Navy HSCP

[mmleik]

Hi I am applying for Navy HSCP and I am trying to get as much information as I can.

 

1. What is your rank or pay grade once you graduate from PA masters program and passing your PANCE?

 

2. When you become a commissioned officer after graduating your PA program, will your pay grade be for that rank with more than 2 years service or what because the 2 years studying and receiving HSCP benefits are considered active duty time as E6?

 

3. For medical duty station (orientation)? which should I pick and which is more preferable? San Diego or Mayo? Can I pick an overseas station like Bahrain for example?

 

4. What are other benefits can I receive during the  3 years active duty? Is there incentive or special pay, board certified pay or are those only for doctors and dentists?

 

5. Can I do a fellowship or pick a specialty to practice once I graduate PA? Do I have that option or the Navy decides for me?

 

 

Any information would help.   

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

Hi I am applying for Navy HSCP and I am trying to get as much information as I can.

 

1. What is your rank or pay grade once you graduate from PA masters program and passing your PANCE?

 

2. When you become a commissioned officer after graduating your PA program, will your pay grade be for that rank with more than 2 years service or what because the 2 years studying and receiving HSCP benefits are considered active duty time as E6?

 

3. For medical duty station (orientation)? which should I pick and which is more preferable? San Diego or Mayo? Can I pick an overseas station like Bahrain for example?

 

4. What are other benefits can I receive during the 3 years active duty? Is there incentive or special pay, board certified pay or are those only for doctors and dentists?

 

5. Can I do a fellowship or pick a specialty to practice once I graduate PA? Do I have that option or the Navy decides for me?

 

 

Any information would help.

1) O2

 

2) you'll be an O2 with 2 years of service.

 

3) you'll give them a wish list. Ultimately you'll be given a choice if where you want to go. This year actually, there is no choice. Grads are just being told where to go.

 

4) there are incentive pay and board certified pay, ect. How much of that you get while serving obligation time, I'm not sure.

 

5) you can apply for a fellowship in EM or ortho after two years. The app is a year long so you'll start after the third year. Otherwise you'll practice in specialties that meet the needs of the navy. Usually this means primary care.

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

FYI, your time also counts towards retirement and you'll build leave time. I'll have 64 days leave when I graduate.

[mmleik]

Great thanks so much.

 

Is there something official or a website that says that the rank will be O2 upon graduation.

Also, for the medical duty station? which location is better? I am single and I won't live with a family.

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

I'm sure there is a website that says it. Where I'm not sure. It's been 2 years since I researched it, but written into my contract. Just google it.

 

What is better depends on personal choice. What are you looking for? Some like Cuba, others like Rota, Spain. San Diego is pretty popular spot.

[HighlanderPrePA]

When accepting the HSCP, does the Tricare and pay start when you accept or does it start the month school starts. I am currently in the application process for this application cycle starting school in 2015. Thank you.

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

To answer the spirit of the question, you'll take the oath when school starts or when the paperwork is finished. I took it in December and school had already started in August. Tricare starts the day you take the oath. Though you need an ID to really start using it. Pay will come once paperwork at the pay office is processed but you'll get back pay from the day you take the oath.

[HighlanderPrePA]

Thank you Oneal. I had wanted to ask my recruiter but he said he could not tell me much until I had a letter of acceptance. I appreciate your help.

[KOR91]

Question regarding HPSP & HSCP - I understand that one of the requirements of the scholarship is that you attend an accredited program. I can't seem to find anything that states anything more specific. Does Accredited-provisional count, or must it be Accredited-ongoing? I would appreciate any insight! I sent my recruiter this question twice over the past month and haven't received an answer yet. 

 

Also, I heard that the quota for scholarships numbers comes out in July - does anyone know specifically when this might be available? Thank you! 

[Cster001]

@ ONEAL

1. Do you know how competitive the HSCP Scholarship will be for the Navy this 2014-2015 cycle. Eg. how many slots are available on the regional level?

 

2. I don't expect to hear from PA programs until December, hence the earliest my application can be submitted is January. Is this enough time or will the boards have already decided their recipients?

 

I've already contacted my local recruiter, however without a letter of acceptance in my hand its difficult attaining the details.

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

@ ONEAL

1. Do you know how competitive the HSCP Scholarship will be for the Navy this 2014-2015 cycle. Eg. how many slots are available on the regional level?

 

2. I don't expect to hear from PA programs until December, hence the earliest my application can be submitted is January. Is this enough time or will the boards have already decided their recipients?

 

I've already contacted my local recruiter, however without a letter of acceptance in my hand its difficult attaining the details.

I do not know how competitive it is this year. Last year had 15 slots I believe. It's based on national level, not regional.

 

Before the next explanation let me give you a few dates. Opening of application review starts on the beginning of the fiscal year, October. The HSCP only covers 24 months. If you did get it this year (assuming your school is a typical 27 month program) this would be left without pay at the tail end. If you get it the next fiscal year after school starts (assuming you start in August) you would be left without pay in the beginning, which I think is preferable so there is no skip in pay between school ending and starting your job.

 

You will not get it if you apply for this year (fiscal year 2015) for your class starting in 2015. It's too late in January as they'll have filled all the slots by November/December. But that okay because it's really more important when your school starts, which I assume is August 2015 or about then. Apply for schools here in 2014 and go ahead and start filling out the paperwork for HSCP. You don't need an acceptance to get started, but will need it to progress past a point. Anyway, start the paperwork even in January 2015 if you like and get it completed over spring/summer and submit it as soon as the next fiscal year (FY 2016) starts in October 2015. This early submission is the best chance of getting it because it is on rolling admissions. They may say 50 people are recommended for acceptance, but only the first 15 will get it. If you get it, it will start likely in December of 2015 and carry for 24 months. This works best because you are only covered for 24 months anyway. So you'll have to suffer through the first semester, but then have pay all the way through the end of training.

 

Make sense?

[Cster001]

@ONEAL

Yes, it's starting to make sense. Thank you!

[SpaghettiSorting]

I went through the process for the 2013-2014 years and started PA school in May 2014.  That cycle they had 10 slots.  A lot of the service branches are reducing the number of slots for these programs due to the drawdown.  

 

As for competitiveness, I never got a feel of how competitive it was because no one ever seems to be able to tell you how many people apply.  But ONeal is spot on in saying that 50 may be recommended and only 10 may be get the final selection letter.

 

I don't know about that timing though, because I started my packet in October 2013 (with an acceptance letter) and didn't finish it until about February 2014 due to MEPS and interview scheduling issues and I got my selection letter March 2014.  So they must leave a few slots open, or perhaps they just didn't have enough qualified candidates that cycle.  In your selection letter, they will tell you when you are allowed to enlist and I was allowed starting 1 May 2014.  I enlisted early May and was getting paid by the end of May with backpay starting from the day I swore in.  But I would definitely agree - getting everything in ASAP is extremely important.  It is quite a long process, especially if you've never been in the military - the application, the interviews, the security clearance, the interview for the security clearance, etc - make sure you're on the ball with everything because even if you are it could still take your application months to get processed.

 

And you definitely need a letter of acceptance in hand, ideally before you start applying.  Some recruiters won't even bother with you until you have an acceptance letter.  So it's favorable to also apply to PA school early as well, so you can get an early acceptance and start the HSCP application process early.  So as soon as you get an acceptance letter, I would start with the rest of the process and just do as much of it as you can up to that point.  If a recruiter tells you that you can't start the process without an acceptance letter, ask them what you can do until you have an acceptance letter, and if they tell you that you can't do anything - find a different recruiter.  I was fortunate to have an awesome recruiter, but they are definitely not all created equal, which is something you want to keep in mind, as the recruiter you go to will be the one handling your application.

 

Anyway, good luck!  

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

I've never met anyone who got it so late, but glad to hear you did. My only experience with that really is a classmate who went for AF HPSP with submission in November and didn't get it because all the slots were filled. I'm sure more people want AF though for perceived "coosh" job. I mean, it is the Chair Force ;)

 

Agreed a recruiter makes all the difference. Mine was awesome as well. Don't know how far I would've gotten without an acceptance letter, but he sent me all the paperwork to fill out. Took a month to get it done and by then I had an acceptance.

[Cster001]

@ONEAL

What is a Chair Force?

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

@ONEAL

What is a Chair Force?

Serious question? A play on the name Air Force because they are supposedly the easiest, most laid back branch. Just military humor.

[Lkl1004]

On 10/1/2014 at 0:14 PM, LT_Oneal_PAC said:

I do not know how competitive it is this year. Last year had 15 slots I believe. It's based on national level, not regional.

 

Before the next explanation let me give you a few dates. Opening of application review starts on the beginning of the fiscal year, October. The HSCP only covers 24 months. If you did get it this year (assuming your school is a typical 27 month program) this would be left without pay at the tail end. If you get it the next fiscal year after school starts (assuming you start in August) you would be left without pay in the beginning, which I think is preferable so there is no skip in pay between school ending and starting your job.

 

You will not get it if you apply for this year (fiscal year 2015) for your class starting in 2015. It's too late in January as they'll have filled all the slots by November/December. But that okay because it's really more important when your school starts, which I assume is August 2015 or about then. Apply for schools here in 2014 and go ahead and start filling out the paperwork for HSCP. You don't need an acceptance to get started, but will need it to progress past a point. Anyway, start the paperwork even in January 2015 if you like and get it completed over spring/summer and submit it as soon as the next fiscal year (FY 2016) starts in October 2015. This early submission is the best chance of getting it because it is on rolling admissions. They may say 50 people are recommended for acceptance, but only the first 15 will get it. If you get it, it will start likely in December of 2015 and carry for 24 months. This works best because you are only covered for 24 months anyway. So you'll have to suffer through the first semester, but then have pay all the way through the end of training.

 

Make sense?

O’Neal, 

Are you positive HSCP is only a 24 month program? My recruiter said I will get benefits for the full 27 months of my program. Could this have changed since you went through? Or is my recruiter lying? Do you have any idea how I could validate the information my recruiter gave me? 

Thanks

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

1 hour ago, Lkl1004 said:

O’Neal, 

Are you positive HSCP is only a 24 month program? My recruiter said I will get benefits for the full 27 months of my program. Could this have changed since you went through? Or is my recruiter lying? Do you have any idea how I could validate the information my recruiter gave me? 

Thanks

Many would say if he’s moving his lips, he’s lying. ;) 

I don’t think he’s lying. He probably just doesn’t know. I don’t necessarily blame them because there are a lot of programs and there may be minor differences for the same program between professions. The physician students can get 3( or less)-4 year HPSP or HSCP for a 3(minimum) or 4 year obligation. We can only get 24 months (or less) for a minimum 3 year obligation. I HIGHLY DOUBT this has changed, but could. Ask him to show you the instruction specifically for PAs that list it as 27 months. You can sometimes find these instructions in a google search.

if he tells you you won’t deploy, you’ll work with state of the art equipment, receive vast amounts of training (outside of trauma), or pick your station, then he’s lying. Mine personally never lied to me and was an awesome guy.

The official navy PA website still lists it as 27 months, but no one ever updates that thing. https://navypa.com/navy-pa-info/student-info-and-pa-programs#navy-health-services-collegiate-program-hscp

 

ETA: one could maybe make it last 27 months. I was paid continuously even after I graduated (so like an extra month of pay), but theoretically they could have taken that money back and they will take it directly out of your bank account or deduct it from your next pay if they find out they overpaid you.

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

22 hours ago, Peanut3 said:

Hello everyone!

I recently have been accepted into PA school in Oakland and started talking with the recruiter for the HSPS scholarship with the navy and would like as much insight besides what has already been written. The recruiter said I would probably be deployed once. That is fine. However, has anyone been a PA deployed and not been deployed as a PA by for other use such as front line in a combat zone? He said I would be deployed to the speciality I choose but there is always some differences. I am assuming trauma, orthopedics and plastic is one of the top speciality that get deployed, but I could be wrong. He told me that it is for 8 years 3-4 active duty with the rest in IRR. The stipend is nice, however it would not cover the entire cost of living in the Bay Area (which is ridiculous). I have never been in the military and I think it would be such a honor to serve those who serve our country. It would be a nice change of pace for myself who currently works in an city ER which has a rough patient population. Considering the other night a patient got pissed for not having a sandwich fast enough and decided to punch the walls and throw a chair across the ER (patient was in a hallway bed). However, I also want to be safe. People have said if I do this I should just stick it out for the 20 years. Any insight as to pros/cons? Is it worth it in the end? It seems there are bonus on the civilian level and increase pay for PA that could then go towards student loans. I am approximately 250-300k when I am done which includes my bachelors degree. Anything helps thank you!

There is so much misunderstanding in this post. Don't take any of it personally.

1) It's HPSP

2)You will probably be deployed once from a shore command. You could be deployed twice in 2 years as they are putting new grads with operational units. Crazy, but they are doing it.

3) You, as a PA, are rarely in the "front line" combat zone as you probably understand it as a civilian. You could be forward deployed, but you would unlikely be outside the wire. The government spends a lot of money on you. They don't need you wasted.

However, if you are queasy about being in the action, then I suggest another employer.

4) If you think there are not entitled patients in the military, think again. Dependas wanting their free gastric bypass or breast reduction (so they can have a free lift), PFC Boot trying to get out of chow hall duty by faking diarrhea and abdominal pain every week, CPL Dirtbag who is about to separate comes in to list every medical problem known to man so he can claim them on his disability compensation when he exits, Colonel's wife who's addicted to benzo's and is going to have her husband call your CO because you won't refill her 1mg ativan at 1-2 tabs q-2h PRN for #180 pills, Medical retirees coming to see you so they can get an MRI to increase their compensation. There are very deserving and wonderful patients. People I cried over leaving in the hands of someone else when I separated. Just like there are great people in every setting, there are the dirt bags. Yes, even people who 

5) You are very unlikely to make it to 20 years without prior service. As a PA, you are behind the 8 ball. You start off as an O2, so you lose 2 years of not having to compete for rank. You are expected to be the grunt of the medical providers, doing nothing but seeing patients (which does not help make rank), and if you do manage to make 05 you will do almost no clinical work unless you really shove in a few days per month while you manage whatever backwater clinic they make you a department head of so you can squeak by to 20 years. That's if you aren't beat out by the HCAs (health care adminstrators) who are also in your corp and you compete with for rank, and they get side by side time with COs and other high brass every day. They get to write on their fit rep that saved the hospital 5 millions dollars/year but it was because they switched to a cheaper hand sanitizer that any monkey could have done.

It was absolutely worth it for me to join and do it for one tour with 2 deployments. Everyone has to make that decision themselves though.

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

39 minutes ago, Peanut3 said:

 

I apologize I did not see that writing error in my original post. I promise I know the right letters for the scholarships. I appreciate this honest insight as I am very new to all of this. Do you know why they are starting to put new grads with operational units?


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Trump.

the plan is to increase the size of the marine corps. There isn’t enough medical providers to go around so new grads are going with operational units.

[Lkl1004]

17 hours ago, LT_Oneal_PAC said:

Many would say if he’s moving his lips, he’s lying. ;) 

I don’t think he’s lying. He probably just doesn’t know. I don’t necessarily blame them because there are a lot of programs and there may be minor differences for the same program between professions. The physician students can get 3( or less)-4 year HPSP or HSCP for a 3(minimum) or 4 year obligation. We can only get 24 months (or less) for a minimum 3 year obligation. I HIGHLY DOUBT this has changed, but could. Ask him to show you the instruction specifically for PAs that list it as 27 months. You can sometimes find these instructions in a google search.

if he tells you you won’t deploy, you’ll work with state of the art equipment, receive vast amounts of training (outside of trauma), or pick your station, then he’s lying. Mine personally never lied to me and was an awesome guy.

The official navy PA website still lists it as 27 months, but no one ever updates that thing. https://navypa.com/navy-pa-info/student-info-and-pa-programs#navy-health-services-collegiate-program-hscp

 

ETA: one could maybe make it last 27 months. I was paid continuously even after I graduated (so like an extra month of pay), but theoretically they could have taken that money back and they will take it directly out of your bank account or deduct it from your next pay if they find out they overpaid you.

Thanks a lot Oneal. I had never been on that website before so that will be a useful resource.

I will say my HSCP could be a special case because my recruiter messed up my paperwork and originally had me graduating August of 2020 and attending ODS October of 2020. After I got accepted into HSCP my actual graduation date was clarified to be in December of 2020 and I would go to ODS in January of 2021. He said after he talked to "higher ups" they concluded they would give me 27 months benefits... I will ask if he can provide proof of this. 

Thank you!

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

8 hours ago, Peanut3 said:

 

Would you have to take the PANCE before going to ODS? I know several people that waited to take the PANCE a month or so after graduation so they could feel fully prepared. If you have to wait to take the PANCE before or after ODS did everyone feel prepared? Or did you feel too stressed out due to the lack of time able to study due to this obligation? Also, do they pay for the PANCE ? Again rumor I have heard it can take 3-4 months to get licensed after passing the PANCE how does this work if the person is already active duty? I am sure there is already some process that I really shouldn’t worry about. Thank you again for answering my questions.


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Can’t answer about when you can test because I took it a week after graduation and never planned on doing otherwise.

no, they won’t pay for PANCE. Many have heard the rumor. It’s not real.

You don’t have to have a state license to work in the military, just certified. My colleague never had a license  during her entire 3 years in the military. I got mine in PA state because it was cheap and it took a week turnaround time. It makes getting a DEA # and stuff like that less complicated.

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

2 hours ago, Peanut3 said:

Thank you again for answering my questions. I have a few more.....If deployed how does one get their continuing education credits? Also, is there a trend for what specialty that is chosen to where the person goes? I just want to be realistic and pick a specialty that also matches the top duty stations I decide on. Thank you again.

You are given access to UpToDate that will log anything you look up. I have 200 hours from one year. Plus, deployments are not long enough to worry about this, unless you waited until the last minute in which case I say that’s on you.

you do not get to pick your specialty. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Once in a blue moon (I’ve only seen it once in all the PAs I met in the service) they’ll tell you you’re going into a specialty other than family med or peds without a residency. Just assume you’ll be family medicine because that’s what is always needed. 

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

7 minutes ago, Peanut3 said:

 

Thank you so much. The recruiter told me multiple times I get to decide what specialty I work in and would only get deployed to that specialty. This was a huge bonus for myself and what steered me towards applying. How long are deployments typically for a PA? I have friends that are corpsman and one is on deployment and it was suppose to be 3 months in Iraq. But it got changed to 15 months last minute.

 

 

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You will NOT pick your specialty. They will pick it for you. You can apply for a residency in general surgery, ortho, EM, or aeromedical to start after you finish your first 3 years, then you’ll be pretty locked in. None of them really guarantee a duty station though.

you could be gone as little as 45 days for a “tasker”, average about 6 months on a ship or with marines (mine was 9 months with the marines), or about a year+ if you are augmented to deploy with the army.

[Almortega]

I currently have my packet completed for the Navy HPSP and I had to put together a "dream" list of base locations. Do they actually take this list in to consideration or is this just a list they let you make to entice you to apply?

Also is the $20,000 sign on bonus worth it to spend a 4 year commitment or should I just not take the 20,000 and just do the 3 year obligation?