There’s really no dancing around or deterring from the daunting cost of medical school.
According to a recent blog post from The New York Times, although the median annual tuition for medical school students sat anywhere from $32,000 to $50,000 annually, those figures pale in comparison to the projected cost when books, equipment and travel expenses are taken into account.
As the blog goes on to state, the true cost of a four-year medical school education tops an eye watering $200,000 to $300,000. And that figure is just starting to accumulate mass once the loans star rolling in. Almost a third of graduates owe more than $200,000 at any given time.
With a medical career ticket so high, more than a few prospective students find it necessary to supplement the cost. And one of the best -but slightly misunderstood – ways to knock a sizable amount off tuition price is through air force medical school scholarships.
Air Force Medical School Scholarships: Give and Subsequently Receive
The army, navy and air force all have longstanding relationships with higher education in an effort to “reward” their enlisted members. And like its close siblings the navy and army, air force medical school scholarships are known for being quite fruitful.
Although there are a number of variations to air force medical school scholarships, the primary funds stem from the Armed Forces Health Profession Scholarship Program, or HPSP.
The HPSP, a congressional committee that oversees the three military branches (army, navy and air Force), offers roughly 200 medical school candidates the opportunity supplement a sizable portion of their medical school cost. However, its air force medical school scholarships, similar to the navy and army, come with a catch – students must commit to serving time in the air force in exchange for the scholarship.
For a large portion of the population, this kind of exchange might not resonate as well. Although air force medical school scholarships supplement both tuition costs and living expenses, serving time in the air force is no easy feat. Enlisted members must pass grueling orientation sessions and possibly spend a great deal of time away from family and friends. The average time enlisted for recipients of air force medical school scholarships ranges anywhere from 8 to 12 years – and that doesn’t count time in medical school or residencies post-air force.
However, if a prospective medical school student is both enthusiastic about enlisting and serious about his or her medical career, air force medical school scholarships can be an excellent way to size down a medical school tuition ticket – and save years of accumulating debt.