Today, we’re fortunate to have a guest post by UM alum Brent Lacey. Brent is an Internal Medicine intern at Naval Medical Center San Diego, and recent graduate from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, where he was in the Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program. He offered to provide some insight on his experience with Navy Medicine, and some information on the program. Thanks Brent!
My experience with Navy Medicine has been fantastic, from Officer Development School, to my rotations at Navy hospitals, to my internship at NMCSD. It’s wonderful to not have to worry about debt or expenses related to medical school right now. Tuition, books, and fees were all paid for, and I received a monthly stipend that more than covered all of my living expenses. More than that, though, I have enjoyed
the experience of working with other Navy medical students and physicians. The espirit de corps that you find in the military is just not matched by the civilian sector. Also, it’s exciting to have the opportunity to serve our fighting men and women in this capacity. Getting to take care of sick sailors and Marines is a privilege that too few get the opportunity to experience.
As far as how the program works, the process is fairly simple. Applicants submit an application which asks for: biographical information, academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, prior military service
(if any), a background check, and a short personal statement about why you want to join the program. The application is processed at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD and the applicant is notified that he/she is being considered. The applicant then interviews with 2 current or retired Navy physicians. Also, acceptance to the Health Professions Scholarship Program is contingent on being accepted to medical school. Once accepted, the Navy takes care of all money issues and the acceptee in turn fulfills the obligations I mentioned in the previous paragraph. In return for medical school payments, the acceptee owes 4 years active duty service and 4 years in the Inactive Reserve (residency training time counts towards this obligation).
If you are an interested UM student, the easiest thing to do is to email me at brent.lacey@med.navy.mil, and I can answer any questions you might have or help you start walking through the process. I can set you up with a recruiter, help you with your application, and guide you through the interview process. Also, if you’re interested in seeing one of the Navy hospitals firsthand, the recruiters can offer a chance to do that as well.
Here are some helpful resources:
- The official Navy HPSP website
- This is a Navy HPSP guide I created during my last year of medical school [Word document]
- Navy HPSP Wiki Site (created by HPSP students around the country)
Good luck with interviews and applications. Let me know how I can be of
service.
Very Respectfully,
Brent Lacey
Lieutenant, Medical Corps, US Navy
Intern – Internal Medicine
Naval Medical Center San Diego