text:
Financial analysis of the Health Professions Scholarship Program
Each year, military recruiters descend upon medical schools and pre-med fairs with the intention of signing people up for either the Army, Navy, or Air Force. Their goal is to fill the military with physicians to care for the soldiers in battle. They will cite patriotism and throw out stories of hero doctors and tell you than you (yes YOU) can be a Hero, MD. The greatest incentive they have is the Health Professions Scholarship Program. HPSP will pay for all of your tuition, fees, books, and supplies. All you have to do in return is serve a commitment of one year in the military for each year you take the scholarship.
The Student Doctor Network has a forum dedicated to military medicine. Many current and former active duty physicians will attempt to dissuade candidates from joining using a variety of illustrative stories to show that the mil med is overly bureaucratic, promotes ineffective leaders, and punishers free thinkers and whistle blowers. Think Walter Reed, but on a nation-wide scale. While the posters of SDN have their own reasons for their dissatisfaction with the Defense Department, my goal is to provide a quick and dirty financial comparison of HPSP to the civilian route. In other words, is the scholarship worth it?
First, let's see how much the military is paying. I'll use my school as an example.
Tuition = $30,000
Health Insurance = $2,500
Books = $1,500
Supplies = $700
Laptop rental = $200
Rounding up, the military is paying about $35,000 directly for my schooling. I also get $17,000 a year for a stipend. Over the course of four years, the military will have paid $208,000 for me to go to medical school. Now let's do a comparison of different specialties and see how they stack up to HPSP. For salaries of military doctors, I used the Navy's Pay Calculator. For the salaries of civilian residents, I took a rough average of several hospitals' pay tables for post-graduate medical education. For the salaries of civilian doctors, I used the information provided by Washington University's Residency Web.
Let's start with internal medicine. I'm going to make a few big assumptions:
- No deployments
- I used my zip code (a rather expensive area to live) for the Pay Calculator
- No inflation or changes in salary for either civilian doctors or military personnel.
- No interest rates on student loans.
- The military doctor has no prior experience and gets promoted to major after six years in service.
For the civilian doctor, let's use a similar table. Since I'm going to account for the $208,000 in debt that this person has, I've added another column, Wealth after debt.
From these tables we see that at the 7 year mark—the point at which the HPSP commitment is over—the military doctor comes out ahead. In fact, even after the ten year mark the military physician has accumulated more wealth.
Now let's run the same course for a general surgeon:
After just three years in practice, the civilian route wins. If these two surgeons practice medicine for the same amount of time, the military doctor will never catch up.
Now let's consider a radiologist:
Here, the civilian route wins out after just 2 years of practice.
Conclusions: the Health Professions Scholarship Program is not a good financial motivator for luring people into the military. Only primary care physicians will see a financial benefit for joining the program. While my assumptions place limitations on the overall accuracy of my calculations, I stand by my initial statement. Worth noting, however, is that the military has no malpractice insurance and that there are lots of benefits such as free healthcare, cheap shopping and entertainment on base, and a tax break of almost $10,000. Also, the federal government has authorized the military to raise the HPSP stipend from $17,000 to $30,000 a year—although no appropriations have been made. In some urban areas, military students are forced to take out loans to make up for the paltry stipend that we graduate students are receiving. By raising the stipend, students will be able to live comfortably without resorting to more loans—something HPSP was supposed to do away with.
54 Comments
Howie said,
Wow, this is a great article. It's useful, witty, and insightful.
I'm a premed-head but I was also in the military for six years (as a medic). A lot of the doctors I worked for were idiots–but there were some that motivated me into becoming a doctor in the first place.
Because of this blog entry, I'm definitely going to consider HPSP only as a last resort (if I even get the luxury of choosing).
Bravo Zulu.
Nope said,
While I commend you for taking hard look at the economics of the program, I'm afraid this is not a realistic way to look at the HPSP. In fact, there is absolutely no way to end up ahead by taking the scholarship.
The crux of the problem lies in that you won't pay off the loan in five years. Your analysis assumes that you devote your entire annual salary to repaying the loan. Student loans do not work like that, nor should they. Student loan rates are amongst the lowest in the country; one would want to pay them off as SLOWLY as possible because money deposited elsewhere would grow at a HIGHER rate. This concept is known as leverage: buying higher rates of return with money borrowed at low rates, and is practiced by almost every financial institution and high-net worth individual on the planet.
In truth, at prevailing rates, a student loan payment is only $1,280 a month. This sounds like a lot when you're a student, but keep in mind that upon successful completion of a residency, you'll probably step into job paying between around $12,500 a month to…who knows as a surgeon in a coveted field? Also keep in mind that student loan interest is deductible: without getting too much into the math, you'll be paying the equivalent of around $800 a month in after-tax dollars. That equates to a maximum of 6.5% of your monthly income. Less than you'd spend on gas in a month.
Do your homework! If you wanted to learn more, I would suggest looking up the following:
– time value of money
– leverage
and – Student Doctor Network!
NavyDO said,
It seems as though you have included some of the bonuses such as specialty pay in your calculations, but don't neglect many of the smaller bonuses and tax benefits such as BAH which can add upwards of $2,000 of tax free income per month. Also, you should consider in your calculations the added benefit in interest reduction you can expect on your loans when the government pays for your medical education up front. Consider if you have $250,000 in debt upon graduation and planned to pay that off over 30 years at the current interest rate of 6.8%. You can expect to pay an additional $336,732 in interest on top of your original debt! Because the HPSP stipend is not enough to cover all costs of living, an HPSP student (like myself) may have around $100,000 in debt upon graduation. Paying this debt off will cost an additional $134,693 in interest over the same time period. Do the math and you'll find a "hidden" bonus of over $200,000 or more if you decide to pay off your debt sooner. Just some food for thought . . .
AF Doc said,
As an Air Force Urologist, I concur completely with this assessment. HPSP only makes sense if you want to be a primary care physician. If you want to specialize (especially in a surgical field), you will never catch up with your earnings. Furthermore, depending upon where you are willing to live, many hospitals will pay off your student loans for you when you sign a contract with them. When they're willing to do this, the benefit of HPSP disappears entirely. Much like the HPSP stipend that has not increased significantly in years, the bonuses that they give physicians have not increased in years, either. I strongly discourage anyone who wants to be a surgeon from taking the HPSP.
jeff said,
well on the SDN forums, apparently you get so much less clinical experience as a surgeon.
i will be checking out this blog in the future and hope sincerely you dont get posted to flight surgery!
Think said,
I understand that the money is less in the military vs. civilian world. So it goes. Don't join the military for the money. Hands down. For that matter, don't be a doctor for the money. Hands down. If you decide to be a military doc, do it with the knowledge that you are helping the soldiers of the US Armed Forces. Young folks many of whom came "up from nothing" so to speak, and many of whom have paid a price in our current conflict.
I for one am glad to be a military doc.
AF_Primarycare said,
I agree with Think. I have 18 years in USAF. I've flown low level in F16,B1b's,c130's and Navy P3's. I've deployed to jungles, the Balkans, Europe and the deserts;all of which have been highlights. I have been the only doc and I have save lives when there was no attending/consultant or lawyer (for that matter) around. I can't tell you how good that feels. One of my physician commanders is in the AOR presently by choice. He told me you can loose a lifetime of memories taken up by rounds and meetings,but deployment memories will last a lifetime.
For those whose life is motivate by money the AF would not be for you, but that is not why I get up in the morning.
Navymedstudent said,
Student loans are at 7%. Nope is right, during your residency you don't use much of any of your money towards loans. You should recalculate using those two assumptions. By the end of a 3 year residency, the loan is $255 k, 5 years is $ 291 k. 20 year monthly payments are $1977 and $2256, respectively. Although, with forebearance penalties due to the end of using the debt:income ratio, those amounts will increase. And that $12,500/month civilian (adjusted for the decrease in medicare reimbursements?) gets taxed down to under $9000. Food for thought anyways.
SpouseofaResident said,
Just wanted to clarify what Nope said. When you are an attending and in repayment of student loans, your interest will not be tax deductible (unless you make below about $140,000 a year and married fililng joingly). If you are in a specialized field and clearing more than $200,000 NONE of your interest you pay is tax deductible. If you do qualify, only interest up to $2500 is calculated. More info at http://www.irs.gov.
ENSNavymedstudent said,
I agree with what a few of the previous military doctors said. When I talk to my friends about my scholarship and the US Navy I make it clear that if they want loan help, or a free tuition, the Navy is probably not for them. It is called national service, it is not a cake walk. I feel that sailors, air men, and soldiers that are in it solely for the financial benefits should not be in the military. Not to get all high and mighty, and I know I am a student with no military experience besides ODS, but, I knew before I signed my contract and received my commission that although the military would support me financially, I wouldn't be making the enormous sum of money from the private sector.
The military is strained for doctors right now, and does try to entice people with bonuses and cash, but if that is all you are thinking about, I would strongly suggest that you do not accept the scholarship and leave the opportunity available for someone who is more concerned with service than necessarily money.
Cthulhu Dreams said,
What gets me though is why should people who want to join the military get jacked around. If they are going to pay you less, there needs to be other benefits – like better training (the militaries normal shining star) – but it appears he gets screwed there too. You're trading less professional fulfillment for patriotism, and frankly modern armies are more professional (mercenary) and less patriots (badly paid volunteers).
Thats not a bad thing, just saying if the operation is to be sustainable long term, you need to offer a complete package.
College said,
We are proud to add this scholarship "Health Professions Scholarship Program" to our database of scholarships at http://www.freetoapply.com
student said,
The math here is all wrong.
You have to include interest at all levels. You have to account for massive tax differences. You have to include the Navy bonuses. When you account for these 3 items, you will find that HPSP is much more attractive. Unfortunately, medical students don't understand finance very well.
fizzlemed said,
I can't tell you how thankful I am I read this post.
Joe said,
Don't forget the $95,000 or so you get in stipend money during medical school.
Half M.D.: I mentioned the stipend above and used it in my calculations. The stipend has, however, raised considerably since I wrote this article.
Wes said,
Does anyone know anything about the Navy HPSP? I understand you enter an internship and become a GMO after you graduate. What does this mean for you as a primary care physician? What are residency options like and what are you really likely to end up doing?
silvanus said,
my son is a recent undergrad, i was recommending the HPSP to him. After reading all these comment I am very confused. Someone mention that the training is inferior, is this true. Someone please help me out here with these concerns. 1. He wants to be an orthopedic surgeon. 2. He don't want to have a huge debt upon graduation. 3. How long after graduation will he be obligated to the military before he can go into civillian practice. Someone please help me out here.
Half M.D.: Why were you recommending HPSP to him if you have no experience with it? Furthermore, why are you the one writing me and not him? You need to list which branch of service he is interested in; but general, 1. he may not be allowed to do orthopedics and instead be forced into general medical practice or flight medicine. 2. Take the debt and never look back. An orthopod can pay off $200,000 in a few years. 3. There is a year-for-year obligation. If your son takes a four-year scholarship, the payback is four years as an attending. Residency does not count toward the payback.
DecidingWhichPath said,
Can anyone answer this question for me? Are the calculations above from halfmd inclusive of Insurance Premiums? I am a post graduate student thinking about going back to med school, and am deciding whether or not 1. I want to fund my education rather than take out a loan, 2. practice without malpractice insurance ripping me a new a hole, 3. help out people (of course).
Of course, as another poster mentioned, I would also love to travel all over and see/help out those who selflessly are giving their lives up for us.
I have heard that military doctors do not need to pay premiums, and that this usually is a roadblock in paying back student debts. Is this assumption wrong?
Half M.D.: Those numbers do include malpractice insurance. If you're taking home $200,000 a year, the roadblock to paying back student loans is poor spending and has little to do with the cost of malpractice.
Mike said,
These numbers are TOTALLY wrong.
In all your calculations, you forgot to add interests accruing on your loans, the tax differences in pay, tax-free income in the military (VSP, BAH, BAS). In the military you don't need malpractice insurance. I'm not a recruiter for the military but based solely on numbers, the military comes out ahead of most specialty except possibly the highest paying ones like opth, derm, ent, radio, plastics, etc.
I just did simply calculation of the general surgery military vs. civilian pay based on your existing numbers.
At year 9 of military, you will have earned $870817 minus an average of 27% income tax and you NET $635,696
At year 9 of civilian, you will have earned $1,200,000 minus an average of 30% tax which is because of higher tax bracket for a net of $840,000.
$840,000 – $635,696 = $204,304 NET more wealth for a civilian surgeon however your education cost $208,000 + interest so in essence it is a complete wash.
The calculations above also don't include HPSP stipend and sign-on bonus etc. But the bottom line is the military option is indeed an equal to better financial total package depending on your specialty and of course, your medical school.
Jambony said,
these numbers do not include loan interest? That is the biggest part of loan repayment. Has anyone seen a more comprehensive calculation of the two financial paths? thanks.
Military Surgeon said,
I am a HPSP scholarship winner and military surgeon who is getting out after my 4-year commitment. Accounting for tax-free portions of my pay, I make roughly $160,000 a year. Although, in my last year of commitment I did not take the fall specialty bonus ($36,000) so I could get out at the earliest possible time. Note: To receive all physician bonuses an additional 3 months must be served, taking total service to 4.25 years. In effect, the HPSP is really a 4.25 year time commitment, if you want all the bonuses.
In regards to the above math, the calculations are not perfect but the conclusions are correct. If you go into primary care you are money ahead, if you're a surgeon you're money behind. Roughly, any specialty that makes over $300,000 a year will be money behind (e.g., anesthesia, radiology, cardiology, GI).
More importantly, you sacrifice choice by taking the military scholarship. The key phrase is "needs of the military" and it comes to bear when you make a career choice, preferred residency choice, choice of fellowship and place of practice. The military does not have to allow you to train in your specific medical area of interest (e.g., orthopedics), may not allow you to pursue a civilian residency (e.g., UCSF internal medicine residency vs. military residency), does not typically allow for fellowship training straight from residency and gives little choice in where you live.
The scholarship hurts those students who wish to pursue a prestigious civilian residency, because you will probably get chosen for a military residency. I've seen this happen with medical students who graduate at the top of their class and are competitive enough to attend top-notch residencies, but are chosen to complete military residencies. It affects medical students pursuing popular residencies that the military only needs a set amount. I've seen this happen with medical students desiring ophthalmology, orthopedics, and neurosurgery residencies. They were not granted permission to train in these residencies straight from medical school. So, they either choose a different residency that the military needed, or served as a general medical officer for 2-years and made to reapply to the military residency selection process in hopes of being granted permission to pursue a residency in their chosen career field. The above also holds true for applying for fellowships (e.g., vascular surgery, cardiothoracic surgery). You must understand, once you accept the scholarship you will lose ultimate decision making capacity over your career.
If you can accept the following: 1. You lose decision making capacity over your career, 2. As surgeons you will be deployed overseas (~20% of my time spent in war zone, 10 of 48 months); 3. DOD/VA disability does not take into account your physician bonuses, therefore if you get hurt you will be compensated at current rank only which may not be enough to support your family, 4. Only one life insurance company currently insures active duty military members (USAA, Max policy $1mill + 400k from military = 1.4 mill total) which may not be enough to support your family, 5. Doctors have been killed-in-action during the current conflicts – Then I would make these recommendations.
1. If you want to serve your country, take the scholarship.
2. If you know you are going into primary care (e.g., family practice, pediatrics. internal medicine) and know that you do not want to complete a civilian residency – Take the scholarship.
3. If you know you want to be a surgeon – Don't take the scholarship. Get into a civilian residency, make sure you don't want to complete a fellowship, then look into the Military Financial Assistance Program (FAP). In fact, If you've attend a state medical school, you might actually be money ahead with the FAP route (vs. HPSP).
Michelle said,
When reading this, I must remember that it was created by a med student/doctor. So I will keep in mind a lack of business knowledge in my comments. Time value of money is a huge thing here. So are taxes. Some of the pay a military doc gets are tax exempt, like housing and food allowances. That aside, the main thing missing here is the cost of health insurance. All of my husband's classmates that went the civilian route are paying some if not all of their health insurance as residents. That will continue after graduation from residency.
My advice to anyone reading this site, listen to what Military Surgeon said. Doctors deploy just like the rest of the military. There are dangers and if that is not something you want to do then don't take the HPSP scholarship. Also, the military is a way of life, not just a job. While the medical corp is not like the regular military, they still have rules. You have to cut your hair and wear a uniform. I, as a thirtysomething married to someone who spent 8 years enlisted, was not surprised by this. But you would be surprised how many 26 year olds take exception with these simple things. If you are seriously considering this option, talk to a military resident or military doc to find out what it is really like.
Half M.D.: You know residents that are paying health insurance? Med students do, but residencies cover most—if not all—of the expenses, similar to many other civilian jobs. And yes, the full coverage that the military provides is certainly a plus of working there. I know of one physician who has a child with special needs who has to stay in the military for nothing else than the free healthcare.
Dean said,
Military Surgeon,
Can you explain more to me about the FAP program and how it may be a better option than the HPSP?
Kevin said,
Think makes a very good point. I know all of you didn't become a doctor for the sole purpose of making money, that would be a poor decision. The amount of studying and work that goes into completing the four years of medical school, passing three medical licensing board examinations, completing 3-9 years of grueling and sleepless residency, passing your specialty licensing boards, continuing medical education, and the rigorous work schedule you will have for the rest of your life wouldn't be worth it if you didn't enjoy practicing medicine. (Physicians have the highest suicide rate of all professionals). If money is the main reason you want to practice medicine, I wouldn't want to work with you.
The military offers a way to serve your country while receiving some very competitive financial benefits. Just as money shouldn't drive you to choose medicine as a career, it should not drive you to join the military. It is a very different life style and is demanding in a unique way.
I would now like to point out some things this site did not include in the calculations and address some fallacies (I will focus on the Navy because that is the branch I am in):
1. The Navy (I cannot say about other branches) will not force you into a residency you do not want. If you do not get the residency you want, you can do a GMO tour, flight surgery, transitional year, undersea medicine, or defer to civilian residency. As the Navy is getting rid of GMO tours, civilian deferments will be much more common.
2. As others pointed out, student loans rack up huge amounts of interest.
3. Investing the positive cash flow you have during medical school means you to EARN interest. Over 7 to 13 years, this can add up.
4. There is now a $20,000 signing bonus
5. Monthly stipend payments are $1981 as of July 2009
6. The tax benefits are about $6000 PER YEAR (Again, consider interest earned by investing this)
7. You can't factor in any loans you may take out in addition to your stipend while on HPSP because you would be taking the same amount of money out in loans as a civilian.
8. Cost of living in the military is drastically lower than in the civilian world. You get discounts everywhere, all your purchases at exchanges and commissaries are tax free, these places usually have very good deals, free health insurance, and no malpractice.
Bottom line; the military is not for making more money, it is a way to serve your country, gain some incredible experience, meet incredible people, and offer a medical career with salaries that are COMPETITIVE with civilian practice, not necessarily better.
AFHPSP said,
I have to write something when I read this post. Becoming the military doc is less about money and more about commitment. I will not discuss the financial issues since there are too many factors concerning different school tuition, loan interest rate, military bonus, specialties..etc…
You got the opportunities to do something great and this can not be calculated in term of money. In addition, HPSP program gives medical student "peace of mind" when you are in medical school. I am a first year student and I can tell you straight out that I don't have to worry at all about tuition every semester or living expense every month. The stipend is roughly $2000 but it is very adequate if you live cheap and don't spend lavishly.
What is even better about HPSP is that it suits a lot of married medical students with dependents. It is one thing to worry about yourself, but having kids while you are in med school is an extreme burden. There are additional dependent allowances if you are married, even though it is not much. It helps you to focus in medical school while not worrying about your family's welfare. This is the biggest factor that influence many married med student to join the military. I went through officer training at Maxwell AFB and I can tell you that a majority of HPSP students are in it because they are married and want "peace of mind" while you are in med school
Med school is intense and hard. Having not to worry about money is the biggest factor that help you to do well and excel in becoming a doctor. This is something that can't be put into money. So please don't join the military if you think about money. YOU ARE DEAD WRONG!!!!!
Manny said,
Question for the Military MDs on this post. Can't you simply get out after your obligation and start making more money in the private sector? I may be naive, but it seems like if you're worried about being "behind" in money then that's the only reason as to why someone would not do consider the HPSP. Because one you finish your Active Duty obligation, you can simply work as a civilian and see increases to your salary (and taxes lol).
Jon said,
Someone please answer Manny's question about Leaving for the Private Sector.
ICEMAN720 said,
I am on the same page with you and AFHPSP. I for one am a patriot, and I believe the honor aspect is worth more than anything else. My only obstacle is providing for my family. The HPSP is not a bargain by any means, it is an honorable and reasonable option if you are looking for help by serving the country.
HOWEVER, from what I have read elsewhere, ie. StudenDoc, HalfMD etc..
Military is not for those prestigious med school students that want a prestigious residency, a prestigious fellowship and a prestigious practice because the military board makes all final decisions on the who what when where and "how high".
AND so because you cannot pick your residency with 100% certainty some early pre-doc's get put somewhere and don't get a lot of experience and this makes it harder for them to compete with civ pre-docs that are looking for fellowships or jobs.
ALSO, the 4 years after medical school the civ docs definitely will earn more money than the HPSP doc in his/her first 4 years.
***The BIG question is, even if a mil doc can't "catch up" can the mil doc compete money wise after the 4 years with a civ doc?***
Nontrad said,
I am 41 and completing my prerequisites toward medical school. The HSPS is attractive to me because of my age (assuming I can get a waiver). I will finish med school at 47 and finish a residency no sooner than 50. I can't spend 10-20 years paying off a huge student loan. You could argue that I could pay off the loan in the civilian world in the same time that I would be spending in the military, but that is unlikely with the three year residency specialties, which aren't very lucrative(maybe with E.M.). I'd like to specialize, but at my age I'll be lucky to become a doctor at all; it doesn't make sense to consider long residencies/fellowships.
But perhaps the biggest advantage is the stipend and bonus. I will have to quit my job and my wife will have to be the sole bread winner for our family of four. The stipend, officer pay, and bonus are roughly $30,000/year. That is a huge weight off the shoulders of my wife.
I'm not in it for the money, but at my age I have to consider financials. I agree with some of the previous posters – the accruing interest, during and after residency, are a variable that has to be considered.
Another factor at my age is the tuition of particular schools. Without the HSPS I'll be limited to lower tuition schools, which may not accept me. I'm only going to have about 15-20 years of active career life available after residency – I can't have a $300,000 tuition bill. With HSPS I can attend any school regardless of tuition.
FutureReliefDoc said,
I will be starting medical school in August, and I've accepted an HSPS scholarship from the Air Force. Before signing I read through a lot of forum discussions. Ultimately I decided it was right for me because:
1. My school's total cost per year is approximately $54,000. This total does not include living expenses. The living stipend for this year is $2,100 a month so my scholarship is worth around 80K a year. I'll also get officer pay during my active duty commitments in the summers.
2. I have no savings, and about 40kd of debt (undergraduate loans and a car loan). My dad is a trucker without a college education and my mom is a social worker so family contributions are not an option.
3. I am not going into medicine for the money. My ultimate goal is to work for an organization like Doctors Without Borders, or Partners in Health. Traveling to random places after I graduate isn't deterrent for me. It's a resume builder.
4. I might want to go into a "low paying" specialty like family or internal medicine.
5. Members of my family have served in the military, and although I don't think I will want to make a career of Air Force, I don't mind serving.
I really went back and forth on this decision. I'm a pretty liberal thinking, free spirited person, and I never saw myself as the military type. However, I weighed the idea of practicing for the Air Force against the prospect of graduating with upwards of 350k of debt and having to work for a large HMO in order to make my student loan payments. I don't see a whole lot of freedom going that route either.
One thing I read over and over is "if you're doing it for the money, don't!" but lots of people join\enlist in the military for the money. Serving has always been a way of getting a step up in our socio-economic system. I figure I'm just like all the guys and gals enlisting to make a better life for themselves, except I get to fulfill my dream of becoming a doctor at the same time. I'm looking at my military obligation as an opportunity and an adventure. I'll take the good with the bad, and make the best of it.
Lauren said,
I am a junior undergrad looking to go to medical school and am interested in the HSPS Naval Scholarship. I am hoping to go into trauma surgery and I want to work with Doctors without Borders and/or Partners in Health. I'm not looking to medicine to gain prestige or tons of money. I am concerned when I see that people are saying you don't necessarily get to determine your own career. Is there any more advice out there regarding trauma surgery and experiences you get through this program?
isdh said,
you're forgetting something important.. military doc's don't pay malpractice insurance, civilian doc's do. factor that into your calculations, see what happens. probably totally different. civilian doc's usually pay around 25% of their salary into malpractice, more for surgeons.
JTAC WIFE said,
Does anyone have stat's on a neurologist residency in the mil? Thanks
JW said,
Can anyone provide any insight as to whether or not doctors getting out of the military and entering the civilian work force do as well as their civilian counterparts financially?
Is it difficult finding a civilian job after leaving military medical service?
Does military service in any particular specialty make you more competitive for a civilian position?
Thanks you in advance for anyone able to provide any information regarding the above. I chose to go with the scholarship after quite a bit of thinking and just want to know a bit more more about what potential complications I may encounter should I choose to leave after my four year service.
Victor Johnson said,
Hi Is there a way to contact you (the Blog Owner)? Thanks!
Ameera said,
Can anyone answer JW's question? I am curious.
Future - Navy - Gal said,
I'm also a jr undergrad looking at med school. I've been considering the HSPS scholarship. I'm married, no kids, and am leaning towards internal medicine (would like to avoid the 80hr/wk schedule, since i'd love to spend time with my future kids). My only problem is that my husband is not an american citizen, and I was wondering how that would affect a life living on the base?
Secondly, I'd love for someone to answer JW's question about civilian practice after leaving military
3rd – what about becoming a reserve for the navy? Instead of active duty? How many years would you have to put in after residency?
Thanks in advance
Kathy said,
I'm proud to serve my country and I hate that every single time I'm looking for information your stupid blog comes up in my google search. Keep your journaling to yourself and stop trying to discourage others from serving their country.
deltadoc said,
good information…take it for what its worth and make up your own mind…in the end, financial gain should not be your top reason for going the military route…nonetheless, if you have a healthy combination of patriotism and the need to get financial help for med school, it may be a viable option for you…only you and you alone can decide that
cengin said,
I'd really like to know the answer to JW's question as well!
cengin said,
Also, I find this one much more comprehensive.
Jeremy said,
Good job building the graph, I too obsess over planning. However, (and someone may have pointed this out already, so my apologies if so) but I came to a different conclusion when you factor in the interest that you accumulate, according to your figures it would be approx $341,000 to pay for your 4 years assuming all of it is at the federal 6.8% interest rate (don't forget private loans are higher and federal has a limit somewhere below 250k). Also, that's assuming you pay it all of in 4 years after residency (same time as the hpsp obligation) which prob wouldn't be true of your avg loan recipient (so the total payment is actually greater than previously stated). Many of my friends that are residents say that they cant afford to even pay all of the interest on their loans and still survive off of a 45k salary, so hpsp does provide less stress there. Additionally, (I am not there at this point in time so not 100%) but I've read from many to learn to "work" the system, ie taking your built up leave time from your residency and getting some extra bucks moonlighting…could bump your salary at least 10k a year (and not requiring any more hours). I just think there's more that needs to be considered if you look at it solely from a financial perspective. Don't forget the signing bonus, lol.
PAgrad said,
It has been a terrible experience from start to finish. My pay and scholarship started about 2 months after school started so I was responsible for all the finances up to that point with no reimbursement. After graduation I got placed in academic hold without pay or benefits. Pay and expenses stopped 2 months before graduation and I have again been responsible for expenses. No health insurance, bills in default, and because I can be activated at any time with only 24 hours notice, I am unable to contract into a civilian job. If you call the HPSP office, theyll tell you to your face "you just need to wait like everybody else."
Worst financial move of my life was joining the Navy.
RadMan said,
Unfortunately tuition is now 50,000 😦
MedHopeful said,
Nontrad: I know your post was quite some time ago (2011) so I don't know if you even see or get this message but I am curious as to what happened for you after all. I am 38 right now and in pretty much the exact same situation. I have a family et al & I want to become a physician. I also am not in it for the money like you say and HPSP would be an awesome opportunity to get into medicine without the financial burden. Plus I would love the idea of serving. I have some of the pre-reqs but still need some others. The soonest I would be able to finish the 4 years of med school would be when I'm 44. 42 seems to be the cut-off age. Were you able to get a waiver and participate in HPSP?
Samir Desai said,
Military recruiters do a great job of getting the word out about HPSP, and it seems as if I'm always fielding questions about the pros and cons of the program with newly accepted medical students. It's good to have a post like yours that breaks things down. You may also be interested in reading about economic analysis of HPSP for neurosurgeons:
kaleb said,
Ok I'm a E-4 living in San Diego County And I make around 60k after all my pay not just base.
MilANDCivDoc said,
I have done AFHPSP, residency, served my time, and am a civilian doc, so I can speak with experience here.
There are several issues involved in choosing military medicine, but one is the most important: the deception involved in selling the program and the disregard for the professional well being of the physician.
In summary:
–There are many hidden ways the military service attempts to increase commitment beyond the original agreed to time:
—GMO Tours: Effectively increase your commitment if you are not selected for residency and then complete it later; increase BY SEVERAL YEARS
—Training: Often, residencies or fellowships may only be offered "sponsored", which means one-for-one additional time
—Fellowships: Many fields require training past residency. This incurs substantial additional time AND also incurs financial penalty by delaying when a bonus can be taken
–Training in many fields can be extremely limited. Opportunity for good training may be minimal. Opportunity for top-notch renown training will either be zero OR will come with a long commitment (sponsored training)
-Leaving the military:
–Like a post above, if you want to get out in July at the end of your time, it will cost you $20K to $36K. If you stay until October you can get this money. Why is 3 months a big deal? It is a HUGE deal — the residency and fellowship cycle as well as the job cycle is in July. If you get out in October you CANNOT do a fellowship directly from active duty. If you get out in October, all of the new grads took the jobs that were open in July.
None of this is disclosed or even easy to figure out, and it is so important to anyone agreeing to serve.
If you pour your sweat and blood into graduating medical school, you might become a Physician Assistant Equivalent for 4 years if you do not get your residency the first time, OR if you want a residency that they force you to do GMO first for and do not want to extend your commitment.
Second, if you do get that residency and work all those endless nights to become a stellar surgeon, etc, the Army might send you to be a Physician Assistant Equivalent doing primary care (Brigade Surgeon) for 3 years. How much skill will you lose after 3 years?
Work conditions: You might be placed in a situation where the care you provide is below what you feel acceptable due to facility, manning, and/or resource constraints, or the fact that you are sent somewhere alone directly from training. This will create a lot of stress and dissatisfaction.
Work conditions: You might be forced to take call Q3, Q2, or even Q1 as an attending due to inadequate manning. You might be forced to take call as an attending to perform the job of a non-physician technician because the technician is a civilian and cannot be forced to take call. Think force reductions and manning shortfalls.
Economic Theory:
Military pilots only have economic value flying planes, so the risk of abuse, forcing a pilot to work so much he is miserable is low, as no one really stands to benefit from that.
Physicians have economic value to everyone who can use their services, and those who can use their services can also force them to work more, for free. There is an incentive to over-work and abuse the physician, but not the pilot, and only in the military can you be forced to work more for free. Pilots have crew-rest and work hour restrictions to ensure adequate rest. Physicians do not — I can tell a story of several physicians who were not allowed to take any vacation for a year and work continual Q2 call due to a manning shortage — a manning shortage that could have been fixed with the proper funding, but it is cheaper to work them more.
Money: Yes, you will make more money as a civilian unless you are in one of a few fields, but then if you account for hours worked, you may still make less in the military if there is a lot of forced call etc in those few fields. Also, military pay over a career only becomes competitive if you take repeated 4-year contracts and retire. If you want to not always be under a 4-year contract, the pay will be abysmal in comparison. I.e. you have to take HPSP scholarship commitments many times over your career and can never have a time with true choice. You only get paid for abrogation of choice, not skill as a physician.
Bottom line:
My main issue is that the system created is so complex that it is difficult to understand and make an economic decision based upon. Furthermore, is is difficult to trust that you will be treated fairly during your agreed upon service.
Sean said,
How in the world do you arrive at a realistic conclusion while simultaneously ignoring reality?
Right from the start, the bias OP invalidated his entire argument by stating he was ignoring reality (i.e.) All available metrics-interest rates, common expenses of doctors, etc Then, he concludes the military route is not the best for all physician pathways after showing one of his first examples that it beat the civilian model even 10 years out. By far this is one of the weakest arguments I've seen with poorly applied statistics to prove an invalid point.
Luckily my colleagues have taken a moment in the past to provide some of the great reasons to serve with us.
This article was published in 2007. The HPSP program has seen much over haul-especially at service branch levels.
If you are an undergraduate trying to properly vet out if an Air Force Scholarship is the best route for your medical aspirations, please contact me with all your questions and concerns. I will guarantee you a pressure free environment, and as much information in black and white as I can source from all channels.
Get real time information on the U.S. Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program by contacting me directly at:
New York City Based
U.S. Air Force
Health Professions Recruiter
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278
Lilia said,
Skype has opened up its website-dependent consumer beta towards the entire world, right after
establishing it broadly inside the U.S. and U.K. previously
this 30 days. Skype for Online also now facilitates Chromebook and Linux for instant text messaging conversation (no voice and video yet,
individuals demand a plug-in installation).
The increase of your beta provides assistance for an extended listing of spoken languages
to help you strengthen that overseas functionality
Been there done that. said,
What was left out in your analysis is the time value of money or compound interest. The $30000 tuition cannot simply be multiplied by four. Student loan interest is incurred from the day of funding lets say 6.5% annually which turns the $120,000. into approx. $136,800 after four years, now let say you defer those payment in residency for three year as you will not be able to make the payments on $136,800. The $136,800 after another three years in now $165,200. Obviously that is just the tuition cost. The HSPS value is closer to $240,000 with the monthly stipend not the $208,000 stated.


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In Videos: Chef Cooks 'Dream Omelet' From Recipe That Came To Him In A Dream
Chef Adam Scott demonstrates how to make an omelet. But not just any omelet—a Dream Omelet. Unlike a regular omelet, this one requires a shoehorn for cutting butter, eggs with "WW2" written on the shells, Robin Williams, lemons that turn into tomatoes, a dolphin, and some other things that have nothing to do with typical omelet-making. Watch the video after the jump to learn how to make this in your own kitchen! Or not.
Chef Cooks 'Dream Omelet' From Recipe That Came To Him In A Dream
How to Make a Rolled Omelet
Cook the Book: Potato, Sausage, and Ricotta Omelet From Basilicata
Dinner Tonight: Spanish Potato Omelet
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subset: commoncrawl


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The Welsh Books Council provides publishing grants for literary books and magazines in English. Grants are also available for Welsh-language publications.
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If you wish to discuss any aspect of the work of the Grants Department, please contact the following:
Grants for English-language material:
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The Welsh Books Council supports a range of lively magazines for children, young people and adults, containing good writing and, where appropriate, quality journalism, reviews and discussion on a variety of topics. This support is always subject to Welsh Government funding.
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ATLANTA - With Georgia one win away from playing for a national championship, quarterback Aaron Murray has suddenly imposed a media blackout.
The school says Murray met with coach Mark Richt and got permission to be relieved from his media responsibilities leading up to the Southeastern Conference championship game between the third-ranked Bulldogs and No. 2 Alabama. The winner will advance to face top-ranked Notre Dame for the BCS title.
Murray has always been one of Georgia's most accessible players, usually meeting with the media on Tuesdays and after games. But he gave a hint that approach would change when he didn't hang around following last week's win over Georgia Tech.
Murray is the nation's top-rated passer and the first quarterback in SEC history with three straight 3,000-yard seasons through the air.


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Although it's become fairly easy to find a horror movie any time of the year, there's nothing quite like sitting down for a solid spookfest on Halloween. And while not all horror movies are successful in scaring their respective audiences, a few get the job done with aplomb. These are typically the horror films that stand the test of time, and unfortunately nowadays are the ones that get spun-off into numerous sequels (or remakes).
With that in mind, we have pulled together some of our favorite horror movie moments – with a focus on modern films – to remember those rare movie-going experiences where we truly jumped out of our seats.
Here are our selections for the 8 Scary Moments in Modern Horror Movies.
9 Audition (1999)
The Scene: After being unable to shake his feelings for Asami, a girl he barely knows but feels a connection to, Aoyama finally decides to give her a call. Upon her answering, the bag that has been sitting still in her apartment finally flails about violently.
Why It Scared Us: Director Takashi Miike has crafted his fair share of creepy moments, but this one takes the cake. Although there are only brief glimpses of Asami in her apartment, hunched over by the phone, it's hard not to miss the oversized bag in the background. And when the bag finally moves, confirming the audience's suspicions that Asami is holding a person in the bag, it's an unexpected yet unnerving moment that only a director like Miike can pull off. Eventually, we discover what's inside the bag, but just watching the bag move was enough to sufficiently creep us out.
8 Insidious (2010)
The Scene: Renai (Rose Byrne) wakes up from a nightmare and begins to notice a figure pacing outside of her window. The man continues to pace back and forth outside until he unexpectedly appears in her bedroom.
Why It Scared Us: There are at least half a dozen terrifying moments in the first Insidious (as well as its sequel), but this sequence in particular stands out for several reasons. For starters, there is no build up. The figure simply starts pacing back and forth without so much as a musical cue or even an acknowledgment (at first) from Renai. That in and of itself is pretty disturbing, but when the man magically appears much closer to the frame we were sent over the edge. There's a reason director James Wan is the new master of horror, and it's scenes like these that prove it.
7 Wolf Creek (2005)
The Scene: Liz (Cassandra Magrath) is trying to start one of Mick Taylor's cars, before the Australian psycho appears behind her and stabs her in the back. Liz's attempt to flee is futile as Mick slices off several of her fingers and eventually severs her spinal cord, turning her into a "head on a stick."
Why It Scared Us: The tourists under attack concept has been done to death, and arguably even done better, but this scene from Wolf Creek is still extremely disturbing nonetheless. While the initial appearance of Mick in the backseat sets the scene off, it's the "head on the stick" portion that has left us scarred for life. Can you imagine being completely incapacitated while a mass-murdering psychopath like Mick hovers above you?
6 Signs (2002)
The Scene: Merrill Hess (Joaquin Phoenix) is watching a news broadcast that purports to have first hand footage of the alien visitors from the film. The big reveal comes and several kids are in the way, until the crowd parts and, plain as day, an alien walks across the screen.
Why It Scared Us: Say what you will about M. Night Shyamalan in recent years, but you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't remember this scene from Signs. Up to that point in the film, Shyamalan had been dealing in smoke and mirrors, merely suggesting an extraterrestrial presence without actually showing one. But when it finally comes time for the "money shot," he delivers. Yes, some would argue that the film falls apart from there, but the initial shock was still hard to shake off.
The Scene: After discovering the demonically-possessed Tristiana in the attic, reporter Angela Vidal is trying desperately to escape until she trips and drops the camera. As she crawls towards the night vision-enhanced frame, something grabs hold of Angela and drags her away.
Why It Scared Us: While there are very few differences between [REC] and the 2008 English-language remake Quarantine, we prefer this Spanish language film simply because it was the first. Both films have this shocking ending, and both films pull it off effectively. It's just a shame that the Quarantine trailers ruined the surprise. As a whole, the film showed that the found-footage and horror genres were perfectly suited for each other - even if that meant some sacrifices along the way. More importantly, though, [REC] found new ways to make audiences jump by playing around with the live footage conceit. And the film's ending in particular showcased just how terrifying that conceit can be.
4 Paranormal Activity (2007)
The Scene: After several nights of creepy noises, sleepwalking, and footsteps, the paranormal force that is haunting Micah and Katie finally grabs hold of Katie and drags her away.
Why It Scared Us: One of the main reasons the Paranormal Activity franchise is so lucrative is its micro budget. Made for only $15,000, this first film had little to work with, but was an effective horror film nonetheless. That being said, the film does pull a little CGI trickery here and there, most obviously in this scene towards the end of the film. The scares up until this point had been subtle, whereas this moment takes things in a decidedly aggressive direction, ramping up the intensity until the final frame. Footprints on the ground are one thing, but being pulled from bed by an invisible demon is terrifying.
3 The Descent (2005)
The Scene: Our intrepid spelunking crew takes roll with a night vision camera and discovers there group includes one albino demon creature too many.
Why It Scared Us: The Descent takes a lot of common modern horror tropes (claustrophobia, excessive violence, unexplained creatures, strong female protagonists) but it uses them to great effect. Like that scene from Insidious, this moment manifests without fanfare or buildup, it simply happens. But once the creature appears, there is no reprieve; the film puts the pedal even closer to the floor. The Descent is a pulse-pounding ride that kicks off with this jump scare and never lets go, and it's easily one of the best horror films of the 21st century.
2 The Ring (2002)
The Scene: Noah (Martin Henderson) watches helplessly as Samara crawls up from her well, across the field, and out of the TV before revealing her water-damaged face and killing him.
Why It Scared Us: A lot of the moments on our list made the cut because they subvert expectations, or are just so unbearably horrifying they left us scarred for days, but this scene from the 2002 English-language remake of The Ring is scary because it transpires almost exactly as the audience expects. We see Samara inching closer to the TV and we know she's going to come out of it, but we refuse to believe it. So when she does finally break that digital plane, it's a very real fear (that terrible event could occur in our own home theater) that grips the viewer. It's a shame director Gore Verbinski turned his attention to big-budget blockbusters, because The Ring is an excellent modern horror film.
1 8 Scary Moments in Modern Horror Movies
Of course, picking a scary scene or moment is completely subjective. Some people can go through an entire movie without flinching, while others cower behind their significant other for the duration of a film. But these are some of the moments in more recent films that left us terrified.
Now it's your turn: what are some of your favorite scary moments from modern horror films? Let us know in the comments below.
Follow Anthony on Twitter @ANTaormina


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One of Cornwall's most dedicated plein air painters, Lucie's practice of working in the outdoors is part of a long history of plein air and seascape painting associated with the area since the rise of the St Ives and Newlyn art colonies at the turn of the twentieth century. Her bright white painting tent was a regular feature on Porthmeor Beach, a place where Lucie spent many hours observing, sketching and painting West Cornwall's turbulently beautiful coastline and sweeping skies. Her spontaneous, high energy paintings are defined by the distinctive quality of her mark marking, and say much about the unique beauty of this area.
Alongside recent paintings by Lucie, the exhibition includes written contributions from key members of the St Ives arts community, and is held in celebration of everything wonderful about Cornwall that inspired Lucie and many artists both now and before her.


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One Republican proposal would ban state enforcement of federal gun laws.
Another would require that hospitals check the citizenship of anyone treated in an emergency room.
Still another would call for students to pledge loyalty oaths to the Constitution before high school graduation.
It's early on in the Arizona legislative session, but so far the proposals described by one top Republican as "esoteric" and criticized by Democrats as unconstitutional have dominated the headlines — despite promises from GOP leaders to focus on top-tier issues such as balancing the state budget and improving education.
It comes as Republicans nationally try to rebrand the party, highlighted by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal calling on his GOP colleagues to "stop being the stupid party" and focus on issues that matter to more Americans.
In Arizona, bills like those being pushed early this session often make headlines but often don't get far in the legislative process.
Together with proposals that would block a plan championed by Republican Gov. Jan Brewer to expand Medicaid under President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, the measures from some Republicans have prompted criticism that they aren't focused on important issues. Republicans hold majorities in both chambers, and Democrats say their rivals are more interested in running headfirst into confrontations with the federal government and pushing their conservative agenda.
It remains to be seen how much time lawmakers will devote toward such plans.
"You're always going to have members that introduce legislation that is very partisan, very divisive, very polarizing," said Democratic Sen. Steve Gallardo. "The question is: Will they, the president and the speaker, let these bills move through the process?"
Senate President Andy Biggs and House Speaker Andy Tobin are tasked with determining whether proposals advance to a full legislative debate. Both said before the session they didn't expect to spend much time on hot-topic bills like immigration that had dominated the Legislature in recent years.
Biggs said Monday he would assign each bill introduced in his chamber to a committee, where the measures could die or change significantly before reaching his desk, at which point he could decide either to spike a plan or bring it to the full Senate for consideration.
He said he didn't think any of the bills would become distractions, saying that he expects such measures from a citizen legislature that represents views of constituents in their districts.
"I wouldn't call them fringe bills. I would call them esoteric bills," he said with a slight smile. "I would call them bills born of passion."
During the first weeks of any legislative session hundreds of bills are introduced, many of which go nowhere. Often, Democratic bills in the GOP-controlled Legislature meet such a fate. Republican-sponsored bills, however, have a better chance of advancing — even when critics say they're unconstitutional.
Rep. Bob Thorpe, a freshman tea party Republican from Flagstaff, was one of five House members who signed on to the bill that would make it a felony for a state official to enforce any new federal firearms law or regulations that tried to enforce an assault weapons ban or limit the size of ammunition magazines. It also would make it a felony for a federal official to enforce such a law.
Should the bill become law, it would surely set up a fight with Washington officials, who could argue that under the U.S. Constitution federal law trumps state law.
Thorpe and fellow opponents of gun control legislation, such as Rep. Carl Seel and Sen. Don Shooter, don't see it that way. They say they're trying to protect Second Amendment rights.
"I think it would hold up in court," Seel said. "What the bill does is clearly say that if some federal regulator comes into this state and tries to enforce, in essence, a law that is unconstitutional and infringes on a citizen's right to bear arms, it's patently unconstitutional."
"When the federal government oversteps its boundaries," Thorpe said. "I truly believe that things like nullification, for example, can be used at the state level to nullify laws that we feel are unconstitutional."
A companion bill passed a Senate committee Wednesday after a sharp exchange between Shooter, the bill's co-sponsor, and a Democratic lawmaker who called the proposal a waste of time and questioned how it could be enforced.
Shooter defended the plan by saying, "The country is called the 'United States.' It's not called the 'federal government.' The states are sovereign."
Democratic Sen. Anna Tovar, the minority whip, laughed when she thought about the flurry of conservative bills, and singled out the gun proposal as a distraction.
"It would be non-enforceable, I would assume, because federal laws would supersede," she said. "This bill adds fuel to the fire. It scares people. It makes people nervous. And it doesn't tackle the issue. Not to mention it's a waste of taxpayer money,"
House Speaker Andy Tobin wouldn't say whether he'd back the bill.
"I don't know if it's unconstitutional," he said. "But I think at the end of the day it's probably worth having a conversation over a president that issues executive orders" affecting gun ownership.
Tobin's comment referenced a belief among gun rights opponents that President Barack Obama would use his authority to try to ban some weapons.
A series of executive orders Obama issued Jan. 16 did not seek to ban guns or ammunition. The president mainly addressed health care rules, school safety, gun tracing and background checks. Obama's proposals that would outlaw new assault rifle sales and limit the size of ammunition magazines require congressional action.
Thorpe also filed a bill that would require high school seniors to swear a constitutional oath before they could graduate, setting off a flurry of criticism that led him to back off and say he would make the oath voluntary.
"The whole purpose of that bill is not to get some standard of loyalty from an individual," Thorpe said. "It was really to hopefully encourage our high school students to take an active interest in what our Constitution is."
He addressed those who might see a contradiction in his actions, on one hand setting up a federal fight and on the other seeking to require that students swear allegiance to the federal government. Thorpe says those who perceive inconsistency misunderstand his thinking. He says he is a constitutionalist, who seeks to uphold its principles.
Thorpe, Seel and Rep. Steve Smith are also sponsoring the bill requiring hospitals to check the citizenship status of people seeking treatment. Smith also has sponsored a proposal that would require school districts to collect information on students' immigration status.
Smith said the hospital bill is intended only to count the number of illegal aliens seeking care.
"It doesn't deport. It doesn't deny care. It doesn't do anything other than put a number on the problem," Smith said.
Versions of both bills have been rejected the last two years.
Gallardo said he understands policy differences, but laws like Smith's just make him shake his head.
"If those bills start moving through the process, the Legislature is no longer focusing on school safety, on education, on Medicaid expansion, on the budget," he said. "We're now focused on these polarizing bills that do nothing but cause chaos."


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Oklahoma's Patrick Graham and Kendric Maple were nominated with 4.0 grade point averages.
Maple is one of three wrestlers who becomes a two-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree. The junior also earned second team recognition last season along with Chris Perry (Oklahoma State). Iowa State's Boaz Beard also collects his second straight honor with a second team distinction this year and first team recognition in 2012.
West Virginia's six honorees was the most of any team, while the Mountaineers and Sooners each had four first team selections.
A total of 10 student-athletes earned first team recognition, while eight individuals made up the second team.
First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA while the second team selections hold a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.
To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher (either cumulative or the two previous semesters) and must have participated in 60 percent of their team's scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.


text:
Please click here to access the Parent Questionnaire
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Are you the parent / guardian of a student who will be receiving A Level or GCSE exam results?
The Careers Service can help if your child is:
Unsure how to plan the next steps in their career.
Looking for guidance on education / training / apprenticeship / employment opportunities
We can offer...
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Moving the Runners Over (On Crunched's Exit to Clearslide)/
In baseball, wins are built on a lot of small moves over the course of a game--a hit that just misses the foul pole, being safe by an inch to break up a double play, or bunting.
The other day, a friend that wasn't familar with the game asked me why anyone would bunt and give yourself up. Doesn't it cost you an out?
Any fan knows the answer:
Bunting moves the runners over.
If you bunt, and there's a runner on first, you get that runner down to second base and then they're 90 feet closer to scoring a run--and generally, hits into the outfield can score that runner from second. Sure, you lose the out, but you increase your chances of winning over the long run.
I led seven investments in my time at First Round Capital, starting in January of 2010. Two of the companes, GroupMe and Singleplatform, had very successful exits within their first two years. This week, news of a third exit from that portfolio was announced--Crunched got bought by Clearslide, their nearest competitor and a privately held company.
A few people have congratulated me on it--and to be honest, it feels a bit weird. Why? Because anyone with a basic knowledge of venture capital can figure out that when a startup with $39mm raised buys another company, it's not a huge outcome. It's nice to be able to say I haven't gone through any bankruptcies yet in my three and a half years of leading investments, but we all know we're in it for the big wins.
These types of exits, when you return some investor money but it isn't a huge win, is like moving the runners over in baseball. Sean Black, the founder of Crunched, did a monumental job trying to move Crunched forward during some very difficult times. It took special effort to get a home for his team and some money back to his investors. It wasn't the gamewinning shot in the bottom of the ninth to win a Championship... but he deserves a good pat on the back--the running handslap after you do the little things on the field that ultimately lead to victories over the course of a season.
Maybe that bunt means the gamewinning run on the next play, and maybe it doesn't. In the long run, this is the way you play the game. You play smart, communicate with your team, take all the advice you can, and when you do all the little things you need to, you'll come out ahead. I'd be thrilled to work with Sean again on a future startup or have him lead sales at any one of my portfolio companies. That's the way I work with all of my portfolio companies. I invest in people that I'd like to work with across multiple startups and I try to act in a way that would make them want to work with me over the course of their career as well. Sean is a standup guy, of the highest character, and he learned a ton over the last three years.
So if you see Sean, or if you hear about one of these similar kinds of exits, don't just mindlessly say "congrats". It just seems fake and treats the exit like its any other success story. Acknowledge the special effort that went into bringing about a soft landing when things don't go up and to the right from the beginning. That's often harder to do--to work at something that didn't take off like a rocket, knowing that you're not getting rich.
Give a little fistbump and say, "Hey, way to move the runners over." This way, the founder knows that you know it wasn't easy, other people might have easily given up, and they worked hard to finish out the right way, regardless of the outcome.
Way to move the runners over, Sean and Team Crunched. Drop me a line when you have your next idea.


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Jacqui, my thoughts about our relationship with the other animals made me more atheist, too. Religion encourages a murderous, callous arrogance that justifies the most savage cruelty. Look at what the Spanish do to celebrate saint's days - even that of the kindly St. Francis of Assisi! My first questioning of the nuns and priests at my catholic grammar school was about the babies who die without being baptised. They were never allowed to be with god. Then about those in other lands who had never heard of Jesus but who were condemned to suffer for eternity for failing to believe in him. I got no answer except, "HAVE FAITH!"
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text: Named "Video Game Player of the Century" in 1999, Billy Mitchell sets a record score in "Donkey Kong" that many felt would never be broken. In 2003 Steve Wiebe, who has recently lost his job, learns about the record, sets out to beat it and does. So both men embark on a cross-country battle for inclusion in the 2007 Guinness Book of World Records as the supreme king of the electronic game.


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Welcome to Bark II. Our first issue met with such resounding success that we were inspired to expand to 12 pages, thus adding more articles, more art and more financial support from advertisers. We owe this all to you, the enthusiastic, responsive East Bay dog owners.
This issue's Barker is Seller. Sailer's best friend is Alix Woodward, a 9-year old Berkeley resident. Alix tells us Sailor is an 11-month old Boston Terrier who takes 3 naps a day, snores, and answers to "Dumpling" .
Dog Task Force report
Interview with Dr. Terri McGinnis
Film, book, travel reviews
Essay by Patricia Adler
Canine Recipes


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When a row in a table from a webpage is copied to the Numbers app, such as
2 3 4 5
and another row is copied, as some "deltas" (minor addition or subtraction):
+0.25 0 0 -0.5
Then the numbers are added up vertically. The number in the first column adds up to 2, while the last column adds up to 4.5. So the first column is incorrect, and the last column is correct -- I think the reason is
+0.25 is treated as a string, while
-0.5 is treated as a number.
Is there a way to make it work on Numbers? (manual editing is not preferred, as it is error prone and there are actually a lot more numbers, and finding the
+ by eye and removing it can cause an error when it is not seen, and if there are 200 such numbers, then doing it 200 times by hand is quite a time consuming method.)
(and actually, this happens on Google Apps as well)


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Monday, February 21, 2011
Week 8 of 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History: Technology
Well, ah, um ... color TV.
Ah, but I see that Linda McCauley at Documenting the Details has recorded her early memories of color TV - and they are the same as mine! Going over to a neighbor's house to watch Bonanza. One thing I miss is the NBC peacock and the original music that was played when the peacock was shown.
I thought of several things that I believed might have been invented in the 1950s - Melmac, Tupperware, baggies/Ziploc bags - and it turns out that they were actually invented earlier. Ziploc bags may actually date to the 50s/60s; there is some dispute about that, depending on what you call a baggie or Ziploc bag. I just remember seeing the commercials for them, which claimed that they were something really new, appearing on TV in the 50s and 60s.
OK, so there was Teflon. My mother loved that. Saran wrap (1953) was another thing she loved. For me, it was always a love-hate relationship. Saran wrap had that Scotch tape thing - it just had to stick to itself. So that's why I loved baggies and Ziploc bags. Well, if you count baggies as those things that had the fold-over flap, they weren't good for too much - the sandwich would dry out. But Ziploc bags - now there is a truly great invention. But, as I said, they were not actually invented when I was a child.
I know that my contemporaries will be able to come up with much more than this. The thing was, most high-tech inventions did not trickle down to families at our end of the income curve for quite a while. I remember hand-held calculators (1967) coming out in the late 1960s and early 1970s. When I went to a National Science Foundation summer program at Hardin-Simmons in the summer of 1971, I remember that my instructors had those. They were clunky and expensive and they didn't do a whole lot.
If it didn't have to do with the kitchen or entertainment, my family was not greatly affected by advances in technology. The computer, of course, has changed my life, but I did not really get into using it to its full potential until I started genealogy. Something about little children having to have my complete attention during every minute of the day....
I am not an early adopter of much of anything, since I like to let the developers get the bugs out first and I have to save my money until I can afford these items. This year I was given a wand scanner and a MacBook Pro. Next year - a FlipPal scanner. The year after that - an iPad, for which I'll get a Kindle app. Fancy phone - not so much. Phones are tyrants. Perhaps when I am out shopping or traveling or visiting without my phone, I am missing things. But I also enjoy a great feeling of freedom.
So, to answer the prompt, color TV it is.
7 comments:
I wonder when microwaves came into widespread use? I guess I could "google" it -- another wonderful advancement.ReplyDelete
Thanks for the shout-out.ReplyDelete
And let me count the ways that I use ziplock baggies -- ahh, no, if I did, I would just find that there was another use -- and on and onReplyDelete
I remember my Bluebird troop went to a demonstration of the futuristic microwave. We thought it was like the Jetsons. Great series Greta!ReplyDelete
For me...TV--black and white. I didn't watch tv until I was about 3 or 4. Then Cisco Kid, Lone Ranger, Kookluk Fran and Ollie, Annie Oakley, Superman -- those all became must-sees. Eventually Flash Gordon (shoot-had to miss church to watch that one!) I had a make-believe "gang" made up of tv characters! Well, thanks for commenting on my dress - designer grandma. That was fast! I just got it up and there you were!ReplyDelete
Kathy - Hmm, I'm trying to remember when I became aware of microwaves ... can't. Didn't buy one until about 21-22 years ago, though.ReplyDelete
Linda - Glad to do it!
Joan - Ziplocs have made my life so much easier!
Valerie - I've often wondered whether the young me would think that the old me is living a "Jetson" life!
Linda - I love the idea that you had a "gang"! TV characters definitely had a place in my fantasy life, too!
Neat to see think about the different things you mentioned. I think all our tvs were color-but I'm going to ask Granny and see.ReplyDelete


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Thursday gave American lawmakers what it called fresh evidence that Syria's government was behind a chemical weapons attack, but faced strong resistance to military action from both U.S. political parties and a stinging rejection from Britain, a key ally.
During a conference call at the end of a difficult day for the White House, U.S. officials told members of Congress there was "no doubt" that chemical weapons were used in Syria last week. Obama aides cited intercepted communications of Syrian officials and evidence of movements by Syria's military around Damascus before the attack that killed more than 300 people, said U.S. Representative Eliot Engel, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The administration's 90-minute briefing on Syria for senior members of Congress was conducted by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, National Security Adviser Susan Rice and other high-ranking U.S. officials.
Several lawmakers in both parties said they were impressed by the briefing and that it made a convincing case for military action. But many were not persuaded, including several key lawmakers in both parties.
Among them: Carl Levin of Michigan, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Levin, normally a strong supporter of fellow Democrat Obama, appeared to suggest after Thursday's briefing that the White House should tap the brakes on any timetable for military action at least until United Nations inspectors complete their examination of the attack area.
Levin also said that White House should secure international support for intervening in Syria - a condition that seemed increasingly distant after Britain's House of Commons rejected military action in a symbolic vote on Thursday.
Meanwhile, other U.S. lawmakers brought up a range of complications for Obama. They included questions of whether the "limited" military action Obama has suggested would really discourage Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from again using chemical weapons on civilians, and even whether the Pentagon could afford to attack Syria after the $85 billion in automatic spending cuts that Congress imposed on the federal government earlier this year.
The increasing doubts about Obama's call for action against Syria appeared to increase the likelihood that the United States would have to act alone if it wants to launch a missile strike to punish Assad's government for violating international law by using chemical weapons.
After Parliament's vote against military action in Syria, British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond said Britain would not take part in any strike but added: "I don't expect that the lack of British participation will stop any action."
Obama has left little doubt in recent days that the choice was not whether, but when, to punish Assad's government for last week's chemical weapons attack against Syrian rebels outside Damascus. It was one of the most gruesome assaults in a 2 1/2-year civil war that the United Nations estimates has killed more than 100,000 people.
Obama administration officials said Thursday that the president was willing to launch a limited strike against Syria even without specific promises of support from allies because U.S. national security interests were at stake.
Caitlin Hayden, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, said after the British Parliament vote that Obama's decision-making on Syria would be guided by "the best interests of the United States."
"The U.S. will continue to consult with the UK government - one of our closest allies and friends," she said in a statement. She added that Obama believes "there are core interests at stake for the United States and that countries who violate international norms regarding chemical weapons need to be held accountable."
Some Republican lawmakers and even some of Obama's fellow Democrats have complained that the White House has not kept them sufficiently informed on Syria.
After the briefing, some said the administration still had work to do to convince the public that the United States should take action in Syria.
Several said that Obama created a problem for himself and the United States by claiming that Assad would cross a "red line" and spur a strong U.S. response if Syria used chemical weapons.
"The president is going to have to make his case to the American people before he takes any action. The problem that he finds himself in and has placed us in is that if he does not take action now after making these statements, then we become a paper tiger to the rest of the world," said Republican Representative Howard "Buck" McKeon of California, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
Senator James Inhofe, a Republican from Oklahoma, said late Thursday that the administration's briefing had not been convincing.
"Tonight the administration informed us that they have a 'broad range of options' for Syria but failed to lay out a single option," Inhofe said. "They also did not provide a timeline, a strategy for Syria and the Middle East, or a plan for the funds to execute such an option."
The timeline for possible U.S. action also has been complicated by the continued presence in Syria of U.N. weapons inspectors who are there to verify that chemical weapons were used. The United Nations said its inspectors would leave the area on Saturday and issue a report on their findings afterward.
Levin, the Democratic senator from Michigan, said efforts to increase pressure on Assad should be conducted "while U.N. inspectors complete their work and while we seek international support for limited, targeted strikes in response to the Assad regime's large-scale use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people."
Some of Obama's fellow Democrats offered support for his call for a U.S. operation in Syria.
"Tonight's briefing reaffirmed for me that a decisive and consequential U.S. response is justified and warranted to protect Syrians, as well as to send a global message that chemical weapons attacks in violation of international law will not stand," Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, said in a statement.
The briefing for senior lawmakers initially was meant to be classified, but did not contain any top-secret information after many members of Congress were unable to get to secure telephone lines.
It was called to address concerns about Obama's plans that had been expressed by increasingly vocal Republicans and several Democrats in Congress.
Letters circulating among members of Congress in both parties have called for more consultation from the White House on Syria. One, signed by 54 Democrats in the Republican-led House of Representatives, urged Obama to seek congressional approval before pulling the trigger on any U.S. military action.
"While the ongoing human rights violations and continued loss of life are horrific, they should not draw us into an unwise war," wrote the House Democrats, none of whom are members of the senior leadership.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said any military operation would be "very discrete and limited" and not open-ended, and said the United States would not get caught up in another war like the one in Iraq.
He noted that the British foreign secretary had made clear the United States had the right and ability to make its own foreign policy decisions.
(Additional reporting by Tabassum Zakaria, Steve Holland, David Alexander and Jeff Mason in Washington, and Alex Dobuzinskis in California; Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by David Lindsey and Lisa Shumaker)


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Crew Designated Player Federico Higuain now has 23 goals and 21 assists to his name in 60 regular-season games. With his goal off of a free kick in New England last weekend, Higuain is now tied with Brian Maisonneuve for eighth all-time on the Crew's scoring list. Next on the list is Dante Washington in seventh place with 28 goals. Jeff Cunningham leads all Crew scorers in club history with 64 tallies for the Black & Gold.
Ethan Finlay scored the game-winning goal on Saturday at New England and was assisted by Justin Meram who had just come on as a sub. It was the second consecu- tive match game-winning goal in the 75th minute or later and the third overall this season. The first came on the March 29 win at Seattle off the foot of Justin Meram in the 94th. Ethan Finlay has most recently provided a pair of game-tying goals in the 75th minute or later, including equalizers on June 4 against Real Salt Lake (88') and on July 4 at Colorado (76').
Toyota Park has not been a kind venue to the Crew in recent years. The team's lone win at the Fire's new home was in 2006 and the Crew has gone 0-6-4 since the begin- ning of the 2007 season. The match is Gregg Berhalter's first regular-season match at Toyota Park after playing a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match in the stadium in June.


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Renowned South African artist and designer, finds the perfect synthesis between art and functionality in her distinctive work, these unique items draw their inspiration from both the human form and the beauty of the nature
- Description
DetailsAre you a lover of exquisite and unique jewellery? If so, then the Carrol Boyes jewellery collection was made for you.
- Product Details
- Designer : Sarah Aitchison
- Material : Pewter
- Collection : Jewellery
- Weight : 26g
- Dimensions : 21 x 48 x 13
- Designer
Sarah Aitchison is a young and vibrant designer and a member of the prototype developing and design team. Sarah has a background in motion picture production design and further qualifications in motion picture make-up and fashion design. She joined the company in 2008, and her studies and work experiences have given her particular skills in casting, sculpting and miniature set construction. Imaginative, creative, impulsive and compassionate are the words best used to describe her. Sarah confesses, "I have a fetish for stones and an undying belief in fairy-tales." On the practical side of her personality, she would love to run a mobile animal clinic.
- Reviews