I made a UN just to respond to this post. I am in the NHSC, and have been for about 2 years. I signed up after I graduated. There are a few options with the Corps. If you sign up during school, you graduate debt-free, but you owe them 4 years of service in a location of their choosing. You get to list preferences, but those are not guaranteed. I chose to sign up outside of school because I had to live in a specific geographical area because of my spouse's job. I worked in private practice for 6 months or so out of school and I did not enjoy it. My commute was long, and I was part-time at a few offices, so no benefits. I applied for a job at an FQHC, and once I started the new job, I applied for the NHSC. I received funding about 2 years ago, and I'm probably going to continue the contract. Also, most of the salaries are 90-120K, (not counting the 25K/year you get for loans) which makes it a very attractive offer. I know most new grads in my urban area are barely clearing that much.
Pros:
Get loans paid off quickly, work in a clinic that allows for benefits, CE time, ample vacation time, CE money, health/disability/malpractice insurance, and other small perks.The commute is also much shorter for me.
Cons: For the most part, the patients here are more difficult/complex than private practice. This is a pro for me, but a con for some people. The clinic you work at may be inefficiently/ineffectively run. You can decide if this is something that will bother you or not. Many of these clinics have unions, which means they have a hard time hiring/firing ineffective staff. Most of my friends who have done NHSC have complained of poor assistants, lack of work ethic, etc.
Keep in mind, you can always transfer to another clinic during your contract. The transfer is relatively easy. I left one clinic after a year and half, and the one I am at now is much better suited for me. Even though the first clinic I was at was no picnic, I still am a big fan of the program. I am surprised that more new grads don't participate, given the difficulty of finding a good full-time practice in some parts of the US.
Also, don't let the application scare you, it is a beast. But, its the least amount of work I've had to do for 50K.
Sorry for the long post, PM me for more info.
