Navy HSC Program
The Health Services Collegiate Program (HSCP) is a scholarship program designed to provide financial incentives for students in designated health care professions to complete degree/certification requirements and obtain a commission in the Medical Corps (MC), Dental Corps (DC), or Medical Service Corps (MSC).
HSCP Qualifications
The Health Services Collegiate Program is open to male and female applicants who are citizens of the United States. Enlisted applicants are required to submit a conditional release from active duty, a copy of their enlisted Performance Summary Record (PSR), and their most recent three years of evaluations. Officer applicants are required to submit a conditional resignation from active duty, a copy of their Officer Summary Record (OSR), and their most recent three years of Fitness Reports.
HSCP is primarily intended as a civilian direct procurement program. Consequently, student seats for individuals serving on Active Duty or in a Training and Administration (TAR) status are subject to limitation.
HSCP applicants must be United States citizens. This requirement cannot be waived.
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and be able to commission by age 42. Age waivers may be possible for otherwise exceptional candidates. See your recruiter for details.
Applicants must meet physical standards for appointment as prescribed in NAVMED P-117. Candidates must meet the physical fitness weight and/or percentage of body fat standards at the time of application and at time of commissioning.
Education
Applicants must be enrolled in, or accepted for enrollment/transfer to, an accredited college, university, or school of study for a designated health profession. Online/distant learning degree programs do not meet this requirement.
- In the case of medical school, the school must be accredited through Liaison Committee for Medical Education (see www.lcme.org) or the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (see www.osteopathic.org).
- In the case of dental school, the school must be accredited by the American Dental Association (see www.ada.org).
- In the case of Medical Service Corps education programs, the school must be accredited in accordance with the subspecialty requirements set forth in Program Authorization 115 (Direct appointment as officers in the MSC).
Degree or certification requirements must be fulfilled within 12, 24, 36, or 48 months after enlistment. Selectees must have an approved degree or course of study completion plan prior to enlistment in order to determine the projected graduation or completion date.
Applicants must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. With the recommendation of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery's Professional Review Board, the respective Officer Community Manager (OCM) may grant GPA waivers on a case-by-case basis.
Selectees must complete their studies or training as full-time students attending all normal school sessions. Students must maintain a GPA of at least 2.5 after selection.
Official transcripts must be submitted to Commander, Navy Recruiting Command (NRC) upon completion of each school term. Failure to maintain the prescribed 2.5 GPA, failure to disclose complete academic transcripts, or any evidence of tampering or academic fraud may result in a selectee's disenrollment from HSCP. For those schools on a pass/fail system, students must remain in good academic standing to complete school as stipulated by their degree completion plan at the beginning of their start in HSCP.
Participation in a non-mandatory co-op or work-study program will not be authorized if such participation will cause a delay in the projected graduation date.
Selectees will not be permitted to extend their projected graduation date, cease attending classes, change majors, enter exchange programs or transfer schools without specific approval of the Officer Community Manager via Navy Recruiting Command. Failure to obtain permission may result in disenrollment.
For the Medical Corps: Applicants must take and pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Parts I, II, and IIB or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) Levels I, II CE and II PE prior to graduating and accessing to active duty. USMLE or COMLEX Part I of the examination must be completed before the beginning of the third-year of the academic curriculum of medical school and results provided to NRC by 15 September of the third-year of the academic curriculum. Failure to pass these examinations after three attempts will result in separation from the U.S. Navy or extension on active duty according to the terms and provisions of the service agreement and applicable Navy regulations. Inability to obtain a valid state license following completion of internship may result in administrative separation and recoupment of all pay received during participation in HSCP.
For the Dental Corps: Applicants must take and pass Part I of the National Dental Board Exam (NOBE) prior to the beginning of the third-year academic curriculum and the results provided to NRC by 15 September of the third-year academic curriculum. Failure to take the examination or provide the score to NRC may result in administrative actions, which could include discharge. Applicants must take Part II of the NOBE in December during the fourth-year academic curriculum and provide the results to NRC by 15 February (second attempts must occur by the following March and results provided by 15 April). A second time failure of any part of the NOBE may result in discharge from this program and a requirement to complete obligated service for training in an active duty enlisted status. This option requires that the disenrolled candidate attend recruit training. If curricula requirements are not completed in time for their respective examinations, dental program participants must submit a written waiver request to the Dental Corps Officer Community Manager via Navy Recruiting Command, supported by a letter from the Dean of Student Affairs. Personnel will not be commissioned as a Dental Corps Officer upon graduation from dental school without passing Parts I and II of the NDBE and maybe subject to recoupment of all pay received during participation in HSCP.
For the Medical Service Corps (MSC): The MSC uses this program specific to specialty. The MSC Community Manager, in conjunction with BUMED Ml and the Medical Service Corps Chief's office, reviews and designates which specialties in the MSC are eligible for this program.
See your Officer Recruiter for specific guidance to the Healthcare Administration, Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene, Audiology (Externship), Social Work (Internship), Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy, Podiatric Residency, Entomology, and Physician Assistant specialties.
Enlistment
Civilians: Once selected for the program, civilians will be enlisted by their recruiting district. They will be ordered to the Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) nearest their college and will be placed in an active duty status as an E-6, Officer Candidate First Class (OC1) in the Navy.
Military Officers: Officers must request a contingent resignation and are enlisted as an E-7, Officer Candidate Chief Petty Officer (OCCPO) in the Navy.
Enlisted Members: Enlisted personnel equal to or below the rank of E-6 will be reenlisted as E-6, Officer Candidate First Class (OC1) in the Navy. Enlisted personnel equal to or above the rank of E-7 will be reenlisted as E-7, Officer Candidate Chief Petty Officer (OCCPO) in the Navy.
Permanent Change of Station orders are not authorized under this program.
As an active duty enlisted member in the Navy, HSCP students will be required to maintain contact with the local NTAG they are assigned to. The NTAG will ensure students maintain minimum physical fitness standards and assist students with attaining an adequate level of military awareness. The recruiting NTAG will report all PFA failures and/or failure of students to maintain contact with designated OCM, via NRC.
Advancement: Program participants are ineligible for advancement examinations. The maximum pay grade that will be allowed in this program is E-7 and this must be approved by N13, via NRC. Advancement to E-7 can be accomplished by the following: HSCP students who make referrals which result in a new accession to any medical department officer accession program will be eligible for a one-time advancement to Officer Candidate Chief Petty Officer (E-7).
Service Obligation
Total commissioned obligation is 8 years for all designators, a portion which will be an active-duty obligation:
- Active-duty commissioned obligation is a minimum of 3 years from the date of commissioning or as specified by the requirements set forth in the member's service agreement and outlined below.
- Obligated commissioned service not spent on active duty will be served in the selected reserve or the individual ready reserve.
Medical Corps selectees must obligate to serve year for year with a minimum obligation of 3 years active duty. A medical internship is considered a neutral year and will not be counted as one of the obligated years for HSCP active duty payback.
Dental Corps selectees must obligate to serve year for year with a minimum obligation of 3 years active duty. An Advanced Education in General Dentistry program or General Practice Residency is considered a neutral year and may not be counted as one of the obligated years for HSCP active duty payback.
Medical Service Corps selectees must obligate to serve a minimum of 3 years active duty from the date of commissioning for any one, 2 or 3 year program. Selectees enrolled in a 4 year program will have an active duty obligation of 4 years from the date of commissioning.
Payments and Tuition
Selectees will receive full pay at the approved paygrade, and allowances (except clothing) at the pay grade described above, but must pay for tuition, books and other school related expenses.
