I am currently an MSI cadet on scholarship, I am pretty dead set on a medical career and I want to serve my country. I recently discovered a scholarship called Health Profession Scholarship Program and I am considering dropping ROTC and signing up for the HPSP instead, is this a good idea

15658549:

You won't be able to "sign up" for the HPSP until you've actually been accepted into medical school. Looks like that is about 3 years away from now for you.

You might want to check out a website called www.studentdoctor.net. There is a subforum devoted specifically to military medicine. Be prepared though, you're going to hear the good, the really bad, and the really ugly ...

Yes, HPSP will pay your med school tuition and give you a stipend every month, but you need to be sure the payback is something you can live with. For every year you accept the HPSP, you'll owe the military one year on active duty. So, if you take a 4-year scholarship, you'll owe 4 years on active duty. Please keep in mind that this does not include your time in residency. Depending on the specialty you choose, it could be 2-4 years before you even begin your payback.

Also, should you decide to stay on ROTC scholarship and then elect to accept an HPSP scholarship when the time comes, your active duty obligation for ROTC will be served consecutively and not concurrently. Also, you'll owe additional time for deferring your ROTC payback in order to go on to med school.

Before you even begin to think about military medicine as a career, I recommend you try to contact some military docs and seek their advice. I'd mix it up, talk to those early in their careers, in the middle, and on the back-end.

Make sure you do your research before you sign the dotted line. Good luck with whatever path you choose .

thanks a bunch jeepgirl

No worries. Some more advice: keep your grades up, volunteer/get a job at a hospital that will expose you to patient care, and try to spend a summer or two working in a lab doing research. Again, good luck .

What type of job can you get at a hospital without certification that will expose you to patient care? Also, you mentioned working in a lab. Just to add, NIH offers scholarships with short term internships. I think it depends on the scholarships that you accept if they grant them to you.

quote:

Originally posted by ugajeepgirl:
No worries. Some more advice: keep your grades up, volunteer/get a job at a hospital that will expose you to patient care, and try to spend a summer or two working in a lab doing research. Again, good luck .

meandyouandme:
Depends on what state you live in ... In Georgia, I had friends who were able to work as orderlies and patient care techs in hospitals and nursing homes doing grunt work and helping with patients. Others volunteered at hospitals and what-not. You'd be amazed at the things you can see and experience if you prove yourself to be a good volunteer . Also, try the local Red Cross.

As for lab jobs, go over to the science buildings on your campus, especially around the beginning of the semester. You'll find postings for student lab work. You'll more than likely start at the bottom, doing basic lab maintenance, ie cleaning glassware, stocking supplies, etc. But, again, if you prove yourself proficient and motivated, doors will open.

In the summers, tons of colleges and research institutes offer summer programs in research and/or educational enrichment, many of which will pay you a decent amount of money and put you up in dorms cheaply if not free. Google and you'll find them. If you live in the Southeast, I can recommend a couple of good ones. Just lemme know.

If you haven't, check out www.studentdoctor.net. Its a great website, and somewhat addictive.