Emily Pospiech ’09 attends Rosalind Franklin University of Science and Medicine and has received the F. Edward Hébert Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP).
Being a quarter of a million dollars in debt is a reality for most students attending medical school, so is it even possible to graduate and not owe a dime? Imagine coming out of medical school with financial and occupational security. As impossible as it may sound, every year, a select group of individuals who have chosen and have been chosen to receive the F. Edward Hébert Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) will come out of medical school debt free. Both Katie Rice ’09 and Emily Pospiech ’09 have made this commitment to the U.S. armed forces by accepting the Armed Forces Scholarship. As a junior seriously considering this scholarship, listening to their advice and considering their experiences serves as an invaluable resource for making this decision.
The F. Edward Hébert Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program is available to students applying to graduate programs in the medical, dental, nursing, psychological, and veterinary fields. Students must meet a set of eligibility guidelines, including qualifying as an officer in the army reserve1. As a part of the HPSP, upon accepting this scholarship, you are commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the army reserve and then promoted to the rank of Captain after graduation from graduate school1. The HPSP covers not only 100% of tuition, books, and equipment fees, but it also provides students with a monthly living stipend of almost $2000, a $20000 signing bonus, and officer’s pay during summer training sessions1. Just looking at the monetary benefits that this scholarship provides makes it seem like this is a simple decision, but there are other aspects of this scholarship to consider that are not as clear-cut. Emily made a point to caution that “it is a huge commitment and not something that you should step into without doing some research if it is not something that you had originally considered” (Pospiech).
Emily Pospiech is in her first year at Rosalind Franklin Medical School. She has yet to attend her first summer officer training session, but is optimistic and looks forward to the experience. Emily decided that taking a gap-year after graduating from Lake Forest College in 2009 was the best decision for her, and in that time she learned more about the HPSP. She did not take accepting the HPSP lightly. After meeting with her recruitment officer, Emily sat down and did an extensive amount of research. She discussed this decision with her family and took her future goals into consideration. She understood that “stepping into the armed forces, regardless if you are going in as regular infantry or taking a different route, means that you have to know what you are getting yourself into” (Pospiech). While Emily understands the path ahead of her, she is currently just trying to keep her head above water in medical school, and cannot wait to begin officer training camp this summer.