The Enlisted to Medical Degree Preparatory Program (EMDP2) is kicking off the call for its third iteration. Military Personnel (MILPER) Message 15-266, issued on Sept. 2, outlines the necessary criteria to submit a packet. There are a substantial number of documents required for the packet and program managers urge interested Soldiers not to procrastinate. Packets are due by Jan. 15, 2016.
The program is Military Occupational Skill (MOS) immaterial and open to all active duty enlisted Soldiers. The MILPER message outlines all necessary guidelines and directives to qualify.
The U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) in partnership with Uniformed Services University for Health Sciences (USUHS) has created this highly competitive course that allows only the most academically promising the opportunity to excel up the ranks.
"The Enlisted to Medical Degree Preparatory Program (EMDP2) is an extraordinary program that allows the Army to capitalize on the talent and excellence of our enlisted Soldiers and creates a pathway to medical school," said Command Sgt. Maj. Gerald Ecker, MEDCOM Command Sergeant Major. "Every enlisted Soldier that has the dream of becoming a physician now has the means of making that dream a reality without leaving our ranks."
While completion of the course does not guarantee automatic commissioning for Soldiers, if accepted into either USUHS or a civilian medical school under the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), they are then promoted to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant (O-1E) while in medical school and upon graduation to Captain (O-3).
Since the programs debut in 2014, no one has yet graduated from the intense two year EMDP2 program and entered medical school but professors are confident having recognized the high level of skill and training present in the first two cohorts. USUHS hopes the program will grow the presence of enlisted service members in medical school.
"Our military is one of the most representative institutions in our nation and our university seeks to reflect this critical diversity," said Dr. Charles L. Rice, USUHS President.
The program is seen as an incentive as well as a way to offer the enlisted population a return for their hard work and dedication to the military along with personal growth.
All active duty enlisted Soldiers are encouraged to read the MILPER message to determine if they meet the minimum qualifications, if so, 'set a goal and accomplish it.'
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