The bottom line here and there is that if you are joining for the money, net-net, you are making a poor career decision. The availability of training opportunities and the pay, even considering the value of loans with accrued and recapitalized interest avoided, comes out worse for the military doctor. The only situation where the HPSP program may come close in financial value to taking loans is for medical students who attend the most expensive private medical schools and then enter the lowest paying specialties, like family practice or pediatrics.