For future and current medical and dental school students, the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) offers two-, three- and four-year scholarships (as available). The HPSP covers civilian-school tuition, pays for fees, provides a monthly stipend of $2,600+ and includes a signing bonus under certain conditions. For those who hope to apply to HPSP, selection boards tend to look at all aspects of a person’s application — leadership, extracurricular activities, fitness, grades and scores — so they can determine who will succeed in both medical school and the Army.
HPSP application process checklist
- Determine if you are eligible to join the Army.
- Begin gathering transcripts, letters of recommendation and test scores.
- Start applying at the same time you apply to medical schools. You can wait to apply, but you may wind up competing with more people for fewer slots. Keep in mind that the acceptance process generally takes about three months.
- Contact a recruiter to schedule a preliminary interview.
- Your recruiter will schedule a physical examination for you at a Military Entrance Processing Station.
- Once you are accepted to an accredited physician of medicine or physician of osteopathic medicine degree program, your recruiter will complete your application.
- A selection board will evaluate your application packet.
Note: If you are an active-duty commissioned servicemember or in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) or a service academy, your application process will be the same as for civilians, except you will need to request a contingent release from active duty to apply to the HPSP. ROTC also requires an education-delay form. If you are an active-duty enlisted servicemember, you will also need a LOA from your commander. Finally, if you are in the Reserve, you will need to request permission from your commanding officer.
What to expect in school
As an HPSP scholarship participant, you will be an officer in the Individual Ready Reserve. For that reason, your requirements and benefits differ in some respects from servicemembers on active duty. You do not wear a uniform to your classes, you are not eligible for active-duty pay unless on training orders and you are expected to attend officer training if you can fit it into your academic schedule. In the third year of medical school, you will start interviewing for residency positions, and you will participate in a military-match process and possibly a civilian-match process, which will determine where you go for residency.
Service commitment
The minimum term of Service (MTS) for first-term personnel will be two years following internship for physicians and three years for other health professions officers. The minimum term is not additive to ADSOs incurred for education and training. The ADSOs for GPE for physicians, dentists, and veterinarians (includes only residencies and fellowships) will be as prescribed by current DOD guidance and applicable contracts.
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If you don’t want to wait, just call or text (702) 303-5757 to speak with Staff Sgt. Sahara Celeste. She will be happy to answer any questions you have.