Interview For Nhsc-- Please Help!!!!!!!!!

[jhug]

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I am so super excited!! i just found out that i have been selected to interview for the scholarship. What can i expect??? What are common questions?? what can i go over to better prepare myself for the interview? I really want this scholarship so i want to be extra prepared. Does anyone know how many they interview vs accept? Thank you, thank you for the help!! Good luck to all those still waiting to hear!

 

[Popoy]

emphasize your leadership experience, ability to work in a group, and communication abilities.

You may start exploring your weaknesses and strengths
You may start thinking about a time in your life when you had some trouble and how you were able to solve it.
....

Try searching for my old post on NHSC in the forums and hope they help.

Good luck

 

[Popoy]

BTW, when I interviewed about a couple of years ago.... there were about 3000 applicants and only 800 interviewed. And of the 800 interviews only 300 get it.

Approx, there are only typically 300 who get them...

Good luck, again....

 

[kristing]

They asked me a time when there had been a conflict in my life and I had to deal with it all alone and the decision I had made. It was a tricky question, actually, that's why I remember it.

Did I tell you already to make sure you emphasize that you want to do RURAL medicine? Make sure you say that. Even if you don't want to. I know that sounds awful and deceptive and I would normally not lie, but I found out AFTER my interview that about 70 % of the spots are rural and only 30% are urban. A lot of the urban spots still go unfilled and you can still get an urban spot when you're done with residency (you get to choose the place when you're done, which is a fairly new thing - it used to be they placed you).

So I would totally emphasize RURAL. (they make you choose in your interview. Totally bogus, IMO.)

Another odd point I though was that they lumped prisons and indian health service hospitals together if you wanted to choose that option. But I guess that's besides the point.

I didn't get the NHSC scholarship and didn't reapply, but I know several people who got it. (and they all said rural!)

Good luck to you! I hope you get it! 🙂

kristin

 

[Popoy]

I didn't mention rural but did mention "underserved areas" and mentioned big cities like San Francisco and Chicago.... In my application I specified Urban.

I got the 4 year scholarship. I know of a few student never mentioned rural and they all got it.... No offense, but there's more to it than mentioning rural. It's really a personal character profile.

Remember they've done this for years and want to know if you have the personality that really suits what they want....

 

[kristing]

Oh I'm not saying it's all about the rural. I think that just helps your chances a lot, that's all.

It may also be different depending on which part of the country you're in, too. I was really surprised I didn't get it - one of the reasons I was surprised was because one of my interviewers worked to place physicians and NPs and PAs at the clinic I used to be a patient at, and I said was the sort of place I wanted to work at when I was done. I wasn't disingenuous, I really meant it. I loved the clinic, it's very urban and very underserved and I love the place. I must have not fit the right profile, since I didn't get teh scholarship, but it surprised me, because i knew quite a bit about the sorts of places I would want to work at and the program itself. And I had a real genuine interest in helping the underserved (still do, actually).

So although you didn't mean to, I hope you realize you did slight me somewhat in your post. So I am defending myself here.

😛
kristin

 

[docmartin]

Jhug,
Look don't lie (no offense Kristing). Just be yourself. I have previous experience in working with the medically underserved so I just talked about what I did and was myself. I never mentioned working in a rural area as I would probably not choose that route. Check out the Financial Aid section in the main forums page. I have posted lots of NHSC info there. FYI-Of the 800 interviews nationwide, more than half of the 330 scholarships granted go to DO students. So you already have an edge. As long as you stress that you are dedicated to helping the underserved, they will probably accept you. That's what they want to see: dedication, commitment, and the desire to help people. I also got the conflict question too. Good luck!

 

[jhug]

you are great!!! Thanks for the good info. If you think of other random questions that they asked i'd be grateful to hear them. I am sincerely interested in rural medicine so i can say that guilt-free, i would also love urban underserved (where i work now). My wife and i both speak spanish and i feel that i would probably be a better asset in an urban setting but.....i have to get the thing first🙂

again, thanks for the help!

 

[Diane L. Evans]

As a NHSC scholar I remember the interview 5 yrs ago well. It was on my birthday, I was 5 mo pregnant and the questioners 2 of them sat beside me scribbling answers to my questions in books. Nervous no, what did I have to lose I figured? but I told them what I really felt was important. The reason why I applied for the scholarship was not just a monetary one.. honestly.. I explained I am tired of hearing about people not getting quality health care because of location or income status that's why I am here today. I feel I can help change that fate. What did I want to do-- Family Practice it incorporates everything ( I eventually went into an OB residency) but this answer is true for over 80% of applicants. Keep in mind the 5 options FP, IM, Peds, Pschy or OB they'll ask you about Sx or ER... right now that just does not appeal to me I said. Besides I really think I want one of those 5 choices then I proceeded to list why. They asked about my background.. I traveled overseas quite extensively.. and I made sure to let them know that I felt comfortable with cross cultural issues. Then when asked about where to practice I told them I would be flexible but as a female I probably wouldn't want to work in a male dominated prison--which I thought was a fair answer.. They asked about what if in an inner city--I came up with a good reason to be there... a rural are.. another good reason, Indian Health Reservation.. a chance to learn more culture.

As you can see they really want to get to know you be yourself emphazise your strengths and ability to communicate and personality. Being that you're a member at studentdoctor and talking with others says that you might very well be a good communicator to me.

Good luck
Feel free to email with other questions
Diane

 

[jhug]

thank you diane! I interview on my birthday as well🙂 I am beginning to feel more confident about the interview, from what little i've gathered this is my chance to express all i felt i couldn't in the initial application. I appreciate your help!!

 

[hurt]

I would decline the NHSC scholarship unless you absolutely need the stipend to survive. There are plenty of loan repayment programs out there after you graduate from residency, especially if you are going FP. With the current downward trend in primary care, there will once again be a shortage in the near future. Why commit yourself if you don't have to? I know plenty of my classmates that were absolutely sure about a particular specialty, and later changed during the clinical years. I finished a rotation with an FP doc in Redding, California who works for Indian health. He gets paid $140,000 plus $25,000 per year towards his student loans. This particular doc did not have to sign his life away to get into this program. There is another doctor in the area that opened up a solo private practice and also received federal repayment because the entire tri-county area is considered a federally designated underserved area. There are plenty of other areas of the country that are similar. Don't believe me, check it out for yourself. I am really glad that I turned down the scholarship.

 

[Diane L. Evans]

Hurt-
What you do not realize is that the opportunities for subspecialist getting repayment through NHSC is few... They need primary care docs.

Wait until you graduate residency unable to defer loans any more and pay back loans totalling $1300/mo (average repayment from borrowing $160-180K). This loan will balloon to over $300K in interest charges (a nice house if you ask me) taking you 20 years to repay!!!!. Paying back through IHS or a similar NHSC as a subspecialitist will at most only pay for $25-$40K/yr of your loans which means you need to work say at $25K/yr for at least 8+ years to pay off your loans plus the capitalized interest.

If you are interested in the 5 areas the NHSC offers you can do your payback and still subspecialize afterwards. There are even loopholes that may allow you to finish subspecialty before your payback if you can define need (a case by case basis). In 4 years you are debt free and are 10+ years ahead of your colleages financially.

I understand your point but I've been in the loan repayment situation after graduate school and the and the amount of money it cost me monthly to payback was hell ( I was still living like a graduate student/medical student).

I think one should value "hurt's" oppinion but take age and family status and how this will affect you financially into account.

Oh and BTW since all this malpractice stuff... as a NHSC scholar you are government protected once you do your payback which gives you more time to get very comfortable with you field, build a good reputation, and not have to worry about insurance.

Just my 2 cents.
Diane

 

[analiza]

jhug,

When and where will you be interviewing?
My interview is on June 9 in Los Angeles. I'm so excited and I feel that NHSC interview is totally different from medical school interviews and preparation is somehow focused on different things.

Goodluck! 🙂

Analiza

 

[docmartin]

Well said Diane...I agree...I am going on my third year of NHSC and it has been a blessing. Yeah sure, I won't be able to subspecialize, but I didn't want to to begin with. I have a quick question for you since it sounds like you are finished w/ med school and starting your residency. Once you complete your training, I was under the impression that you become an employee for the government being paid a comparable salary to the physicians in the area AND malpractice insurance AND health insurance. Is this all correct? Any info would be greatly appreciated...😀

 

[jhug]

analiza, I'll interview on june 4th in SF (this also happens to be my b-day🙂)

As far as the "limited options" issue goes-- i already know i love peds, spanish, and could do FP and be happy. For me the idea of sub-specializing is a mute issue. As for the other idea, why GO INTO debt to get help out of it? I prefer to avoid debt all together!!!! Someone could help me with a HUGE debt by paying 25-40K a yeat, possibly leaving some for me to still have to pay....or i could go to class knowing that my wife and kids will have a nice place to call home and food on the table without 200K looming over them.

It was my understanding that after training you aren't an employee of the government-- just working in a place the government has deemed "underserved"--- am i wrong in that?? i don't want to make any big-time blunders during my interview🙂

 

[Diane L. Evans]

jhug,
You actually are an employee of the government--the public health service (the same institute that governs the National Institutes of Health). This has many perks one is a nice 401K, great insurance, and malpractice coverage. Plus all you time spent in payback goes toward your government retirement (which for PHS I believe is 20yrs).

Good luck

Diane

P.S. You will still need to take out loans!!! The $12K stipend is not enough to live on even if your significant other works. I ended up about $50K in debt. $21K of this went towards taxes
( in the preceeding years the full scholarship amount WAS TAXABLE and CONSIDERED INCOME preventing many of us for qualifying for subsidized loans (the kind the govt. pays the interest on) now, thanks to Bush ONLY the STIPEND is taxable and considered income. This means the amount of subsidized loans will be probably around 15K/yr if no other family income and $9K/yr if additional family income).