USAF HPSP Scholarship: Requirements and Opportunities for Aspiring Medical Professionals

The Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) offers a pathway for individuals seeking a medical career to serve their country while receiving financial support for their education. This comprehensive scholarship program can significantly reduce the financial burden of medical school, providing tuition coverage, a monthly stipend, and reimbursement for required books and equipment. In return, graduates commit to serving as commissioned officers in the Air Force after completing their medical training. The Military is looking for individuals seeking medical careers that will take their skills above and beyond the expected. Every day these driven individuals distinguish themselves mentally and physically, and work toward a cause that is greater than themselves.

General Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the USAF HPSP scholarship, applicants must meet certain general requirements:

Age: Applicants must be at least 18 years old (17 with parental consent), or granted a waiver, to join the Military.
Citizenship: Applicants must be U.S. citizens to apply. However, permanent U.S. residents may become commissioned officers.
Physical Examination: Regardless of age, you must have a physical to indicate that you are healthy enough to serve in case you are deployed. HPSP applicants will take a physical at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) near them. The Military screens for certain conditions that may be incompatible with a military medical practice. Waivers for certain health-related issues are available on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the program, you may want to apply early to give the Services enough time to process your waiver.
Security Investigation and Moral Standards: Applicants are required to pass a security investigation and demonstrate the high moral standards expected of a physician and a military officer.
Prior Service/Military Commitments: 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. For example, Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) cadets must be approved for an educational delay because of their existing military commitments before they apply to HPSP. Likewise, cadets and midshipmen in Service academies and ROTC must be approved by their respective Service before accepting admission to medical school. If you are an active-duty service member, you must receive permission from your Personnel Command to leave your current assignment and apply to medical school and scholarship programs. In that case, any preexisting service obligation for your military education and training will be added to any obligation related to your participation in a medical scholarship program.

Academic and Test Requirements

In addition to the general requirements, applicants must meet specific academic and test score criteria:

Baccalaureate Degree: HPSP requires all applicants to have baccalaureate degrees from accredited programs in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico. 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.
GPA and MCAT Scores: 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. A competitive applicant should have a GPA of at least 3.6 and an MCAT score between 506 and 509. The Military also evaluates and considers prior military service, preclinical work experience, volunteer service, research experience, and leadership potential during the selection process.
Required Coursework: Generally, applicants must have completed certain coursework, examples of which include:
- One academic year of general or inorganic chemistry with lab
- One academic year of physics with lab
- One academic year of organic chemistry with lab or one semester of organic chemistry with lab and one semester of biochemistry
- One academic year of biology with lab
- One academic year of writing-intensive humanities, languages, social sciences or psychology
- One semester of calculus or statistics
Acceptance to Medical School: 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.

Degrees and Licensing

To enter the Military as a full physician, you must have a degree from an accredited M.D. or D.O. program from the United States or Puerto Rico. Accreditation must come from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education or the American Osteopathic Association. Physicians with degrees from foreign medical schools must also:

Pass either the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in the Medical Sciences or hold an Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates certification
Be certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties
Complete internship in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico
Have an unrestricted license to practice in the United States and its territories
Be currently engaged in a clinical practice

Finally, physicians need to have completed one year of graduate medical education, must have a valid state license issued by a state, territory or commonwealth of the United States or the District of Columbia, and should be board certified or board eligible.

Benefits of the HPSP Scholarship

The HPSP scholarship offers a comprehensive package of financial benefits:

Tuition Coverage: The program pays for 100% of your tuition at any accredited medical school in the United States or Puerto Rico.
Monthly Stipend: HPSP pays students a monthly $2,870.00 stipend. The current stipend for the year 2024 is $2,870.
Reimbursement for Books and Equipment: The program reimburses you for the cost of required books, equipment, and supplies. In addition, all professional school required books and equipment are reimbursed by the Navy.
Signing Bonus: 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. HPSP Signing Bonus for Medical and Dental Students of $20,000.

The value of this program could be well over $300,000 during the course of a four year professional school program.

Service Commitment

In exchange for the financial benefits of the HPSP scholarship, recipients incur a service obligation. HPSP scholarship recipients incur an Active Duty Obligation (ADO) of one year for each year in the program. For periods less than a year, the ADO is six months for each additional six months of participation in the program. Periods of 15 days or more are counted as a 6-month period. The obligation is served in addition to any existing active duty obligation.

After graduation, you’ll join the Navy’s active duty team as a commissioned officer. On active duty, you'll be promoted to Captain, which means more pay increases.

In some instances, after at least one year of post-graduate training and obtaining your medical license, rather than going directly into a residency, you can fulfill your service commitment as a general medical officer (GMO).

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Application Process

The application process for the HPSP scholarship can be lengthy, so it is advisable to start early. The application takes about 12 - 16 weeks to complete. Applications are accepted throughout the year at any time. The best time to apply for a four year scholarship is the Fall before the year you plan to attend professional school. Students already in medical, dental, or optometry school should apply as soon as possible for available scholarships. Scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis.

Here are the general steps involved:

Determine Eligibility: Determine if you are eligible to apply.
Gather Documents: Begin gathering transcripts, letters of recommendation, and test scores.
Apply to Medical Schools: Start applying at the same time you apply to medical schools. You could wait to apply, but you may wind up competing with more people for fewer slots, and each Service branch takes only about 300 students per year.
Contact a Recruiter: Contact a recruiter for each Service that interests you. You can apply solely to the Services that interest you, or you can apply to all three - Army, Navy or Air Force. Learn more about the different Military Services. There you will find a link to "Find a Recruiter" located on the right side of the page under the heading “Request Information.” Click on that, and once you get to that page, enter your zip code under the heading “Locate a Recruiter.” provide the zip code where you will be located at the time you would like to speak and work with a recruiter, then hit “Find.” The site will give you two possibilities for a recruiter.
Preliminary Interview: Your recruiter will schedule a preliminary interview.
Complete Application: Fill out a separate application for each Service that interests you.
Physical Examination: Your recruiter will schedule a physical examination for you at a Military Entrance Processing Station.
Complete Application (Post-Acceptance): Once you are accepted to an accredited allopathic or osteopathic medical school, your recruiter or recruiters will complete your application.
Selection Board Review: A selection board will evaluate your application packet.
Acceptance Decision: If you are accepted by more than one Service, you can decide which you prefer.

Note: If you are an active-duty commissioned service member 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 from your Service branch. ROTC also requires an education delay form. If you are an active-duty enlisted service member or officer, you will also need a Letter of Approval from your commander. Finally, if you are in the Reserve, you will need to request permission from your commanding officer.

Interview Process and Tips

It is important that applicants consider, and can clearly articulate, their genuine motivation to embark on a career in military medicine. Applicants should also understand what it means to not only be a physician but also a commissioned officer in the Military. Be aware and able to communicate core strengths, weaknesses, and willingness to work in teams. Dress professionally even if the call is a virtual/video one, and don’t be afraid to ask questions of your interviewer - you also want to learn about their experiences in the Military as well as talk about your future career as a military physician.

Additional Ways to Prepare

Joining the Military is a big commitment that can alter the course of your medical career in new and fulfilling ways.

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Unique Aspects of Military Medical Education

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. 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.

The main difference between you and your peers is that you will need to attend officer training for your specific Service, and you should participate in one annual training period per year of scholarship that you receive. As part of these 45-day periods, you may participate in research rotations or perform clinical rotations at military hospitals. During your officer training and annual training periods, you will wear a uniform.

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.

If you are training in a military medical facility or at Commissioned Officer Training (COT), the administrative staff for the scholarship program will stay in touch with you and keep you informed about impending deadlines and requirements.

Students are expected to meet Air Force Fitness Standards while on active duty.

The student’s #1 priority while enrolled in the HPSP program is to dedicate themselves to their studies.

Students are placed on ADT orders for 45 days for each year of participation. During that 45-day period, the students may attend training programs that last from 2-5 weeks in length.

Career Opportunities in the Air Force Medical Corps

As a healthcare professional, you’ll enter the Air Force as an Officer and a leader. There are many opportunities for you to develop your career as you choose. Healthcare professionals work with patients all over the world in anything from a small ambulatory clinic to a large medical center. We architect and employ the best technology in the world to complete every aspect of our mission, including caring for our Airmen.

Air Force physicians can be stationed at military clinics and hospitals all over the world and deploy in support of military operations.

Army health care is like no other health care in the world. Superior Facilities: Army health care is like no other health care in the world. commitment to patient care. building a client base, or hiring a competitive staff. on patient care and professional growth.

Great patient populations!
The ability to provide total care.
Quality colleagues.
Travel opportunities.
Potential for zero debt and better pay! Not only does a HPSP scholarship cover all tuition, books, fees, it also provides a generous monthly stipend.
Opportunity to be a leader and make a difference.

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