Experience with the Health Professionals Scholarship Program?

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 08:03:20 -0400

Do any of you wonderful people have experience with the HPSP? I'll have my bachelors soon, and I plan to apply to every veterinary school ever after my enlistment is up. I'd love to combine my love of being a membeer of the military and animals, but I can't seem to find a lot of information on the program. Everything is fairly vague. I'd like to know about the application process and just general experiences with the program. Also, if anyone has switched services and how the transition was.

Response by Col Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 20 at 2014 12:04 PM

Col Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 12:04:53 -0400

Hey there SrA Marsh. I did some digging and found this website. http://www.airforce.com/opportunities/healthcare/education
Click on "Money for School". And there is some information. If you wait a minute on the website, a chat box appears and offers you the chance to speak with a recruiter. Chat with one and tell ask them for the information you need. Or just go to your local AF Health Care recruiter's office. You can also try your base education office.
As far as veterinarians go, you may like my response, but this is the experience I have seen in my 14 years in the AF as a nurse. Most of the time, active duty AF veterinarians function as a public health officer and perform most of their duties in that role and work minimal time as a veterinarian. Not to say that it's not possible, but that has been what I have seen. On my first deployment, the veterinarian ran public health and did veterinarian duties.
The other thing I would recommend, is for you to contact an active duty AF veterinarian and speak with them first. They would probably be the best subject matter expert.