U.S. Army Scholarship Eases Student Loan Burdens for Health Care Professionals

Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) Enables Students to Focus on
Education During Challenging Economy

FORT KNOX, Ky., Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- As college students settle back into
classrooms this month, they may be more worried about how to pay for school
than completing homework, studying or doing well on exams. In particular, many
medical and dental students will face a student loan debt of more than
$150,000 after graduation(i).

To help address this issue, the United States Army Medical Department (AMEDD)
helps students finance their graduate medical, dental or veterinary degrees,
as well as select nursing and other specialties through its F. Edward Hebert
Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP).

HPSP provides students with the full cost of tuition, school fees and books,
as well as a stipend of $1,992 per month through the school year. In addition,
HPSP recipients in the Medical Corps and Dental Corps are eligible for a
one-time $20,000 (less tax) bonus if awarded the scholarship. Upon graduation
and entry onto active duty, AMEDD Officers receive increases in salary and new
opportunities for a broad range of residencies, fellowships and special pay
incentives.

"In a time of economic uncertainty, young health care professionals should
carefully consider their options before assuming significant debt to finance
their education," said Colonel Rafael Montagno, commander of the U.S. Army
Medical Recruiting Brigade. "Through the HPSP program, Army Medicine has
helped to finance the education and training for thousands of health care
professionals across the United States - I would encourage anyone seeking a
professional health care degree to consider Army Medicine for its extensive
and generous educational benefits."

For many students seeking a career in health care, student loan debt and
qualifying for loans are serious issues preventing them from pursuing advanced
degrees. According to the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC), for
the fifth consecutive year graduates said they will carry a greater
educational debt load than their predecessors. Of the 13,400 medical school
graduates who responded to the 2008 survey, 17.7 percent had educational loans
of $200,000 or more--more than triple the rate (4.9 percent) that had that
amount in 2004(ii).

"HPSP is appealing because I can focus on my education instead of finances,"
said 2nd Lt. Martha Morales, HPSP recipient and student at the University of
Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry. "I also look forward to being able
to grow my skills in a group practice."

Lieutenant Morales talks about her decision to take part in the Army's
scholarship program at http://www.goarmy.com/amedd/dental/corps_profiles.jsp.

The scholarship is available in one, two, three and four-year increments and
provides benefits during school and after graduation for students currently
accepted in a graduate medical, dental or veterinary program, or those
pursuing degrees in optometry, clinical/counseling psychology or to be a
psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Graduates of the HPSP program receive all the benefits of active duty Officers
including:

-- Paid continuing education courses, seminars and conferences
-- No-cost or low-cost medical and dental care
-- A comfortable home on a military installation or a generous housing
allowance if you decide to live off the installation
-- Opportunities to travel throughout the world
-- Attractive retirement benefits after 20 years of qualifying service
-- A flexible, portable retirement savings and investment plan similar to
a
401k
-- 30 days of vacation earned each year
-- Rank and privileges of an Army Officer

-- Low-cost life insurance

For more information about HPSP please visit www.goarmy.com/amedd/hpsp.jsp or
phone 800-USA-ARMY (800-872-2769).

ABOUT ARMY HEALTH CARE
From nurses and entomologists to veterinarians, dietitians and physicians,
Army Health Care offers more than 90 professional health care career paths -
more than any other military service.

The Army's Health Care system is an $8 billion per year venture, employing
145,000 health care professionals and managing the care of three million
patient beneficiaries. One of the largest health care networks in the world,
The Army's Health Care System operates more than 600 world-renowned hospitals,
clinics and facilities around the globe and encompasses six corps: Dental,
Medical, Medical Service, Medical Specialist, Nurse and Veterinary.

(i) American Association of Medical Colleges; "Medical School Tuition and
Young Physician Indebtedness (An Update to the 2004 Report)," October 2007.

(ii) American Association of Medical Colleges; "2008 AAMC Graduate
Questionnaire (GQ)," December 2008.

SOURCE Army Medical Department

Drea Garrison, +1-952-346-6152, for Army Medical Department