Considering declining NHSC scholarship

[femmegoblue]

I have combed through threads looking for someone who has also considered declining the scholarship, but I can't find anything. Here's my dilemma:

1. Applied to NHSC thinking I would never get it, so I never expected to make this decision
2. I'm only one month into medical school, and while I have always leaned toward Ob/gyn or FM with a women's health focus, it feels shortsighted to commit to a speciality with zero experience in most fields.
3. While the debt I would rack up in medical school is 6 figures, options do exist to help (PAYE) and a loan payment each month is something physician (I think) can swing.
4. Lastly, I feel as though this scholarship should go to someone who truly wants to go wherever help is needed most, regardless of the location. Last year graduating residents had to go somewhere with a high-need score of 17 or higher, which really really limits the options, at least in my home state.

Any thoughts?

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[workaholic181]

I have combed through threads looking for someone who has also considered declining the scholarship, but I can't find anything. Here's my dilemma:

1. Applied to NHSC thinking I would never get it, so I never expected to make this decision
2. I'm only one month into medical school, and while I have always leaned toward Ob/gyn or FM with a women's health focus, it feels shortsighted to commit to a speciality with zero experience in most fields.
3. While the debt I would rack up in medical school is 6 figures, options do exist to help (PAYE) and a loan payment each month is something physician (I think) can swing.
4. Lastly, I feel as though this scholarship should go to someone who truly wants to go wherever help is needed most, regardless of the location. Last year graduating residents had to go somewhere with a high-need score of 17 or higher, which really really limits the options, at least in my home state.

Any thoughts?

I mean before you were awarded NHSC you were going to go to MSUCOM anyway right? You were good with the debt then potentially, so it seems to me like you shouldn't commit to this program at this point in your career if you're really unsure.

You worked hard to get here, don't detract from your ability to pursue things on this path at this point. You go to a great school from which you could do anything. See where life takes you. Most medical students are paying full freight and figure out the debt. It is what it is.

 

[femmegoblue]

I mean before you were awarded NHSC you were going to go to MSUCOM anyway right? You were good with the debt then potentially, so it seems to me like you shouldn't commit to this program at this point in your career if you're really unsure.

You worked hard to get here, don't detract from your ability to pursue things on this path at this point. You go to a great school from which you could do anything. See where life takes you. Most medical students are paying full freight and figure out the debt. It is what it is.

Yup, was pretty much always gonna attend MSU and was definitely just fine with the debt because I saw it as apart of the process. Thank you, that's good advice!

 

[Inspired Chaos]

I thought they didn't consider OB/gyn a qualifying specialty? I wouldn't take it unless you are fairly sure you'll enjoy the specialty and area you'll end up in.

 

[femmegoblue]

I thought they didn't consider OB/gyn a qualifying specialty? I wouldn't take it unless you are fairly sure you'll enjoy the specialty and area you'll end up in.

FM, peds, internal medicine without fellowship, psych and OB all qualify. I definitely would enjoy OB or FM, I just am not sure it's what I 100% want to do.

 

[libertyyne]

I thought they didn't consider OB/gyn a qualifying specialty? I wouldn't take it unless you are fairly sure you'll enjoy the specialty and area you'll end up in.

OB is primary care.

 

[gyngyn]

NHSC is a great choice if you are sure that the NHSC-approved specialties list is broad enough to include your preferred training.

 

[Inspired Chaos]

OB is primary care.

I know that for many purposes it is considered primary care, but I just thought they excluded it for some reason. I know one scholarship does. I'll need to look into them again.

 

[gyngyn]

I know that for many purposes it is considered primary care, but I just thought they excluded it for some reason. I know one scholarship does. I'll need to look into them again.

Ob-Gyn is included in NHSC-approved specialties.
Whether it is actually primary care is another question!

 

[femmegoblue]

I decided to decline it, hopefully it goes to someone more committed to underserved primary care than I am!

 

[freedoctor17]

I decided to decline it, hopefully it goes to someone more committed to underserved primary care than I am!

Sorry to bring this back but I'm interested in applying for this this upcoming year and I've always thought primary care is all I'd be interested in but I would like to stay in my state near my family after so I was wondering if you knew when they provided you with the need score? Would that be after you finish med school and residency?

And there's nothing binding you should you apply and choose to refuse it in the end? Did they give you a deadline on how long you had to decide?

 

[rong8]

Sorry to bring this back but I'm interested in applying for this this upcoming year and I've always thought primary care is all I'd be interested in but I would like to stay in my state near my family after so I was wondering if you knew when they provided you with the need score? Would that be after you finish med school and residency?

And there's nothing binding you should you apply and choose to refuse it in the end? Did they give you a deadline on how long you had to decide?

Haven't checked the website in a while, but the govt has (had?) a database of health centers with this score, so it's actually something you could look up now. I don't remember the specifics, but I believe the score is influenced by the patient population served, whether location is a health professions shortage area (HPSA), etc. I think they link to this on the NHSC site.

 

[freedoctor17]

Haven't checked the website in a while, but the govt has (had?) a database of health centers with this score, so it's actually something you could look up now. I don't remember the specifics, but I believe the score is influenced by the patient population served, whether location is a health professions shortage area (HPSA), etc. I think they link to this on the NHSC site.

Yeah I did see that but I was still a bit confused on when you get told what score you will have to look for. For example once I apply for it if the minimum score is 15 does that mean I need 15 when I finish residency or if score is 20 when I actually start practicing would I need to go with that?

 

[femmegoblue]

Yeah I did see that but I was still a bit confused on when you get told what score you will have to look for. For example once I apply for it if the minimum score is 15 does that mean I need 15 when I finish residency or if score is 20 when I actually start practicing would I need to go with that?

You will be required to go with the score requirement set for the year you graduate residency. For Ob in 2017 it was 17, and there was not one county in Michigan that met this requirement (not even in the UP). So for me, I knew I made the right choice. I met with the rural health department at my school after I declined the scholarship and she basically affirmed I made the right choice for me, someone who wants to stay in Michigan.

 

[freedoctor17]

You will be required to go with the score requirement set for the year you graduate residency. For Ob in 2017 it was 17, and there was not one county in Michigan that met this requirement (not even in the UP). So for me, I knew I made the right choice. I met with the rural health department at my school after I declined the scholarship and she basically affirmed I made the right choice for me, someone who wants to stay in Michigan.

Ok thanks! I'll do some research on my state and see what areas have high need levels before even bothering to apply then.

 

[freedoctor17]

Sorry to steal this thread more but does anyone have data on what the hpsa scores assigned to primary care physicians were in past years? I can't seem to find that data. There are a lot of areas where im from with a score of 16-20 and since the max possible score is 25 I'm assuming that I'd be able to find some place close to home without many issues. It'd be nice to be able to see past assigned scores though as I couldn't find that on their site.