To Join or Not to Join?

I am not going to go into the romanticized pros and cons that you can find in any Army pamphlet or recruiter lecture. These are the factors that influenced MY decision to apply for the HPSP. I am aware that quite a number of other logical cases can be made in either direction, but these are the points that stood out in my mind before I began my application. Some of these views are (very) likely to be flawed, out of my pure ignorance at this point in my career, but I will do my best to make these mistakes evident to you as I figure things out so that you can make a more informed decision of your own! (Disclaimer to any of my superiors who may one day read this: Ma'am/Sir, these thoughts may not reflect my most up-to-date thoughts/opinions!)

Pros

  • Curiosity/appeal of nobility

As I mentioned on the introduction page, I am consistently awed by the strength and willingness to sacrifice demonstrated by the men and women who enlist in the armed forces. Some enter the field of medicine to treat underserved populations - I did it to treat populations who serve.

  • Stability of my future career

The overly rational part of my brain is always drawn to the idea that this is a career move that will take the stress out of job searching. My job will be secure and my salary will be predictable.

  • Break from the monotony

On the flip-side of my previous pro, I can't JUST be a doctor. I need more variability in my life. I get bored doing the same things for extended periods of time. I will get to be a doctor AND an officer; meeting new people and seeing new places every so often.

  • Financial stability

I hate being in debt. I rarely owe money to my friends for more than a day or two. I know that I will probably make less money in the long-run in the Army as opposed to the civilian life, but I don't care. I am not someone who needs a lot of "stuff." The best things in life aren't things.

  • 20 year retirement plan

In the military, you may retire after 20 years of service and receive half of your basic pay for the rest of your life. This is probably one of my favorite pros. Considering that residency time counts towards the 20 year mark, I will be eligible to retire at 47. This is freaking awesome! This will give me the opportunity to try out another job (part time) that interests me, while maintaining my financial stability along the way.

  • Simplicity of practice

While I likely have a romanticized view of this (I am only human), I have the understanding that being an Army doc will involve less administrative BS - paperwork, malpractice insurance, etc. I say this with the knowledge that the Army will likely throw in some busywork of their own. The lesser of two evils I suppose...

Cons

  • Instability of life

I want to get married and have kids. What will moving around do to my kids? Its already hard enough getting through school, the added pressure of having to relocate every so often may be hard on them.

  • Deployment

This should ALWAYS be in the back of your mind. At the end of the day, you are an Army officer and you have a job to do and that job may land you injured or worse. Now, I have never really had a strong desire for self-preservation (the thought of death has never really bothered me), but my wife doesn't quite feel the same way. Nevertheless, you can reassure your significant other (and/or your mother) with some reasoning passed along by my recruiter: "The Army isn't going to invest all of this money into you to then throw you onto the front lines to get killed." Macabre? Sure. Reasonable? Sounds that way.

  • Army "nonsense"

I consider myself to be a rather progressive person. I am always looking to get out with the old and in with the new - replacing outdated ideas and things with those that are more efficient and effective. It is my understanding that the Army has a lot of procedures and customs that are done simply because "that is the way they have always been," whether or not they are the best ways of doing things now. I am sure this will come up throughout my time in HPSP, and I will do what I can to push for change, but at the end of the day, this is the Army, so I assume "yes, sir!" will be my final response more often than not. The rebellious teenager inside me is pissed, but my moderately mature adult form will be able to cope.