Pre-Dental Talk Episode #6: Military HPSP success story with Dr. Lee (harrrMONICA)!
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This article accompanies Episode #6 of CrackDAT.com’s Pre-Dental Talk, hosted by Iman. Check out the podcasts here — topics range from information about the dental school application process, to advice for the DAT, to interviews with dental school faculty and students!
Episode #6 is all about life as a Navy dentist! Iman interviews Navy dentist Dr. Monica Lee about her past and current experiences as a dental student, HPSP scholar, and Navy dentist. Listen to Episode #6 here or watch the YouTube video linked below, and read on for a summary of the episode!
Life before the Navy
Dr. Lee, who is originally from Florida, moved to Atlanta to get her Bachelor’s degree in Biological Science at Georgia Tech. In 2015, she started her dental education at University of Louisville School of Dentistry.
The Health Professions Scholarship Program
Dr. Lee is an HPSP recipient (HPSP stands for Health Professions Scholarship Program). The HPSP is a scholarship offered by the military. Dr. Lee received the scholarship from the Navy, but the Air Force and Army also offer this scholarship. This scholarship covers tuition and expenses throughout the four years of dental school in exchange for an equivalent amount of time spent serving. Therefore, scholarship recipients are able to graduate dental school debt-free.
Dr. Lee says she first became interested in the scholarship after hearing about it from a friend who was in dental school. She decided only to apply to the Navy’s scholarship — her mindset was “If this happens, it’s meant to be!”
The application process
Dr. Lee recommends that students interested in HPSP apply concurrently with their dental school applications, or even before, since the application requires lots of administrative paperwork. Throughout the application process, students are in contact with a recruiter, who guides them and answers questions. Applicants must submit their GPA, transcript, DAT scores, and letters of recommendation, and later have an interview either in-person or over the phone. According to Dr. Lee, about 50–60 scholarships are given out each year.
Dr. Lee believes the strongest part of her application was her personal essay. She was very honest that while she didn’t have any existing strong ties to the military, she was ready and eager to seek this adventure.
Transition to the Navy
According to Dr. Lee, while in dental school, your main goal as a scholarship recipient is simply to graduate as a dentist! Near the end of her D4 year, the transition process began. Dr. Lee was contacted by her detailer to discuss the next steps.
The first part of the process after graduating dental school is Officer Development School (ODS), which takes place in Newport, Rhode Island. Dr. Lee describes ODS as a “bootcamp for officers.” She says the training was rough initially. “You’re not going to be in your comfort zone,” she said, citing the lack of sleep as the most difficult part of the process. ODS also has a physical component and a physical readiness test, so Dr. Lee recommends maintaining an active lifestyle prior to beginning ODS. It also involves spending approximately half the day in lectures.
After ODS, it’s time to decide what’s next! According to Dr. Lee, scholarship recipients have the option to complete a GPR or AEGD — both count as a “neutral year” and not towards the years paying back the scholarship via active duty. Dr. Lee opted to do credentialing, which allowed her to get more comfortable with her dental skills. Credentialing does count toward the four-year service requirement.
The placement process
After Dr. Lee decided what she wanted to do, it was time to decide where! According to Dr. Lee, scholarship recipients can apply to different regions (Southwest/West Coast/East Coast) or to specific clinics. Placement is based on availability and on which clinics need dental officers. Dr. Lee was initially placed in San Diego, California.
Currently, she is serving her second year of duty in North Carolina in a small clinic with 5–6 dentists. Next year, she will be deployed. “Wherever the Navy needs you, you need to go,” she said. There is also the possibility that you’ll be deployed overseas, so Dr. Lee advises applicants to “know what you’re signing up for!”
A day in the life of a Navy dentist
A typical day for Dr. Lee involves lots of exams, treatment planning, and restorations. Her goal is to ensure patients are “dental ready.” Dental officers are also in charge of triaging patients, running the clinic, and working as part of a team with “a motley of different individuals.”
Dr. Lee admits that while she was somewhat anxious at the beginning and is still learning all the ins and outs of life as a Navy dentist, she is happy with her decision overall—she is experiencing something that you can’t experience in the civilian world.
Insight for those interested in HPSP
Dr. Lee offers the following insight for anyone interested in following a similar path:
- HPSP is a commitment to yourself and to the people in your life. Your family and friends are going to have to support your decision and the commitments it involves.
- Give the program a shot! If you think this is the right path for you and you’re interested in serving your country, why not consider it?
- HPSP allows for balance. Dr. Lee said she has never had a day where she went home and took work to home. As a military dentist, you will have time to explore, wherever you are, and will have holidays and vacation days, so you can still enjoy your personal life.
- Be genuine to yourself. Even though you might fail the first time, don’t let that be something that deters you from trying. Be persistent and work hard, and you will be able to achieve great outcomes.
Dr. Lee said she hopes to always be a resource for pre-dental students or people pursuing a Navy dentistry track. You can reach out to her on Instagram (@superdrmonicaworld), or check out her YouTube channel (@harrrMONICA).
Be sure to listen to the full podcast here. Email hi@crackdat.com with questions or with topic suggestions for future episodes, and stay tuned for more Pre-Dental Talks!
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