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Title 37 — Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed ServicesRelease 119-73not60

§302k Special Pay: Accession Bonus for Medical Officers in Critically Short Wartime Specialties

Title 37 › Chapter 5— SPECIAL AND INCENTIVE PAYS › Subchapter I— EXISTING SPECIAL PAY, INCENTIVE PAY, AND BONUS AUTHORITIES › § 302k

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The military can pay a joining bonus to doctors who finish an accredited medical or osteopathy school in certain specialties the military calls "critically short wartime specialties" (medical fields the military needs most in wartime) if they sign a written deal to accept a commission and serve at least four straight years on active duty. The military secretary involved (the head of that military department) must approve the deal and decides the bonus amount, which cannot be more than $400,000. You cannot get the bonus if you got Department of Defense money for medical school or if the secretary finds you not qualified to be certified in that specialty. The deal must assign you to the Medical Corps or a designated medical officer role. If you fail to be commissioned, fail to get licensed, or don’t finish the required service, you must repay the bonus under the repayment rules. No new agreements could be made after December 31, 2018.

Full Legal Text

Title 37, §302k

Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A person who is a graduate of an accredited school of medicine or osteopathy in a specialty designated by regulations as a critically short wartime specialty and who executes a written agreement described in subsection (d) to accept a commission as an officer of the armed forces and remain on active duty for a period of not less than four consecutive years may, upon the acceptance of the agreement by the Secretary concerned, be paid an accession bonus in the amount determined by the Secretary concerned.
(b)The amount of an accession bonus under subsection (a) may not exceed $400,000.
(c)A person may not be paid a bonus under subsection (a) if—
(1)the person, in exchange for an agreement to accept an appointment as an officer, received financial assistance from the Department of Defense to pursue a course of study in medicine or osteopathy; or
(2)the Secretary concerned determines that the person is not qualified to become and remain certified as a doctor or osteopath in a specialty designated by regulations as a critically short wartime specialty.
(d)The agreement referred to in subsection (a) shall provide that, consistent with the needs of the armed force concerned, the person executing the agreement will be assigned to duty, for the period of obligated service covered by the agreement, as an officer of the Medical Corps of the Army or the Navy or as an officer of the Air Force designated as a medical officer in a specialty designated by regulations as a critically short wartime specialty.
(e)A person who, after executing an agreement under subsection (a) is not commissioned as an officer of the armed forces, does not become licensed as a doctor or osteopath, as the case may be, or does not complete the period of active duty in a specialty specified in the agreement, shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of this title.
(f)No agreement under this section may be entered into after December 31, 2018.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2017—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 115–91 substituted “
December 31, 2018” for “
December 31, 2017”. 2016—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 114–328 substituted “
December 31, 2017” for “
December 31, 2016”. 2015—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 114–92 substituted “
December 31, 2016” for “
December 31, 2015”. 2014—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 113–291 substituted “
December 31, 2015” for “
December 31, 2014”. 2013—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 113–66 substituted “
December 31, 2014” for “
December 31, 2013”. Pub. L. 112–239 substituted “
December 31, 2013” for “
December 31, 2012”. 2011—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 112–81 substituted “
December 31, 2012” for “
December 31, 2011”. Pub. L. 111–383 substituted “
December 31, 2011” for “
December 31, 2010”. 2009—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 111–84 substituted “
December 31, 2010” for “
December 31, 2009”. 2008—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 110–417 substituted “
December 31, 2009” for “
December 31, 2008”. Pub. L. 110–181 substituted “
December 31, 2008” for “
December 31, 2007”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2008 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 110–181 effective as of Dec. 31, 2007, and subject to various special provisions, see section 610 of Pub. L. 110–181, set out as a Correction of Lapsed Authorities for Payment of Bonuses, Special Pays, and Similar Benefits for Members of the Uniformed Services note under section 2130a of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 2006, and applicable to agreements entered into on or after that date, see section 617(e) of Pub. L. 109–364, set out as an

Effective Date

of 2006 Amendment note under section 302h of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

37 U.S.C. § 302k

Title 37 — Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60