The HPSP Scholarship: My Experience and What You Need to Know

Let's talk about the HPSP scholarship (Health Professions Scholarship Program). This scholarship allowed me to go to medical school for FREE through the Air Force.

While I have no regrets about my path, there are some major pros and cons you should know about if you're considering this program!

Some things you should know about the HPSP scholarship:

- The HPSP Scholarship is NOT the Military Medical School (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences or USUHS). The HPSP Scholarship gives you a stipend and covers your tuition (it's a "full-ride scholarship"), but you don't have to go to the Military Medical School. I went to New York Medical College, for example.

- Don't just listen to everything the military recruiters tell you. They don't always tell you the full story. A lot of them don't know all the answers about HPSP. Talk to people who are in the program now. Talk to people who were in the program in the past.

- You can't actually apply for the HPSP Scholarship until you have a med school acceptance. It comes AFTER you have an acceptance. And you don't need to tell medical schools that you're planning to apply for the HPSP Scholarship. They don't need to know initially.

- Be aware of potential age cut-offs if you're a nontraditional student.

- The HPSP Scholarship is flexible with the schedule of different med schools. So, for example, with Commissioned Officer Trainer, you may do it before med school if you have time, or you'll typically do it between first and second year.

- Most of the time in med school, being an HPSP student is hands-off. The military pays for everything and gives you a stipend, and your schedule is MOSTLY the same as other med students until applying to residency.

- How the HPSP program affects your specialty choice: Recruiters may tell you that you can do whatever specialty you want. It's not true. They can tell you "No" about the specialty you choose, and if they do, you typically become a General Medical Officer.

- The Military Match happens before the normal match, and it's based on a rubric I explain in the video!

- Do I still recommend applying for the HPSP Scholarship? I do, but only under certain conditions that I share. It's not for everyone!

[Kwicdrawmcgraw]

As a vet with 3 years Army/11 years Air Guard, I swear I was going to unsubscribe if you'd said "Trust the recruiter." Never ever trust the recruiter boys and girls!

[thoughtfulsamosa]

I feel like you're our personal guidance counselor, sincere thanks 💖 and thank you for your service

[adamjsumait]

After following you for so many years, I had no idea you were prior service! I am stationed at Hanscom AFB now and in contact/shadowing the flight surgeon here! Currently in AF under a non med AFSC and applying this cycle with hopes of serving in the AF Med Corps. Thank you for this video - spot on with what I heard from other AF physicians. Big factor is definitely timing which isn’t in anyone’s control. Gotta want to serve and I do!

[Lobi]

The military is a great way to pay for college but here is my recommendation if you are in HS this is the route I am taking but will add things I wish I did:
1st: Enlist straight from HS and go into a medical specialty like a corpsman, medic, or a tech to get experience. (I did not do this I just wanted to get out my home town)
2nd: Do college while you are in early, you can at least get your associates degree while taking minimal classes during your 4 years of service. Some even get their bachelors. (I also did not do this cause I did not plan to go to college back then)
3rd: On your last year apply for disability and get a pre approval before getting out or do it early as soon as you get out. Your goal is to at least get %10 which is very achievable. Go to medical while in service and document everything ( I did it after I got out and the wait time to get your rating varies)
4th: Use your GI Bill to finish your bachelors degree if you didn’t finish in service. (I had no classes done so I’m using my entire GI Bill for my bachelors for free and getting paid a monthly housing stipend [BAH])
5th: Apply for medschool and get your acceptance letter, this is where your %10 disability comes in. Take your acceptance letter and apply for the VR&E. (It is another benefit but instead of a educational benefit like the GI Bill this is an Employment benefit) you will do an interview and explain you want to be a doctor and have an acceptance letter, if your interview goes well and you shows ambition for your career your counselor will approve you and make a plan to pay for your medical school and give you a housing stipend also.
6th: If you happen to gotten your bachelors while in service then congratulations you can just use your GI Bill for medical school. If you live in a state that gives you additional benefits like Texas with the Hazelwood act, you can use that for medschool instead of the VR&E but they have no housing stipend. (Look into states that give additional education benefits for veterans)
Now you have multiple options to get into med school for free, while only serving for one contract.
If you are already a college student then the HPSP might be for you. You can also look into the USUHS which is military medical school if you know the military life is what you want. In comparison HPSP is 3-4 year’s commitment and USUHS is a 7 year commitment.
I personally love the route I took, and if I was a student that never served would have probably used the HPSP since it’s only for 3 years without the bonus, then done a residency after my commitment.
Hope this has helped anyone looking for information while in HS.

[donluz]

I would love to see a cost breakdown between going straight to private practice and serving in the military first. It would save a student around $250, 000 in debt but you’d be paid about a 1/3 for the 4 years of obligated service after residency depending on specialty. At the same time the $2, 400 a month stipend equaling $115, 200 after 4 years of medical school would offset that a little bit. All in all you’d break even but by being debt free you could focus on your investments early and set yourself up nicely for retirement. But I agree, don’t do it for the money. It’s not enough to get you through “the suck” . This is coming from a veteran Sailor

[steptemberangle]

Great video! 16 now and I’m debating between Medical school and Serving in the Military, amazed that you could do both with the HPSP!:)

[JB-hdjn]

Thank you for sharing you experience. I'm in my senior year of undergrads, trying to plan out how i want my medical journey to go and it's been pretty overwhelming tbh. I've been browsing through a bunch of youtube vids talking about the HPSP and yours has been the most sincere one i've found. Thank you for your honesty and taking the time to make a vid like this!

[jordyn]

My biggest worries going into med school are not matching, having no job opportunities + being hundreds of thousands in debt. I come from a long line of seamen+marines, so going into the Navy would provide me with a sense of pride. I could care for marines, my uncle who just took his life was a marine. I even have a ship tattooed on my arm 😅 I don't know what to do

[Borok]

Thanks for all the value you give out to everyone

[felixgriveramoctezuma]

Man I loved this video. I think it is very honest and helped me a lot. thanks!

[lavclouds]

I hate you didn’t get to be an orthopedic surgeon but I’m glad you loved being a flight surgeon

[omegasquadlder]

The Military is heading towards a joint medical system called the Defense Health Agency in the coming years. There is still going to be more uncertainty with how military match will work in the future. Prior to this year, the Army had the most residences in specialties like GS, Ortho, EM, and Anesthesiology. I had the opportunity to talk with the Surgeon General of the Army this past semester about how residencies and fellowships will work in the future. It seems like he wants to expand the ability for military physicians to take on civilian residencies and fellowships in the future.


If anyone is serious about doing becoming a military physician and does not have prior experience (Prior service, ROTC, Service Academy) I would recommend checking out USU as an opportunity to get acclimated to the military culture.

[elizabethwatson]

Do you have any significant comments or experiences of female colleagues that did HPSP? What is maternity leave like? Does the military let pregnancy and motherhood affect your residency application?

[calebjoseph]

Currently a student at UF appreciate the advice !

[dorianenriquez]

Thank you! So so so so much I had an inkling that this was the case being able to pick your residency in the military ha! People cant even pick where they live let alone a program, job ect. Regardless, I've always wanted to serve for many reasons but now I know I'm okay with all of it.

[raresubstance]

I hope you and your family are well and thank you for your post 🖖🏾👍🏾

[OmarAbdulMalikDHEdMPASPACPAPro]

Hi; long-time subscriber here. Thank you SO MUCH, for this information.

[meganlonhart]

What does it look like to be an Active Duty Physician? Where are you located? What type of medicine are you practicing?

[jamesyu]

Wow I love you awesome and so brave. Thank you so much

[Poop-mv]

This was such an inspiring and informational video regarding this program! And, thank you for your service.

One question that I'm finding unanswered is: How does the program work for MSW?