Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP)

If you are in the medical field and on the lookout for a way to lessen the financial burden that comes with your career of choice, then consider applying for the health professions scholarship program (HPSP) that will be curated in this blog post.

The medical field is one of the hardest fields to pursue and includes very high cost for tuition fees. As a result, people are fast losing interest in pursuing their dream career in the medical field. Although there are good medical schools that are less affordable, some students still find it difficult to carry the financial burden associated with medical school.

 It is for this reason that scholarship opportunities have been made available, to support these individuals who wish to go to medical school. There are scholarships to study medicine in any country of your choice and also scholarships for geriatric nursing as well. You can even get scholarships for accelerated nursing programs if you want to get a nursing degree at a fast pace.

The scholarship that will be talked about in this blog post is also a scholarship used to sponsor medical students who are studying health professional programs. The name of the scholarship program is the Health Professions scholarship program, abbreviated as “HPSP”.  Without further ado, let’s delve properly into what it is all about.

Health Professions Scholarship Program

About The Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP)

The Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) is a type of scholarship that is offered by the Army, Navy, and Air Force.  The Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) offers two-, three- and four-year military scholarships that can help cover civilian medical school tuition, pay for fees, and provide a monthly living stipend.

The length of these scholarships can vary by Service branch. As one of the most comprehensive scholarships available in the healthcare field, the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) can go a long way in helping pay for an advanced medical degree for current and future medical students.

This scholarship assists medical and dental students with school tuition and fees in exchange for their commitment to military service. The scholarship offers many benefits, including tuition coverage, reimbursement for books and other fees, a monthly stipend to assist with living costs and many others.

If you are in the HPSP, your medical school experience will not be different from your civilian peers, but you will have unique military electives available to you. This includes specialized training that will prepare you to become an officer in the U.S. Military. In addition, you will take the same classes as your peers, you will not need to wear a uniform to class and you will not be pulled away from school or studies for deployments.

Once you are accepted for the HPSP, your Service branch will contact your medical school and start paying your tuition. Upon your benefit start date, you will begin accruing your stipend, which is paid via direct deposit on the first and 15th of each month. As you purchase items for school, keep good records so you can submit expense reports. During your 45-day annual training period, you receive the same active-duty pay and benefits as a second lieutenant in the Army and Air Force or an ensign in the Navy.

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Who Can Apply for HPSP?

HPSP and USU require all applicants to have baccalaureate degrees from accredited programs in the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico. For the HPSP application to be final, applicants must be accepted to, or enrolled, in an accredited physician of medicine (M.D.) or physician of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) degree program in the United States or Puerto Rico.

How much does HPSP pay?

The HPSP scholarship program offers an annual salary of $34,000 which includes a monthly stipend of $2,728.00/month for 10 ½ months. There is a $20,000 signing bonus for students who receive a four (4) year AF HPSP scholarship, similar to the Army and Navy program. Likewise, three (3) year scholarship participants can receive the signing bonus if they agree to a four (4) year commitment.

Eligibility Requirements for HPSP

Listed below are the eligibility requirements for the HPSP scholarship. They are;

  • To join the Military, you have to be at least 18 years old (17 with parental consent), or granted a waiver. As for the upper age limit, it depends on the Service and the program.
  • Since all military physicians serve as commissioned officers, you must be a U.S. citizen to apply.
  • Those with prior service or prior military commitments can apply to be military medical students, residents or physicians, although some individuals may need to fill out extra applications.
  • Although test scores are just one of the indicators, in general, an applicant for the HPSP should have a 3.2 GPA and a minimum MCAT score of 500. USU applicants should have a minimum GPA of 3.0 (which can include undergraduate, graduate, or postbaccalaureate undergraduate coursework) and an MCAT score of at least 496 or higher.
  • Applicants must have been awarded a baccalaureate degree from an accredited academic institution in the United States, Puerto Rico, or Canada by June 1 of the year of desired attendance.
  • HPSP and USU require all applicants to have baccalaureate degrees from accredited programs in the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico.

Available HPSP Programs to apply

HPSP programs are provided by the military government by either the Army, Navy, or Air Force. You can apply for any one of them that suits you. The amount of scholarship, eligibility requirements and other relevant information about the scholarship program is the same.

To find out more about the Air Force HPSP, Click Here

To find out more about the Navy HPSP, Click Here

To find out more about the Army HPSP, Click Here

Conclusion

Now that you have gotten the information you need on the health professions scholarship program, you can go ahead with your application.

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