The F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine model: tuition-free medical school in exchange for public service.

摘要

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine (FEHSOM) is tuition-free and avoids the tuition-related debt that Dr. Kanter mentioned first on his list of the benefits of an education-service exchange. FEHSOM students earn the pay of an ensign or second lieutenant (more than dollar 55,000 per year) and receive comprehensive health benefits for themselves and their family members throughout medical school. In exchange for their tuition-free education, graduates serve at least seven years in the uniformed services-either the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Public Health Service (PHS). Our PHS alumni fulfill important service needs in rural and underserved regions, while our Army, Navy, and Air Force alumni provide medical care for our men and women in uniform, their family members, and those retired from military service. Our alumni also provide medical care during humanitarian missions in the United States and abroad. The unique aspects of the FEHSOM may be a useful model for consideration as the country addresses issues such as increasing coverage of the uninsured, health care disparities, and financial barriers for economically disadvantaged medical school applicants.