Health Professions Scholarship

Program (HPSP) Overview

Alexander Lam, 2d Lt, USAF
Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, OMS-II
Disclaimer
The information found in this document represent my understanding and my understand
solely regarding the ins and outs of the military scholarship. As the main writer and an Air
Force scholarship recipient, most of the information in this document will most likely
reflect upon my experiences through the Air Force.

That said, I have received help from other HPSP students who are on the Army and Navy
scholarships to bring together the most accurate info possible for you all.

The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and are
not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Burrell College of Osteopathic
Medicine (BCOM), or the Department of the Air Force, Army, Navy, or the Department of
Defence (DoD). This document is also not meant for recruiting purposes. For recruiting
information, please refer to your local health professions recruiter.
 Overview
• Military vs. Civilian
• Med School (years 1 and 2)
• Rotations (years 3 and 4)
• Residency
• Types of Residencies
• Civilian Deferred
• Civilian Sponsored
• Active Duty
• Military GME
• How to Apply for Residencies
• What Matters Most to Residencies
 Need to Know Acronyms
• TDY – Temporary Duty. In the operational military this usually refers to active duty
status training for a period of 60 days.
• ADT – Active Duty Training. As an HPSP, your TDYs will be known as ADTs. They
are essentially the same thing, but outside of HPSP nobody knows what ADTs are.
These are typically 45 days long.
• BOLC – Basic Officer Leadership Course. This is the Army’s version of Officer
School.
• COT – Commissioned Officer Training. This is the Air Force’s unique program for
training non-line officers.
• ODS – Officer Development School. This is the Navy’s program for Officer School.
• GME – Graduate Medical Education.
• MODS – Military Graduate Medical Education website. This is how you will apply
for military ADT rotations and for military active duty residencies.
HPSP 4 year scholarship vs 3 year scholarship.
• 4 year scholarship.
• $20,000 sign on bonus.
• Receive a stipend for 4 years.
• Required to attend 4 ADTs.
• 4 year active duty payback.
• 3 year scholarship.
• No $20,000 sign on bonus.
• Receive a stipend for 3 years.
• Required to attend 3 ADTs.
• 3 year active duty payback.
 Air Force Typical Med School Timeline
Summer 2017: Some students will attend COT prior to med school.
MS-I
Summer 2018: Most students will attend COT after year 1 of med school.
Summer 2018: Most students will attend AMP101 after COT.
MS-II
Summer 2019: STEP 1 / COMLEX level I.
Summer 2019: Attend AMP101 if not already done so.
MS-III
During MS III (Starting January): Schedule away rotations (ADTs)
Summer 2020 (August): COMLEX level II
Summer 2020 (September): ERAS application due

MS-IV
During MS-IV (October): Rank list due
During MS-IV (November): Programs rank students
During MS-IV (December): Military match results released!
During MS-IV (March): Civilian match results released!
 Army Typical Med School Timeline
Summer 2017: Some students will attend BOLC prior to med school.
MS-I
Summer 2018: Most students will attend BOLC after year 1 of med school.

MS-II
Summer 2019: STEP 1 / COMLEX level I.

MS-III
During MS III (Starting January): Schedule away rotations (ADTs)
Summer 2020 (August): COMLEX level II
Summer 2020 (September): ERAS application due

MS-IV
During MS-IV (October): Rank list due
During MS-IV (November): Programs rank students
During MS-IV (December): Military match results released!
During MS-IV (March): Civilian match results released!
 Navy Typical Med School Timeline
Summer 2017: Some students will attend BOLC prior to med school.
MS-I
Summer 2018: Most students will attend ODS after year 1 of med school.

MS-II
Summer 2019: STEP 1 / COMLEX level I.

MS-III
During MS III (Starting January): Schedule away rotations (ADTs)
Summer 2020 (August): COMLEX level II
Summer 2020 (September): ERAS application due

MS-IV
During MS-IV (October): Rank list due
During MS-IV (November): Programs rank students
During MS-IV (December): Military match results released!
During MS-IV (March): Civilian match results released!
Military vs. Civilian – Med School
• Is HPSP like ROTC? No.
• Are you in the military? Yes. You will be an actual commissioned officer.
• What status am I while in medical school? Typically reserve status.
• Typically you’ll be in Individualized Ready Reserve (IRR) status.
• For your ADTs, you’ll be on 45 day active duty orders, at which point you’ll be
considered “active duty” status.
• All other times you’ll be referred to as Reservists.
• We’ll talk more about this later.
• Earlier deadline for USMLE and COMLEX scores.
• Do we need to take both? No.
• Should I take both? Maybe.
• Residency application will be submitted significantly earlier.
• Military match will be earlier (approximately 3 months).
Types of Residencies
•Civilian Deferred (Reserve)
•Active Duty (AD)
•Civilian Sponsored (AD)
•Transitional vs. Preliminary Year
Civilian Deferred
• Fully civilian residency program.
• Individualized Ready Reserves (IRR) status.
• Training at civilian location.
• Paid resident salary by civilian residency program.
• No stipend of benefits from military during time in civilian residency.
• Does NOT count towards time in rank.
Active Duty
• Fully military residency program.
• Active Duty (AD) status.
• Training at military location.
• Captain pay and benefits.
• Military benefits while in residency.
• Counts towards time in rank (pay raise and retirement) not time in
service.
• ***Does not incur extra time towards commitment except if you do a
longer residency.
Civilian Sponsored
• Blend between civilian deferred and active duty military residency.
• Active Duty (AD) status.
• Training at civilian location.
• Captain pay and benefits.
• Military benefits while in residency.
• INCURS EXTRA TIME TOWARDS COMMITMENT. Each year you are
sponsored by the military tacks on an additional year to the time you
already owe for the HPSP commitment.
• Ex: 4 year civilian sponsored residency + 4 years HPSP scholarship = 8 year
payback
Transitional vs. Preliminary Year
• Transitional Year: One year long program in which you rotate through
different departments/specialties (IM, EM, OB/GYN, Gen. Surg. etc.)
Essentially a glorified 4th year, but with more responsibilities since you
now have a medical degree.

• Preliminary Year: Many programs will require a one year prelim year
(EM, derm, rads, etc.) prior to starting their program (PGY-2).
Students selected to participate in these residency programs are
usually pre-selected coming out of med school and are required to
first attend a preliminary year that’s usually in a different
field/specialty.
Civilian vs. Military Residency
• COMLEX and USMLE. Do I need both? Maybe. Some program directors
have stated that if you have one or the other you should be fine, but others
prefer to see both. There’s a lot of variability in this. You’ll have to do your
own specific research.
• Which should I apply for? You’re required to apply for both the civilian
match and the military match.
• If I match both for the military and the civilian which should I choose?
Actually, if you match in both you’ll be required to turn down the civilian
residency unless granted a deferment.
• Is it more likely for me to get a military or civilian match? Hard to say. This
depends on a lot of factors. Even if you try hard for an AD residency you
may still receive a deferment to train at a civilian program and vice versa.
Keep this in mind over the next few years. Nothing is guaranteed.
 Military Graduate Medical Education
Air Force Army Navy
DG, CA CRDAMC, TX NAMI Pensacola
DG/UCD, CA
Eglin AFB, FL EACM, GA NH Bremerton
Keesler AFB, MS KACH, NY
NCC/Ft. Belvoir, VA NH Camp Lejeune
Nellis AFB, NV MACH, GA
Nellis/UNSOM, NV MAMC, WA NH Camp Pendleton
Offutt AFB, NE
SAMMC, TX NH Jacksonville
NMC Portsmouth, NH
SAUSHEC, SA TAMC, HI NH Pensacola
Scott AFB, IL
Travis AFB, CA WAMC, NC NMC Portsmouth
USAFSAM, OH WBAMC, TX NMC San Diego
Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
WRAIR, MD
WRNMMC, DC WRNMMC, DC
(Walter Reed) WRNMMC, DC
USUHS, MD
(Uniformed Services University) USHUS, MD USHUS, MD
Air Force GME
• Aeromedical Services
• Residency in Aerospace Medicine (RAM) (15)
• Fellowship in Hyperbarics
• Allergy
• Fellowship in Allergy/Immunology
• Anesthesia
• Residency in Anesthesia (16)
• Fellowship in Pain (Chronic)
• Fellowship in Pain (Regional)
• Fellowship in Trauma
• Dermatology
• Residency in Dermatology (1)
• Emergency Medicine
• Residency in Emergency Medicine (40)
• Residency in Operational Flight Medicine / Emergency Medicine (NEW!)
• Family Medicine
• Residency in Family Medicine (74)
• Residency in Operational Flight Medicine / Family Medicine (NEW!)
Air Force GME
• General Surgery
• Preliminary Year (PGY-1 only) (26)
• Residency in General Surgery (27)
• Residency in Vascular/Endovascular (3)
• Research in General Surgery
• Fellowship in Trauma/Critical Care
• Genetics
• Residency in Genetics (PGY2)
• Internal Medicine
• Preliminary Year (PGY-1 only) (12)
• Residency in Internal Medicine (48)
• Residency in Operational Flight Medicine / Internal Medicine (NEW!)
• Fellowship in Cardiology/Endocrinology/Gastroenterology/Hematology/Oncology/ID/Nephrology…
• Neurology
• Residency in Neurology (5)
• Fellowship in Brain Injury Medicine
• Fellowship in Neurophysiology
• Neurosurgery
• Residency in Neurosurgery (1)
Air Force GME
• OB/GYN
• Residency in OB/GYN (23)
• Occupational Medicine
• Residency in Occupational Medicine (PGY-2) (5)
• Includes MPH
• Ophthalmology
• Residency in Ophthalmology (4)
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Residency in Orthopedic Surgery (15)
• Otolaryngology
• Residency in Otolaryngology (4)
• Pathology
• Residency in Pathology (7)
• Fellowship in Cytopathology
• Pediatrics
• Residency in Pediatrics (37)
• Fellowship in Pediatric Child Abuse/Adolescent/Developmental/Neonatology/Ped Endocrinology/Ped
Gastroenterology/Ped Neurology
• Preventive Medicine
• Residency in General Preventive Medicine (PGY-2) (6)
• Includes MPH
Air Force GME
• Psychiatry
• Residency in Psychiatry (38)
• Fellowship in Child Psychiatry
• Fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry
• Radiation Oncology
• Residency in Radiation Oncology (2)
• Radiology
• Residency in Diagnostic Radiology (17)
• Residency in Radiology (PGY-2) (14)
• Fellowship in Interventional Radiology /MSK/Neuroradiology/Nuclear
Medicine/Women’s Imaging
• Transitional Medicine
• Preliminary Year, Transitional Med (PGY-1 only)
• Urology
• Residency in Urology (6)
Navy GME
• Aerospace Medicine
• Anesthesiology Residency & Pain Fellowship
• Dermatology
• Emergency Medicine Residency & Global Health Fellowship
• Family Medicine Residency & Sports Med Fellowship
• Faculty Development Fellowship
• General Surgery
• Internal Medicine & Subspecialties (cardio, endo, GI, hem/onc, ID…)
• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
Navy GME
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Otolaryngology
• Pathology
• Pediatric Residency & Neonatology Fellowship
• Preventive & Occupational Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Radiology & Subspecialties (Imaging & MSK)
• Undersea Medicine
• Urology
Army GME Programs
• Aerospace Medicine
• Allergy/Immunology, Histocompatibility
• Anesthesiology & Pain, Critical Care, Regional
• Clinical Pharmacology
• Dermatology, Dermatopathology
• Emergency Medicine, Austere and Wilderness Med, EMS, Ultrasound
• Family Medicine, Faculty Development, Sports Medicine, OB/GYN,
GI/Colonoscopy
• General Surgery & Critical Care/Trauma, Vascular, Trauma
• Internal Medicine and Critical Care, Cardio, Endo, GI…
• Medical Research
Army GME
• Neurology & Child, EEG
• Neurosurgery
• Nuclear Medicine
• OB/GYN & Reproductive Endo, GYN Onc, Maternal Fetal…
• Occupational Medicine
• Opthalmology
• Orthopedics & Hand, Joint – Soft Tissue, Trauma, Sports Med
• Otolaryngology
• Pathology & Cytopath, Forensic
• Pediatrics & Develop, Neonatal, Endo, GU, Heme/Onc, Adol, ID
Army GME
• Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Pain Med
• Preventive Medicine
• Psychiatry & Child, Forensics, Prev, Geriatrics, Psychosomatic,
Addiction
• Psych-IM
• Radiation Oncology
• Radiology, Trauma
• Transitional Year
• Urology
Other nuggets of knowledge…
• Medical equipment IS reimburseable! Get Uncle Sam to pay for
required equipment!
• Board exams are reimbursable as well.
• You are covered under Tricare while on ADT orders. Get your
immunizations and anything else you need taken care of while on
orders!
• Health insurance is covered, but only for the one individual on the
scholarship. There is no exception to this policy. No families members
will be covered under any circumstances.
Sources
• http://www.airforcemedicine.af.mil/Portals/1/Documents/Phys_Ed_B
ranch/HPERB/2017_HPERB_for_Publish_v3.pdf
• http://amops.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Health-Professions-
Scholarship-Program-by-Doug-Robb-DO.pdf