Summer while in HPSP / USUHS

[brats800]

so what exactly do your summers look like if you go thru HPSP or USUHS? students in either of these programs intern all summer with their parent service branch, correct? where do you get stationed? like would you pretty much always be in a military hospital somewhere? or could you get stationed overseas at another base somewhere, or on an aircraft carrier or submarine or something? just wonderin how it all comes together. thanx for your responses.

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[R-Me-Doc]

I can't answer for USUHS, but Army HPSP works like this:
Usually, during the summer after your 1st year of med school, you will go to Officer Basic Course. The duration has changed since I did it but it's probably about 6 weeks of "fun in the sun" in Texas. I say "usually" because some med schools don't have an extended summer break between 1st and 2nd year, which prevents you from doing it. In these cases you can defer OBC until after you graduate.

After that, you realize, there are no more "summer breaks" from med school. So what you do is an annual "ADT" (Active Duty Training") period with the military. This is a 30-day period where you can go and do a clinical rotation (at ANY time during the year, doesn't have to be summer) at a military medical facility. It is usually in a specialty and at a hospital that you have some interest in for residency -- a chance to see what the program is like and "show your stuff" to the staff. You get to pick where and when you want to go and arrange it with the facility directly. It is unlikely that you would get to go overseas (at least in the Army -- I can't speak for the other branches; however, I did get to go to Tripler in Hawaii for one of mine). During this time you are considered to be on active duty, so you wear the uniform and get paid as a 2nd lieutenent (or an ensign in the navy, I guess). You get 4 of these during your med school career (OBC counts as the first one, so you have 3 others to use as you wish). During your rotation you will get a formal evaluation by whoever your supervisor is and it counts A LOT when you actually apply for military residency.

Hope this helps.

 

[Tenesmus]

At USUHS, there is a one week "operational" experience at Quantico immediately following the conclusion of the academic year. This includes spending about four days in the field doing everything from firing M-16s (blanks by the way) to flying in helicopters.

The one month following Quantico depends on whether or not you are prior service. If prior service, you can participate in research around the DC area, or you can go to an operational unit although this may or may not be funded. For non-priors, experience with the "real" military is highly encouraged to provide exposure. I know people who spent time on the USN Comfort ship, flew jets off a carrier or land (USAF), and a guy that spent his time with the White House doctors. Essentially you set up an experience and then get it cleared in order to receive funding.

 

[zreagle]

Thanks for the info.

I am currently admitted and will begin med school next fall and am considering Army HPSP.


During the ADT training you describe above, is it possible for the ADT rotation to also count as one of your clerkships during 3rd or 4th year?

In other words, will the Army pay you during one of your med school clerkships?

And if so, then you would still get your summer break (depending on your school of course), right?

thanks!

-ZR

 

[R-Me-Doc]

Yes, the ADT's count as 3rd and 4th year clerkships (although you should double check this with your med school -- I imagine that different schools may have somewhat different policies on this).

Yes, that means that the Army actually pays you to do a clinical clerkship.

I'm not sure what you mean by "summer break." Most med schools I know of don't have any summer breaks other than between 1st and 2nd year. Once you hit clinical rotations it's year-round, baby! Or maybe my med school was run by a bunch of slave drivers who just reamed me out of some vacation!!!!