These last few weeks have been strange ones. Due to my unsatisfactory grades this semester, which took my GPA from a 3.8 to a 3.7, which is barely competitive in the US, I started looking at international veterinary colleges. They seem to have an emphasis more on why a person wants to become a vet, instead of their grades. The average GPA for the universities I was looking at (i.e. Murdoch in Perth, Australia and St. George in Grenada) were down around 2.8-3.2 which seems much more reasonable. They put more emphasis on practical work, such as work and volunteer hours.
I sent in a query to the Army recruiting website for the HPSP program. The next day, I spoke to an Army recruiter on the phone, he was from Tennessee and since I was not home and not expecting his call back, I did not get his name. Anyway, he confirmed that I would be able to attend vet school in Australia as long as the school was AVMA accredited. This got us very excited, especially Lew who seemed to really like the idea of visiting us out there if we went! We looked into getting visas and what it would take to ship Gunther and Cub with us. That’s when I got the email, I am assuming from the original query. It was a shocking disappointment in many senses.
I was worried when I read her first email; I misunderstood and thought the stipend only lasted the first ten months of school. I found her second email to be much more reassuring; in fact, the stipend is provided for 10 ½ months out of the year (the other 45 days are Army training and I would receive officer pay). She also made it very clear that I would not be able to attend vet school anywhere but in the US or Puerto Rico. I attempted to do some research on the school in Puerto Rico that has an ROTC program, but there is no website that I could find so far. I guess it is not that bad, while it would be amazing to go to school overseas, there is nothing stopping me from doing some training abroad.
As far as my GPA goes, I will just have to work even more on my grades from now on.
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SECOND EMAIL:
“Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
Kim,
Thank you for your prompt response. You were not being misled or
misinformed. Information changes each fiscal year, so as of this
fiscal
year (2013), the HPSP scholarship for Veterinary Corps provides a
two or
a three years scholarship. You must be a freshman in an AVMA
accredited
DVM or VMD program in the US or Puerto Rico to be able to qualify
for
the HPSP.
The Stipend is paid for 10 and a half months out of the year, the
45
days left out of that year will be paid as a Second Lieutenant
pay. The
Military Service Obligation for HPSP is a year for each year
received
the scholarship with a minimum of three years.
An Australian school will not be qualified for the HPSP
scholarship even
if it is AVMA accredited; the school has to be on the US soil or
Puerto
Rico to be able to receive the scholarship.
If you want to attend an Australian University, you can apply once
you
graduate for a direct officer commission as a veterinarian
provided you
have met the below professional, licensure, certificates minimum
requirements;
* Be a U.S. citizen for
Regular Army or a permanent resident for
Army Reserve.
* Direct commissions
are available in the Regular Army and Army
Reserve for working veterinarians who are licensed to practice
veterinary medicine and
are graduates of an AVMA accredited
veterinary school in the United States, District of Columbia,
Puerto
Rico, or Canada.
* Foreign graduates may
apply if they have a permanent certificate
from the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates
(ECFVG)
and hold a current,
unrestricted state license to practice
veterinary medicine.
* Veterinary students
may apply for Active Duty during their last
year of veterinary school.
* HPSP applicants may
apply at any point during veterinary school.
* Must be less than 42
years of age upon initial appointment for
Active Duty, unless prior service. Reserve applicants must also be
less
than age 42 upon initial
appointment, but waivers are possible for
older applicants.
* ROTC cadets who apply
for educational delay to attend veterinary
school are eligible to be selected to serve in the Veterinary
Corps.
I hope that helped answer your questions. Let me know if you have
any
other questions or concerns.
Reiam Alhindy
AMEDD Lead Refinement Specialist
U.S. Army Recruiting Command- Virtual Recruiting Center
Amedd@usarec.army.mil”
FIRST EMAIL:
“Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: FOUO
Kim,
Thank you for your interest in the United States Army Medical
Department
(AMEDD)!
Active Duty Veterinary Corps Programs Health Professions
Scholarship
Program (HPSP):
Provides a two, or three year scholarship for students enrolled in
an
AVMA accredited DVM or VMD program in the US or Puerto Rico.
Applicants
must be a U.S. citizen. HPSP provides full tuition, monthly
stipend of
$2122 for 10 and one half months and reimbursement of certain
academic
fees. Provides Second Lieutenant pay for 45 days during non-active
or
active duty training (ADT). Appointed and commissioned as a Second
Lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps while participating in the
HPSP
program. Soldier is commissioned as a Veterinary Corps Captain
upon
completion of training. Active duty obligation is year for year
for each
year receiving the scholarship with a minimum obligation of three
years.
Accredited school programs outside the US or its territories do
not
qualify for HPSP.
Once you are accepted into an AVMA accredited DVM or VMD program
in the
US or Puerto Rico you can then contact us again to further assist
you.
Best wishes!
Mrs. Reiam Alhindy
Lead Refinement Specialist
U.S. Army Recruiting Command- Cyber Division
Amedd@usarec.army.mil”
This is a photo of us with Shorty, our new home when we move! :D
