Should a military doctor use a VA loan or a physician loan?
Compare both. Many military physicians qualify for VA and physician loans, and both can offer 0% down with no monthly mortgage insurance. In this case study, a Marine battalion medical officer buying her first home compared the two side by side. Even with a first-use VA funding fee, the VA terms were significantly better, so she bought a $1,475,000 Coronado home with 0% down on our VA jumbo loan and closed in under 30 days.
Best for: Military physicians, nurses, and medical officers buying in San Diego County
When you qualify for more than one zero-down loan, the right choice isn't always obvious. A Marine battalion medical officer reached out to us wanting to buy her first home in San Diego. As a physician she was eligible for our physician loan, and as a service member she was eligible for VA. So before we pulled credit for a pre-approval, we put both options side by side.
Two Zero-Down Options, Compared Apples to Apples
Both loans can finance a home with 0% down and no monthly mortgage insurance, so on the surface they look similar. The differences show up in the details: the funding fee, credit requirements, how large the loan can be, and the rate and terms each program offers. We built her a detailed comparison of our 100% physician loan and 100% VA financing at the same price and loan size, so she could see the differences line by line. The simplified version is below.
VA jumbo vs. physician loan: $1,475,000 purchase, 0% down
Simplified version of the comparison we built before pre-approval
| VA jumbo (her choice) | Physician loan | |
|---|---|---|
| Down payment | 0% | 0% |
| Monthly mortgage insurance | None | None |
| Upfront fee | 2.15% first-use funding fee (about $31,713), can be financed; waived with VA disability pay | No funding fee |
| Base loan amount | $1,475,000 | $1,475,000 |
| Maximum loan at 0% down | No VA limit with full entitlement | Up to $2M (720+) or $1.5M (680+) |
| Who's eligible | Service members, veterans, and eligible spouses | Physicians and eligible medical professionals |
| Loan terms in this case | Significantly better | Higher overall cost |
Why VA Won, Even With a Funding Fee
Our physician loan has no funding fee. VA loans do, unless the veteran receives VA disability compensation. As a first-time VA user putting 0% down, her funding fee was 2.15% of the loan amount, about $31,713 on $1,475,000, and it can be financed into the loan instead of paid in cash. Even after accounting for that fee, the VA terms were significantly better. Over the life of a loan this size, better terms can outweigh a one-time fee by a wide margin. That's exactly why we compare both before choosing: the fee is easy to see, but it's only one part of the total cost. Want to test the trade-off yourself? Run the numbers on our VA loan calculator and our physician loan calculator.
Pre-Approved, Shopping, and Closed in Under 30 Days
Once she chose VA, we gathered all of her supporting documentation, finalized the pre-approval, and sent her shopping. She found a great home in Coronado at $1,475,000. With full VA entitlement there is no VA loan limit, so our VA jumbo let her buy well above San Diego County's 2026 limit of $1,104,000 with 0% down. Because the file was fully documented up front, we closed less than 30 days after her offer was accepted.
Curious About Your Options? Ask for a Comparison First
You don't need to be pre-approved to see your options. Request a detailed loan comparison before you get pre-approved. You'll get a clear picture of the available loan terms, side by side, before any lender pulls your credit. This works for any situation where you qualify for more than one program: VA vs. physician, VA vs. conventional, or jumbo vs. high-balance. Email us to request yours, or explore our San Diego mortgage guide.
Calculate Your VA Benefit
VA Loan & Entitlement Calculator
Entitlement is the most misunderstood concept in the VA loan program — and that confusion leads veterans to believe they can't purchase when they actually can. The VA Entitlement Calculator demystifies the math: full vs. partial entitlement, what your remaining entitlement is after a prior VA loan, and whether a down payment will be required on your next purchase.
The calculator also computes your VA Funding Fee at every down payment tier — and applies the disability exemption for veterans with a 10%+ service-connected rating. That exemption alone is worth more than $12,000 on a $600,000 purchase. It's not a detail to overlook.
Full vs. partial entitlement
Understand how a prior VA loan affects your current buying power and available guarantee amount.
Zero-down maximum
Calculate the largest loan you can take with no down payment using your current entitlement.
Funding fee + disability toggle
See your exact funding fee at any down payment tier — and apply the exemption if you have a service-connected rating.
Free · No login · No credit pull required
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a military doctor use both a VA loan and a physician loan?
How much is the VA funding fee for a first-time user with 0% down?
Is there a VA loan limit in Coronado or San Diego?
How much can I borrow with a physician loan at 0% down?
Can I compare loan options before a lender pulls my credit?
Run Your VA Loan Numbers
Use our VA Entitlement & Funding Fee Calculator to see your max zero-down loan, required down payment, and exact funding fee — including the disability exemption.
Bottom Line
The best loan isn't always the one with the fewest fees. For this medical officer, the VA jumbo cost more up front but delivered significantly better terms, and comparing both programs early made the decision easy. If you're a military physician or a medical professional buying in San Diego County, start with a side-by-side comparison of VA loans and physician loans.
