Military Medical School

"America's Medical School", the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), was founded by Louisiana Congressman F. Edward Hébert to be a a "West Point for doctors." Located in Bethesda, Md., USUHS looks for aspiring medical students with a passion for service who thrive in a collaborative environment. Since USUHS students are active-duty service members, their education is paid for by the U.S. government, and they receive a military salary and benefits, including a housing allowance. USUHS accepts both civilian and military applicants for commissioning into the Army, Navy, Air Force and Public Health Service.

USUHS Application Process Checklist

Determine if you are eligible to join the Military.
Apply to USUHS through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), the centralized application service for medical schools, using designation code 821. Learn more about how to apply to medical schools with AMCAS.
Once USUHS receives your application, you will be asked to fill out secondary material, including a personal statement form and checklists regarding your past coursework.
After receiving your completed AMCAS application, secondary material and letters of recommendation, the admissions committee will choose which students they will interview.
The interview trip involves in-person interviews and a tour of the campus, including a visit to the USUHS Wide Area Virtual Environment, which immerses students in a 3D battlefield medical scenario.
During the interview trip, applicants will also rank which Services they would like to join if they are accepted by USUHS. Learn more about the different Military Services.
If accepted, students will still need to get physicals through the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board and meet all medical qualifications before they matriculate.

Note: If you are an active-duty commissioned service member or in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps or a Service academy, your application process will be the same as for civilians, except you will need to request a Letter of Approval (LOA) to apply to USUHS from your Service branch. If you are an active-duty enlisted service member, you will also need a LOA from your commander. Finally, if you are in the Reserve, you will need to request permission from your commanding officer.

What to Expect in Medical School

USUHS offers extensive medical training, along with 700 hours of training in military-specific areas such as epidemiology, health promotion, leadership and field exercises, disease prevention, tropical medicine and global health. As a member of the active-duty Military, you will wear a uniform to class.

After the first 16 months of medical school, you will start rotations at military medical facilities across the United States where you may want to do your residency, and you will participate in the military match and possibly the civilian match process.

Service Commitment

After USUHS students finish residency, they serve on Active Duty for seven years. Your specific role will depend on your training and the Military's needs. Another option for fulfilling your service commitment involves becoming a General Medical Officer (GMO) after you receive your license. In this position, your role would be similar to that of a general medical practitioner, except you are attached to a specific unit, air wing, ship or submarine. This position is open to service members in the Navy and Air Force.