A Comparison of Uniformed Services University and Health Professions Scholarship Program Graduates' First Deployment...

Area of Science:

• Military Medicine
• Medical Education
• Operational Readiness

Background:

• Military physicians require robust preparation for diverse combat environments.
• Early career physician readiness for deployment ideally begins in medical school.
• Prior research suggested Uniformed Services University (USU) graduates are better prepared than Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively compare first deployment readiness between USU and HPSP graduates.
• To identify differences in operational preparedness based on medical school pathway.

Main Methods:

• A 14-item Likert survey was distributed to active duty military physicians (U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force).
• Participants graduated from medical school (USU or civilian via HPSP) within the last 10 years.
• Survey assessed readiness for deployment, operational navigation, and role integration.

Main Results:

• USU graduates reported significantly higher readiness for deployment, operational environment navigation, and leadership compared to HPSP graduates.
• No significant differences were found in stress levels, clinical preparation, or deployment success.
• Medical school preparation for deployment showed the largest effect size difference (Cohen's d=1.02).

Conclusions:

• USU graduates consistently reported better medical school preparation for their first deployment than HPSP graduates.
• Both groups felt prepared, but USU graduates indicated higher levels of preparedness.
• Supplemental military-specific curricula could improve HPSP student readiness for deployment.