish your service commitment of 4 years, you can get out or sign another contract. Usually contacts are for 3, 4, or 6 years at a time I believe

[@stevenaayarrabanegas1552]

Does the 4 years of service commitment include the four years while at medical school and attending summer classes or four years after graduating medical school?

[@racheldoesbalance]

The 4 years of active duty service only start counting after you graduate medical school and finish residency!

[@nicolemelendez5079]

Hello beautiful, a question if you want to obtain the scholarship, do you have to go to basic training as soldiers usually do?

[@racheldoesbalance]

Hello!🥰you do not have to complete BMT to get the scholarship, if you get it though part of the requirements are completing commissioned officer training which is the equivalent of BMT but for officers!

[@zj_nyx3063]

What about joining the military after being a civilian doctor ? ...At age 30

[@racheldoesbalance]

I believe there are programs for civilian docs to enter and become docs in the military and you come in at a higher rank. The military also has civilian contractor doctors that work at military hospitals too

[@anthonyv.9979]

Hi! I plan to get an M.S. then apply to med school. Would it be better to apply to HPSP and do training before my M.S. or does it have to be only if I have been accepted to a medical school? I plan to one day become a civilian doctor.

[@racheldoesbalance]

i think it would be better to do the MS, use that to be more competitive for med school, then apply to HPSP while youre doing the MS, then finish the MS and get HPSP and go to med school and do HPSP training right before med school or during a summer in med school

[@channghiem5012]

doctor, airforce and babe!!!

[@daniello5063]

Do you know what the age limit is for this? I’m 30 and just barely gonna start pre med. Hoping this is a good option.

[@racheldoesbalance]

For the AF, i believe the max age to commission is 35, but i would double check with a recruiter. I do have a classmate in his early 40s that just commissioned in 2020 into Army HPSP so i believe they allow you to commission later

[@daniello5063]

@@racheldoesbalance thank you for the information!

[@acewonder18]

Was the stipend enough to pay all your bills for you to just focus on school?

[@racheldoesbalance]

This largely depends on where you are for medical school & if you want to live alone. I believe it’s ~$2600 before taxes now. If you live in NYC, your rent will be vastly different than someone who lives in Utah or Mississippi, for example, so that’s something to take into account. Also, roommates really help with saving money, which is what i did for all 3 years of my med school. I lived with roommates for all 3 years so far but also had my electric/wifi, car payment, car insurance, & groceries to take care of along with “fun” money for going out to eat, some travel, some shopping, & I’ve been able to make it work without taking out extra loans. I do like to think I’m more on the frugal side & I’ve tried to educate myself about finances. Worst case, you take out $10-30k in loans to supplement the stipend if you live in a more expensive area & it is nothing compared to what most other med students take out. All in all if you are smart & aware of your money, i believe yes it is!

[@dr.sungod2129]

Wait, do I have to be in the military already to apply to HPSP? Or can I be a civilian that got into medical school and then wants to apply to HPSP? Because I know you have to be in officer and stuff

[@racheldoesbalance]

no, you don't have to already be in the military to do hpsp. you're correct - you can be a civilian, get into med school/in the process of interviewing for medical schools, apply to hpsp, then officially commission and join the military thru hpsp. this is the more common route for hpsp its more uncommon to already be in rotc/active duty then do hpsp!

[@dr.sungod2129]

@@racheldoesbalance perfect and doesn’t it take 4 years to become an officer will I get to visit family and loved ones during the training?

[@elisajensen6164]

Are there any other specialty physicians like flight surgeons?

[@racheldoesbalance]

Yes, there are flight surgeons in the Air Force which is basically a primary care doc for a flying squadron/flying base. I don’t know everything about it but i know they also fly in the planes with the pilots and have to hit a certain number of flight hours per month. Then there’s also other doctors in the Air Force like ER docs, general surgeons, family med, internal med, ICU docs, etc.

[@caitlinrichardson980]

Do you have to do Air Force BMT in addition to officer school if you get the Scholarship?

[@racheldoesbalance]

No, you only go to OTS. OTS if for officers and BMT is for enlisted!

[@tahjesue-johnson9795]

So is it better to go active enlisted or reserve and go straight to school

[@racheldoesbalance]

one is not better than the other, it's completely up to you! each path is different though

[@pokemongo5330]

What is the physical fitness requirement?

[@racheldoesbalance]

For the Air Force it is a 1.5 mile run, 1 minute of push ups, 1 minute of situps and the time and number requirements for each event can be found through this link: www.foreverwingman.com/air-force-fitness-test/ - i believe the navy has a similar test to the Air Force and the army’s new test is much more functional training/weight focused!

[@susanavpulido]

do you have the option that the air force ONLY pays for medical school and because of that you only owe them 4 years of service instead of 4 years of medical school + residency? can they JUST pay for medical school and not residency?

[@racheldoesbalance]

Yes, if you do civilian deferred and do a 100% civilian residency that is at a civilian institution and you are paid the same as the other civilian residents (approx ~$60k), then you complete your military requirements in medical school (COT, ADTs) then you go to your civilian residency after medical school and don’t do anything related to the military, then after graduating residency you only owe four years to to the military of active duty service

[@racheldoesbalance]

During the civilian deferred residency it’s my understanding that you have no military requirements & you just act as a civilian resident until finishing residency

[@susanavpulido]

@@racheldoesbalance thank you very much! I've been researching a lot about this program the past weeks and I am sure it's the right fit for me, your video helped me a lot!

[@racheldoesbalance]

@@susanavpulido I’m so glad to hear that☺️best of luck to you!!

[@blitz30034]

What if you match in the military application but you rather go to a civilian residency if you match in the civilian residency will you be able to go to the civilian residency or will you be forced to go to the military residency?

[@racheldoesbalance]

if you would rather do a civilian residency over military residency i know that you can put in an application to get a "civilian deferred slot". i know someone that did this and the day of the military match, he was happy bc he found out he got his civilian deferred spot, didn't get a military spot, and was able to compete in the civilian match instead of the military one. you can put in for the civilian deferred spot and then get denied by the military and then you would have to either do an active duty residency or do a general medical officer/flight surgeon year(s). from what i have heard, most ppl that want the civ def residency do get it!

[@blitz30034]

@@racheldoesbalance Thank you!! I only had two concerns that would keep me from applying and this was one of them. I can move forward with a sense of relief now. Again I really appreciate the response and hope your changes does really well

[@racheldoesbalance]

@@blitz30034 you’re welcome!! And thank you so much!!

[@Stellakorrie]

The marines have scholarships too people I am interested in being a medical doctor

[@marcostapia7590]

Is there any way that you can do your years of service before Ned school

[@racheldoesbalance]

you can definitely serve in the military before doing med school/hpsp but you can't serve your hpsp service commitment before bc they want you to serve as a physician for those years, which you wouldnt be before med school

[@jilennyduran8647]

Do you know how HPSP works for active duty military. I went through ROTC and am currently a 41A health administrator. I would like to be a doctor just wondering if it's worth it

[@racheldoesbalance]

I know that if I hadn't gone directly into medical school after ROTC, I would've had to do 2 years active duty at the job I would've been given, but then I wouldve been able to reapply for it. You can definitely do HPSP if you are active duty, I don't 100% know the process but I would assume that if you have a 4 year commitment and have done 2 years of it and if you get picked up for HPSP, then you would probably owe your other 2 yrs + 4 years from HPSP for AD service after medschool/residency graduation. As long as you have completed your med school stuff and MCAT & get a medical school acceptance, you can definitely do it! I've heard of AD enlisted members getting their degrees and getting into medical school and doing it, I haven't heard of many officers doing it just but im pretty sure its 100% possible. I recommend reaching out to recruiter to double check and also letting your commander know of your interest so they can do some research for you as well. if you are committed to becoming a doctor, it is 100% worth it. some of my classmates have kids, were previously PAs or ER Nurses and are now in med school, were engineers before, or took 0-4 gap years. it doesn't matter when or how you get there, just that you do, if it is what you truly want! lmk if you have any other questions :)

[@racheldoesbalance]

Also I think your experience as 1. a healthcare administrator and 2. an AF officer would be invaluable and gives you incredible insight in becmoing a physician/being a leader! both of those things would look amazing on a med school app

[@kikeshonubi8722]

hi racheal, what if as a graduate student, your program is for 1year, are you also subjected to 3 years of active service?

[@racheldoesbalance]

hi! what is your program? just make sure it is on the list of programs that you can get the health professions scholarship for!

[@kikeshonubi8722]

@@racheldoesbalance yeah it is health care administration and due to the bulk of courses I had offered in my undergraduate level, I have just few courses for my masters level, thats what I asked if its also subjected to 3 years of active service or less than 3

[@racheldoesbalance]

Gotcha! I would definitely check with a recruiter to know 100% but usually assignments in the military are 3 years so i think it would have to be 3 years, usually people sign contracts for 4-8 years at a time & stay at the same base for 3-4 years so i would be surprised if you only had a 1 year commitment!

[@kikeshonubi8722]

@@racheldoesbalance Appreciate Rachel ❤

[@racheldoesbalance]

@@kikeshonubi8722 happy to help!😊

[@zaydsiddiqui4375]

Can u still be accepted for the scholarship if u have asthma but are still physically fit

[@racheldoesbalance]

You would have to go to MEPS, the medical in processing center and show them your medical records and they can tell you if you’re eligible or not! Some people are able to get a waiver for their asthma if it’s mild but a doctor would have to tell you!

[@stormythecat282]

Hi, is there an HPSP scholarship for reserve? Or do you know of any programs for reserve?

[@racheldoesbalance]

when you are in HPSP , you are in the reserves, but they expect you to do active duty after that exclusively. i dont believe you can do it and only serve as a reserve doc and never as an active duty doc. you can do active duty medicine, then go into reserve strictly tho

[@mscenterprise5410]

Do you know if Child Psychologist is offered?

[@racheldoesbalance]

I haven’t heard of that myself so I’m not 100% sure. I know they have programs for PAs & nurses but I’m not sure about child psychologists

[@spaghettilibro]

How would I go about trying to put in a formal report against a medical student in Texas that was accepted into the AF HPSP program? He forced me into an unwanted and unsafe abortion and left me in a pool of blood. He is scared of blood, by the way. Terrible follow-up skills, bled for months and he was just crossing his fingers I would "get over it" and stop seeking justice. They hired a murderer. A cold murder. He only cared that they were paying his medical school tuition. He declined all opportunities given to him to work with vets in the past...he is an evil person...these issues tend to resurface when not taken care of. He has no desire to "fix" this and never has. He is a coward that just expects his problems to just bleeeeed out...out of his sight. He is neither a man of honor nor integrity. He poisoned me for his professional gain. People will salute him. A murderer.

[@Ryan-bv9uu]

So can I do hpsp but a civilian match?

[@racheldoesbalance]

yes, you can ask for permission from the military branch you're in to not go to an active duty residency and then compete in the civilian match. ive seen it done more commonly with navy hpsp students, less so army and AF but still possible

[@Stellakorrie]

The marines has scholarships too

[@racheldoesbalance]

yes they do !

[@hiramf2502]

Do you owe 4 years or 8 years after med school and residency

[@racheldoesbalance]

I personally owe 8 years after med school/residency due to my ROTC commitment, but if you just do HPSP with no ROTC it’s 3/4 years depending on your scholarship!

[@hiramf2502]

@@racheldoesbalance Thanks for replying! What was your pre med?

[@racheldoesbalance]

@@hiramf2502 of course!! i majored in biology and neuroscience and I went to Syracuse University in NY!

[@adelbendoukha3098]

Can i apply for this program internationally ? I mean as non us citizen

[@racheldoesbalance]

i believe you can apply as a non US citizen, but im prety sure you have to be a citizen to officially commission as an officer in the military!

[@blitz30034]

Are there usually a lot of seats for trauma surgeon?

[@racheldoesbalance]

drive.google.com/file/d/1AHXQacYL-caIFmQdMuhFK96smRIThkal/view?fbclid=IwAR0QMxThM-BgBuf1QJzmxAANRyqcSuOdlA9gVR5oqWDognsFcbUhfs7_d4E

[@racheldoesbalance]

the document above will show you how many residencies/fellowships and where they are tht the AF gave out in 2020. if you wanted to do trauma surgery you would first have to do a general surgery residency, which was 31 spots, then they have a trauma/critical care fellowship, which it looks like there was only 1 for this year! things do change each year though, they will make the 2021 HPERB public in june 2021

[@blitz30034]

@@racheldoesbalance Thank you this is my #1 concern applying for the HPSP scholarship and it does seem really though now looking at the data. I really appreciate the response

[@melissac802]

Do you get to live on campus with the hpsp?

[@racheldoesbalance]

since most people in grad school/med school live in apartments, i live in an apartment that is about 10 minutes from my campus. there isn't any on campus housing at my school because it just has graduate school programs in it. most grad schools/medical schools dont offer any on campus housing for students to my knowledge

[@Marilynefc]

Is there a age limit?

[@racheldoesbalance]

It is branch specific, but i believe most of them have a cut off of the early forties. I have a classmate that is in army HPSP who is in his early forties right now

[@tahjesue-johnson9795]

Could you work In Japan?

[@racheldoesbalance]

yes, you could be stationed in japan when you are active duty because there is an air base there

[@ErwinDulmin-tw5th]

MY WIFE..... MAMI.... SAYANG KU AKU MENCINTAIMU.... MAMI.... RACHEL PAY..... MAHATMA GANDHI.... MAHATMA ERWIN DULMIN GANDHIJI......

[@joshuacoleman6122]

Can you do Md PhD?

[@racheldoesbalance]

I don't believe HPSP gives scholarships for MD/PhD, but I would ask a recruiter to know for 100%

[@AnnMorris-z9d]

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[@FudgeBondu]

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[@shavonce]

I have a few questions, do you have an email or Instagram?

[@racheldoesbalance]

Just got your Instagram notification, i will get back to you by tonight! :)

[@svitlana5093]

Is there any max age limit??

[@racheldoesbalance]

Yes for each branch…. Believe it’s late 30s for AF but don’t know the exact

[@ErwinDulmin-tw5th]

MY WIFE...... MAMI.... SAYANG KU AKU MENCINTAIMU..... MAMI.... RACHEL PAY.... MAHATMA GANDHI..... MAHATMA ERWIN DULMIN GANDHIJI........