Here's a Q for anyone intricately involved with the NHSC, or anyone knowledgeable about the program.

Why is emergency medicine not a qualifying specialty???
To say that EM is not primary care...especially when speaking of the underserved, would be a mistake.

Anyone know of anyone in particular in which I could pose this question (link and/or email)

My guess is that it has something to do with building a relationship with the patients. All the NHSC acceptable career paths have that as a common aspect.

Through out the application, you are repeatedly asked if you prefer to get to know your patients and or prefer to know alot of patients and treat them for one specific area. I think that EM doesn't fit in with the right "psyche" whatever that is...

At a conference we had after receiving the scholarship they mentioned that the NHSC has tried to include EM...but the hang up is from the EM side of things...they don't want to be considered a "primary care"...it's all about the prestige:)