With the economy in its current condition, it is becoming even more difficult for students to finance their higher education.
But even with the decrease in scholarships and government funding, many students are finding other ways to pay for their education and give back to their country. Below is an article from the Miami Herald discussing the U.S. Army’s educational opportunities for students seeking graduate and doctorate degrees in Health Professions.
Scholarships Lure Recruits
With jobs especially hard to come by now, and a small pool of scholarship money available, Luis Missura knew that paying for graduate school was going to require a little creativity.
Missura, 25, found his answer after a visit from a military recruiter as he was completing his undergraduate degree at University of Central Florida in Orlando. The recruiter introduced him to the U.S. Army’s F. Edward Hébert Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program, which is paying for Missura to complete his doctorate degree in dentistry.
Missura will be debt-free when he graduates — but he will owe the Army four years of service.
“It is a good way to give back, and it acts as a great conduit to getting me where I want to be,” said Missura, a dental student at Nova Southeastern University in Davie who came to the United States from Ecuador as a child.
Created in the 1960s, the health professions scholarship program is fast becoming an even more viable alternative for students unable to afford the high cost of graduate school.
The scholarship provides students with the full cost of tuition, school fees and books, as well as a stipend of $1,992 a month through the school year. In addition, all students awarded the scholarship get a $20,000 signing bonus. That started in February 2008.
“There’s not a lot money out there for professional programs,” said Sgt. 1st Class Douglas Harding, commander of the Miami Health Care Recruiting Station. “The scholarship is designed to allow students to attend a medical degree program, doctor of osteopathic medicine, veterinary school, dental school and optometry school.”
Army figures show the average student loan debt for medical and dental school is more than $150,000. As a result, Harding said the Army is seeing more applications for medical and dental scholarships than ever before.
“This was the first year in five years that we met the mission and gave away all the scholarships,” he said.
Harding said there are few graduate scholarships that pay for books and a monthly stipend in addition to tuition.
It is a big reason why second-year medical student Tom Tokarz signed on for the health professions scholarship. The Chicago native joined the Army right after high school when he was just 17. His three-year tour helped finance his undergraduate education at Northern Illinois University. When he decided to attend medical school, he applied for the scholarship to combine medicine with a desire to rejoin military life. Commissioned as a second lieutenant when he signed on for the scholarship, he will be promoted to captain when he graduates and ready to practice medicine.
“The financial burden is nonexistent,” said Tokarz, 29, “and you are up to date with all the latest technology in medicine.”
To learn more about the Army’s Health Professions Scholarship Program, visit www.Healthcare.goarmy.com.
Have you participated in any of the Army’s education programs? Tell us about it the comments section.
one to have a country of soldiers. would like to live in such a country
It looks like a very promising project
Yes indeed its a very promising and nice project and thanks for sharing this useful info with us!
The project seems like a promising one….
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