---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 2004a"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "2004a"
heading: "Detail of commissioned officers as students at medical schools"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/2004a"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part III — Training and Education"
  - "Chapter 101 — Training Generally"
---

# §2004a. Detail of commissioned officers as students at medical schools

- (a) **Detail Authorized.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of each [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) may detail [commissioned officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-2) of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) as students at accredited medical schools or schools of osteopathy located in the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) for a period of [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) leading to the degree of doctor of medicine. No more than 25 [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) from each [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) may commence such [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) in any single fiscal year.
- (b) **Eligibility for Detail.—** To be eligible for detail under [subsection (a)](#a), an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) must be a citizen of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) and must—
  - (1) have served on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) for a period of not less than two years nor more than six years and be in the [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) O–3 or below as of the time the [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) is to begin; and
  - (2) sign an agreement that unless sooner separated the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) will—
    - (A) complete the educational course of medical [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9);
    - (B) accept transfer or detail as a [medical officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-14) within the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) concerned when the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) is completed; and
    - (C) agree to serve, following completion of the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9), on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) (or on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) and in the Selected [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6)) for a period as specified pursuant to [subsection (c)](#c).
- (c) **Service Obligation.—** An agreement under [subsection (b)](#b) shall provide that the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) shall serve on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) for two years for each year or part thereof of the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s medical [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) under [subsection (a)](#a), except that the agreement may authorize the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) to serve a portion of the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s service obligation on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) and to complete the service obligation that remains upon separation from [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) in the Selected [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6), in which case the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) shall serve three years in the Selected [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) for each year or part thereof of the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s medical [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) under [subsection (a)](#a) for any service obligation that was not completed before separation from [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1).
- (d) **Selection of Officers for Detail.—** [Officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) detailed for medical [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be selected on a competitive basis by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) concerned.
- (e) **Appointment and Treatment of Prior Active Service.—**
  - (1) A [commissioned officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-2) detailed as a student at a medical school under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be appointed as a [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of second lieutenant or ensign and shall serve on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) in that [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) with full [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) and allowances of that [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7).
  - (2) If an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) detailed to be a medical student has prior [active service](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-3) in a [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) and with years of service credited for [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) that would entitle the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1), if the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) remained in the former [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7), to a [rate](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-9) of basic [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) in excess of the [rate](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-9) of basic [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) for [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of second lieutenant or ensign, the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) shall be paid basic [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) based on the former [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) and years of service credited for [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15). The amount of such basic [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) for the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) shall be increased on January 1 of each year by the percentage by which basic [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) is increased on average on that date for that year, and the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) shall continue to receive basic [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) based on the former [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) and years of service until the date, whether occurring before or after graduation, on which the basic [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) for the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s actual [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) and years of service credited for [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) exceeds the amount of basic [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) to which the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) is entitled based on the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s former [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) and years of service.
- (f) **Relation of Service Obligations to Other Service Obligations.—** Any service obligation incurred by an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) under an agreement entered into under [subsection (b)](#b) shall be in addition to any service obligation incurred by the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) under any other provision of law or agreement.
- (g) **Expenses.—** Expenses incident to the detail of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) under this section shall be paid from any funds appropriated for the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) concerned.
- (h) **Failure to Complete Program.—**
  - (1) An [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who is dropped from a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) of medical [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) to which detailed under [subsection (a)](#a) for deficiency in conduct or studies, or for other reasons, may be required to perform [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) in an appropriate [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) capacity in accordance with the [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) obligation imposed on the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) under regulations issued by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense for purposes of this section.
  - (2) In no case shall an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) be required to serve on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) under [paragraph (1)](#h-1) for any period in excess of one year for each year or part thereof the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) participated in the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1).
- (i) **Limitation on Details.—** No agreement detailing an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) to an accredited medical school or school of osteopathy may be entered into during any period in which the President is authorized by law to induct [persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) into the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) involuntarily. Nothing in this subsection shall affect any agreement entered into during any period when the President is not authorized by law to so induct [persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) into the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, § 536(a), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2207; amended Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title V, § 524(c), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 104; Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title X, § 1073(a)(18), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2473.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2009—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 111–84, § 1073(a)(18)(A), substituted “pay grade O–3” for “pay grade 0–3”.

Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 111–84, § 1073(a)(18)(B), inserted period at end.

2008—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–181, § 524(c)(2), substituted “subsection (b)” for “subsection (c)”.

Subsecs. (e) to (i). Pub. L. 110–181, § 524(c)(1), added subsec. (e) and redesignated former subsecs. (e) to (h) as (f) to (i), respectively.