National Health Service Corps Experiences

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I think I might want to get a NHSC scholarship/loan, but only D2 and D3 students are eligible to apply so I still have a lot of time to decide since I will be a D1. I believe they pay for your tuition and you get to choose an undeserved area and work there for 2 years. Does anyone have any knowledge or experiences concerning the NHSC loan repayment program? I couldn't really find anything through search.

I also think it would be a great opportunity for me to get as much practice as possible as a fresh grad since I figure it would be difficult to get a good associate position immediately after graduation w/o a general practice residency and no experience whatsoever, but this is just an assumption. Following my 2 years of service, I figure I could go into a group practice and eventually have my own place. At least that is the plan for now.

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Are you talking about the service scholarship or loan repayment b/c those are two different things.
 
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Whats the difference?:confused:

The NHSC loan repayment program is something you sign up for after you graduate. You take a job position at their underserved area clinic, and for every year you work, you will get their relatively low public dentist salary AND they will pay 25,000 of your loan (for every year you work). Normally you work for 2 years, so total of 50,000 of your loan paid off, however I think you can work longer and they'll pay off more, though not sure about that.

Now the NHSC scholarship is a sweet deal (especially if you go to a private school) and thus its competitive. You can apply for this before you start D1. Basically, they will pay for your whole dental school, tuition, books, etc PLUS give you a 900 dollar stipend per month. For every year they cover you, you owe them a year in their clinic where you will get a public dentist salary. So if they pay for all 4 years of your dental school (all expenses plus monthly stipend) then after you graduate you MUST (NO ifs ands or buts) commit to working in their underserved area clinics for a total period of 4 years.
 
do you get a choice as to where you are placed? And, if so, how has your experience been?

And, why did the first poster say you can only apply your D2 year?

AAAAND Can you only use the scholarship for 2 years?
 
do you get a choice as to where you are placed? And, if so, how has your experience been?

And, why did the first poster say you can only apply your D2 year?

AAAAND Can you only use the scholarship for 2 years?

There is a list of opportunities on the NHSC website for the scholars (scholarship recipients). You apply for them like a job and they are actually who pays your salary (not NHSC...they just pay your tuition/fees/stipend). You have a certain amount of time to acquire a job or NHSC will place you somewhere. Also, NHSC is only available for general dentists or pediatric dentists. You can only do GPR, AEGD or pedo if you want to do a residency. You can use the scholarship for only one year if you like...but you will still owe them 2 years of service. As far as applying, somebody touched on it in an earlier post, but if you have an acceptance letter you can apply. Not sure when the deadline is, but it is soon. There is more detailed info on the website...http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/applications/ The new info is not posted yet, but it will be soon. You can look at last years info to get some idea of the program (doesn't change very much from year to year). You can also call them and get info.
 
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There is a list of opportunities on the NHSC website for the scholars (scholarship recipients). You apply for them like a job and they are actually who pays your salary (not NHSC...they just pay your tuition/fees/salary). You have a certain amount of time to acquire a job or NHSC will place you somewhere. Also, NHSC is only available for general dentists or pediatric dentists. You can only do GPR or AEGD if you want to do a residency. You can use the scholarship for only one year if you like...but you will still owe them 2 years of service. As far as applying, somebody touched on it in an earlier post, but if you have an acceptance letter you can apply. Not sure when the deadline is, but it is soon. There is more detailed info on the website...http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/applications/ The new info is not posted yet, but it will be soon. You can look at last years info to get some idea of the program (doesn't change very much from year to year). You can also call them and get info.

I was under the impression that with the scholarship they give you two choices in regard to your job site, and these two choices have the highest HPSA scores. I could be wrong though. Also to the OP, if you do the loan repayment your site has to have a HPSA score above 14 for you to have guaranteed repayment, if the site's score is lower than that then you only get loan repayment if they have money left over.
 
The NHSC loan repayment program is something you sign up for after you graduate. You take a job position at their underserved area clinic, and for every year you work, you will get their relatively low public dentist salary AND they will pay 25,000 of your loan (for every year you work). Normally you work for 2 years, so total of 50,000 of your loan paid off, however I think you can work longer and they'll pay off more, though not sure about that.

Now the NHSC scholarship is a sweet deal (especially if you go to a private school) and thus its competitive. You can apply for this before you start D1. Basically, they will pay for your whole dental school, tuition, books, etc PLUS give you a 900 dollar stipend per month. For every year they cover you, you owe them a year in their clinic where you will get a public dentist salary. So if they pay for all 4 years of your dental school (all expenses plus monthly stipend) then after you graduate you MUST (NO ifs ands or buts) commit to working in their underserved area clinics for a total period of 4 years.

They pay for your health insurance while in school too, and the stipend is higher at $1185/month. But if you decide not to go to through with it you owe them 3X your loan amount plus interest!
 
So if we apply in July, we would be getting a 3 yr or 4 year service/tuition for those of the c/o 2013?
 
So if we apply in July, we would be getting a 3 yr or 4 year service/tuition for those of the c/o 2013?

The impression that I get from the website is that the app has to be in before July (although I'm not sure when it opens) and I think that would be for 2009/2010, and you have to do a contract extension each year for the remaining 3 years.
 
The NHSC loan repayment program is something you sign up for after you graduate. You take a job position at their underserved area clinic, and for every year you work, you will get their relatively low public dentist salary AND they will pay 25,000 of your loan (for every year you work). Normally you work for 2 years, so total of 50,000 of your loan paid off, however I think you can work longer and they'll pay off more, though not sure about that.

does anyone know the average salary of a public dentist?
 
another thing is that you have to be a US citizen! I was considering it, but than found out they don't accept permanent residents. So can I apply to it for only 2 years? lets say D3 and D4, will I own 2 years of service than?
 
Is there anyone here who is actually doing it and can give us the cons and pros of the program?
 
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from the advice of some dentists that ive heard, DONT DO IT!
 
from the advice of some dentists that ive heard, DONT DO IT!

I could understand some of that reasoning in regard to the service scholarship, because a lot can change during dental school that might make you change your mind. You might want to specialize, you might want to get married and move to a specifica area....etc. But if you have signed that contract you're kind of screwed. It's not for everybody.

However I find loan repayment to be very appealing. Yes you get paid a dental public health salary, lets say 80K for example, but I would also think you get other perks like health insurance, paid time off, malpractice insurance, and less stress. Plus the government pays 25K of your loans/year, it's almost like you make 100K. You also get to serve those within the community who might not have access to private dental care.
 
I could understand some of that reasoning in regard to the service scholarship, because a lot can change during dental school that might make you change your mind. You might want to specialize, you might want to get married and move to a specifica area....etc. But if you have signed that contract you're kind of screwed. It's not for everybody.

However I find loan repayment to be very appealing. Yes you get paid a dental public health salary, lets say 80K for example, but I would also think you get other perks like health insurance, paid time off, malpractice insurance, and less stress. Plus the government pays 25K of your loans/year, it's almost like you make 100K. You also get to serve those within the community who might not have access to private dental care.
Is anyone applying for this scholarship?
 
application deadline is much later than it was last year. i believe it is april 9th this year. you can always apply and then change your mind after you hear back. it is a long application though. every dentist i have spoke to advised me to apply since paying back 300k in loans is not fun, and on average takes 20-30 years. it's not all that much different from the military scholarship in terms of signing on to a commitment, except after you do your 2-4 years you don't have to be on reserve duty. i think of it as basically 4 years of experience, 4 years of helping the underserved, 4 years of free tuition, and a lifetime of less headache from having to pay back private dental school loans.
 
Can anyone elaborate on how easy is it to get your location that you want? I know not many people want to move to Kentucky after they graduate. Also people have commitments to family and such where they might not be able to re locate. Is it mostly rural places? or are there urban places to choose from?
 
Can anyone elaborate on how easy is it to get your location that you want? I know not many people want to move to Kentucky after they graduate. Also people have commitments to family and such where they might not be able to re locate. Is it mostly rural places? or are there urban places to choose from?



I think you're going to have to speak for yourself. There are definitely applicants (and recipients!!!!) from Kentucky and other "undesirable" areas. Just because you wouldn't want to work there, doesn't mean others wouldn't. I'm sure that there are people who would pick Kentucky over NYC any day.

As far as placements, they use a match system, similar to the match for residencies. there aren't a million placements, but they don't want you to be miserable wherever you are. It is a risk, but might be worth it.
 
i'm considering applying for a two year commitment ... although the reviews from md's have been not stellar, i'd really love to hear from a dentist!
 
Google NHSC and you'll find the website. There is an applicants info bulletin that'll answer most everyone's questions if you read it carefully. Many of the other responses about the program and placement process are not accurate. Read the Bulletin for the 2009-2010 cycle.
 
Just wanted to let everyone know how the process worked for me...

I currently am in my second year of an NHSC loan repayment contract.

I graduated with about 148 K debt from dental school.
October 2006 I accepted a position at a public health clinic which pays me a reasonable salary (115K + benefits, vacation, CME, sick, etc.) The clinic is in a rural part of the state 45 minutes from a big city. It has a mid-range number for the HCPSA (12 or 14). The HCPSA stands for health care professional shortage area and determines the priority of a clinic to get funded. The bigger the number the greater the need.


November 2006 I completed the NHSC LRP application and was notified July 14th 2007 that I was funded- my contract started July 16th,
Two months later a big fat 50K lump sum was in my checking account. I applied all the money to the principle, and continued making monthly payments. (My student loan company AES allowed me to change my monthly payments from @695/ month to $365/ month-very nice!)

The other dentist I work with also applied but did his paperwork incorrectly and no money was left to fund him by the time he got it fixed. You are in direct competition for funds with other people of the same job classification at the same site.

I have reapplied for an amendment-this provides a third year of funding (35K). I was told I would likely hear back about two months before the current contract expires. Wish me luck.

Overall I have been satisfied. Penalties are huge if you default on your commitment- according to the website you would payback NHSC $7500 for each month of service you skip out on, plus an additional $35000 punitive fee. I have always worried about my clinic going bankrupt, or some other job loss reason, and how that can impact my life... I would need to pay the money or move to another clinic with the same or worse HCPSA number.

I have found some of the NHSC help desk staff to be confused, and not really have answers, and give misinformation. Important paperwork will arrive late, or not at all. Emails are not really answered. You need to stay on top of things and remain proactive if you apply, and more importantly, stay proactive if you obtain funding. NHSC delegates some projects to a company called BLS Seamons. This company is inept! They “invited” me to mandatory NHSC LRP conferences out of state and only gave 14-19 days notice. Get real- in a busy clinic this is not enough time to clear the patient schedule, assistant schedules, to let a provider leave for a few days. 3 emails and 4 calls to BLS Seamons and no response- I can’t find out when the 2009 conferences are scheduled or what repercussions I will face for not attending.

Overall I recommend the program. I have reservations about the penalties- during the tough economic times you never know how long a community health center can remain functional. It worked better for me than the Scholarship program. The HCPSA #’s for that program require you to work at clinics with a greater need, further from any area that my husband could have a great job, and may require a blind assignment to a random clinic if you don’t match.

The patients are very rewarding & interesting. We see tons of children. Most adults are very grateful and pleasant. Hoever the work has become dull- extractions, alloys, anterior root canals, blah blah blah all day long. I would work at my clinic for lots less money- but let’s keep that on the down low!

Best wishes!
 
Just wanted to let everyone know how the process worked for me...

I currently am in my second year of an NHSC loan repayment contract.

I graduated with about 148 K debt from dental school.
October 2006 I accepted a position at a public health clinic which pays me a reasonable salary (115K + benefits, vacation, CME, sick, etc.) The clinic is in a rural part of the state 45 minutes from a big city. It has a mid-range number for the HCPSA (12 or 14). The HCPSA stands for health care professional shortage area and determines the priority of a clinic to get funded. The bigger the number the greater the need.


November 2006 I completed the NHSC LRP application and was notified July 14th 2007 that I was funded- my contract started July 16th,
Two months later a big fat 50K lump sum was in my checking account. I applied all the money to the principle, and continued making monthly payments. (My student loan company AES allowed me to change my monthly payments from @695/ month to $365/ month-very nice!)

The other dentist I work with also applied but did his paperwork incorrectly and no money was left to fund him by the time he got it fixed. You are in direct competition for funds with other people of the same job classification at the same site.

I have reapplied for an amendment-this provides a third year of funding (35K). I was told I would likely hear back about two months before the current contract expires. Wish me luck.

Overall I have been satisfied. Penalties are huge if you default on your commitment- according to the website you would payback NHSC $7500 for each month of service you skip out on, plus an additional $35000 punitive fee. I have always worried about my clinic going bankrupt, or some other job loss reason, and how that can impact my life... I would need to pay the money or move to another clinic with the same or worse HCPSA number.

I have found some of the NHSC help desk staff to be confused, and not really have answers, and give misinformation. Important paperwork will arrive late, or not at all. Emails are not really answered. You need to stay on top of things and remain proactive if you apply, and more importantly, stay proactive if you obtain funding. NHSC delegates some projects to a company called BLS Seamons. This company is inept! They “invited” me to mandatory NHSC LRP conferences out of state and only gave 14-19 days notice. Get real- in a busy clinic this is not enough time to clear the patient schedule, assistant schedules, to let a provider leave for a few days. 3 emails and 4 calls to BLS Seamons and no response- I can’t find out when the 2009 conferences are scheduled or what repercussions I will face for not attending.

Overall I recommend the program. I have reservations about the penalties- during the tough economic times you never know how long a community health center can remain functional. It worked better for me than the Scholarship program. The HCPSA #’s for that program require you to work at clinics with a greater need, further from any area that my husband could have a great job, and may require a blind assignment to a random clinic if you don’t match.

The patients are very rewarding & interesting. We see tons of children. Most adults are very grateful and pleasant. Hoever the work has become dull- extractions, alloys, anterior root canals, blah blah blah all day long. I would work at my clinic for lots less money- but let’s keep that on the down low!

Best wishes!

Thanks for the info! I am considering the NHSC LRP program after I graduate so it was nice to hear your story.
 
I posted this in pre-dental until someone told me about this thread so I guess I'll post here..

I was serious about the NHSC--but when it came down to submitting I got iffy... what if I do really well, enjoy a specialty, and want to specialize? what if I find a great practice to buy that will help me not only pay off my loans but spend those 4 years buying into something that I can own rather than "wasting" those 4 years?

What do you guys think? I am looking for someone to sortof argue with me or give me their own insight. I am really conflicted and not sure which way I am leaning towards. I think I would be more likely if I were going to a school with a high tuition (boston, nyu, etc).... but since my tuition will be somewhere around 260 (estimate not including interest)... perhaps 300 after.... it seems feasible to pay it off if I'm smart about it.

Very confused! Any input is welcome!
 
I posted this in pre-dental until someone told me about this thread so I guess I'll post here..

I was serious about the NHSC--but when it came down to submitting I got iffy... what if I do really well, enjoy a specialty, and want to specialize? what if I find a great practice to buy that will help me not only pay off loans but spend those 4 years buying into something that I can own rather than "wasting" those 4 years?

What do you guys think? I am looking for someone to sortof argue with me or give me their own insight. I am really conflicted and not sure which way I am leaning towards. I think I would be more likely if I were going to a school with a high tuition (boston, nyu, etc).... but since my tuition will be somewhere around 260 (estimate not including interest)... perhaps 300 after.... it seems feasible to pay it off if I'm smart about it.

Very confused! Any input is welcome!

As far as going into specialty goes, that is a very valid and serious concern. One suggestion might be, if you get the scholarship, is to apply to a specialty after u serve the term required (3-4 years?).
However, I dont think the term youd be serving is wasting years at all. If you buy a practise right after grad., youd hav two debts to worry about rather than one since youre going in 2-300,000 in the hole. But if you take the scholarship, they take care of ur dental school debt, pay you a reasonable salary, and the money you earn you can put away towards buying a new practice or taking a specialty program. Its never too late to go back to school and 3 years wont kill you if it means saving hundreds of thousands of dollars.
 
If you fill out the app... are you bound to accept the offer if you get the scholarship? Or can you reject it?
And also ... how hard is it to get into a speciality 4 years after graduation? Is it easier right after graduation or is waitin OK? Not sayign I will for sure but of course I want to consider it an option.
 
Bump. Would love to hear more about this. Are there any dentists/students who did/are doing the scholarship (not the loan repayment).

I am interested, but I am very hesitant to apply without speaking to someone who has done this! Thanks!
 
i have the scholarship, but i am still in school, so i won't be applying for another year or so for jobs. i don't know how easy/difficult it is to get a placement of your choice if you are picky, but if you are a free soul and really don't care where an adventure will take you, then GO FOR IT. It's a risk, by no means is it definite that you will get to work exactly where you want, especially because placements open up at different times in different areas, it depends on where there is a shortage when you apply for jobs in your third year of dental school, or your fourth year if you plan to do a GPR or AEGD. It really depends on you. At my school a lot of people are doing military scholarships. So I kind of think of it sort of like, except I won't be sent overseas, and the salaries are higher for NHSC scholars (usually around 100k) which is actually quite normal for a starting dentist. so far i'm content with my decision because my family really doesn't have enough money to pay for my dental school education. my loan would have been around 350,000 (damn private dental school) and I have about 23,000 from undergrad... that's almost 400k..... Maybe I'm a wuss, but I was reallllly scared of having such a gigantic looming loan above my head. So, so far, I'm happy. They pay me a stipend, about 1,200/month. I still have to take out a little money in loans because I live in a major city, and my rent alone is almost that much, but still, my debt from dental school and college will all be under 40k, that's 1/10th of what it would have been. So, for me, that's a good risk. We'll see though. I kind of think of it as a residency... if I was apply for a specialty, I'd be going anywhere I got in as well, so it's kind of the same idea. It's really a matter of compromising your freedom for 4 years, but in return you won't be paying off loans for 30 years. Another thing, on the plus side, you'll get a lot of experience doing things that you might not get to do normally, but a downfall is, you will be doing a lot of amalgams and extractions too, and not really that many crowns, and definitely no veneers or aesthetics. It's pretty simple, you work in a community health clinic, it's kinda self-explanatory. It can be very rewarding, it's just a risk that you might not get to stay by your family or wherever you planned on. If you are willing to uproot yourself and travel somewhere new, then this is definitely something worth looking into. If you are hesitant about that, which I'll admit I was/am, then be more wary. Best of luck.
 
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If you fill out the app... are you bound to accept the offer if you get the scholarship? Or can you reject it?
And also ... how hard is it to get into a speciality 4 years after graduation? Is it easier right after graduation or is waitin OK? Not sayign I will for sure but of course I want to consider it an option.

1. you sign a statement and send it in with your application saying you commit to x # of years. but if you get the scholarship you have 7 days to decline.

2. i think that having something like the NHSC scholarship and service under your belt, that would definitely be an advantage. i have some professors that worked as general dentists, didn't like it, then went on to specialize... so i imagine it's no different.
 
Yorkiepoo, thank you SO much for your quick and thorough replies. I will likely be hitting you up for more info in the near future, as soon as exams are finished. Thanks again!
 
do you think it would be possible to moonlight at a private practice that is open on Sat + Fri afternoons? my worry with serving in the clinics for 3+ yrs and mainly doing anterior root canals, extractions, and alloys is that it would render me ill-prepared for private practice and doing procedures such as implants, using CEREC, cosmetic procedures, etc. once my contract ends. i'm sure i can go around taking CE, but i wouldn't be practicing these procedures on a routine basis...
 
For those of you who applied for the scholarship in past years...when did the scholarship app open up?? The website doesn't say.
 
Near the end of March, sign up for the e-mail notification thing. They only give you a couple weeks between when it is due and when it is released.
 
Great response so far, anymore input for the program?
 
According the the NHSC website:



Because the NHSC does not usually have enough funding to award scholarships to every worthy applicant, scholars are selected according to the following priorities:

  1. Former NHSC scholars in need of additional years of support
  2. Scholarship for Students of Exceptional Financial Need recipients enrolled in medical or dental school
  3. Students from Disadvantaged Backgrounds

I have a background in public health and I am very interested in the scholarship, however, I do not fall into any of the above three categories. Do I realistically have a chance of receiving the scholarship? Any thoughts would be appreciated!
 
According the the NHSC website:



Because the NHSC does not usually have enough funding to award scholarships to every worthy applicant, scholars are selected according to the following priorities:

  1. Former NHSC scholars in need of additional years of support
  2. Scholarship for Students of Exceptional Financial Need recipients enrolled in medical or dental school
  3. Students from Disadvantaged Backgrounds

I have a background in public health and I am very interested in the scholarship, however, I do not fall into any of the above three categories. Do I realistically have a chance of receiving the scholarship? Any thoughts would be appreciated!

I'm confused by that first point - you have to reapply each year to continue receiving the benefits?
 
I've heard that you can defer your service from the NHSC scholarship if you do a residency - is this true?
 
Yes, this is true. You can defer your service obligation only if you do a GPR, AEGD, public health masters or pediactric residency. Other programs are not eligible.
 
can they really just send you anywhere in the u.s.? or can you pick a city and they can send you anywhere within that city?
 
do any scholars know when the ORC payment comes after your first year? I know last year everything came in November, is it the same every year? Is the second year ORC as big as the first year?
 
My NHSC contact person said I should be receiving it this month. Not sure how much it will be.
 
As county employees, ours have their salaries printed in the paper, and it's something like $115,000.

is there a website that lists this info? and the 115 figure is starting or median income for pharmacist or dentist?
 
is there a website that lists this info? and the 115 figure is starting or median income for pharmacist or dentist?

This was the salary for dentists who worked at our county health department's clinic, which mostly took care of children.
 
i have the scholarship, but i am still in school, so i won't be applying for another year or so for jobs. i don't know how easy/difficult it is to get a placement of your choice if you are picky, but if you are a free soul and really don't care where an adventure will take you, then GO FOR IT. It's a risk, by no means is it definite that you will get to work exactly where you want, especially because placements open up at different times in different areas, it depends on where there is a shortage when you apply for jobs in your third year of dental school, or your fourth year if you plan to do a GPR or AEGD. It really depends on you. At my school a lot of people are doing military scholarships. So I kind of think of it sort of like, except I won't be sent overseas, and the salaries are higher for NHSC scholars (usually around 100k) which is actually quite normal for a starting dentist. so far i'm content with my decision because my family really doesn't have enough money to pay for my dental school education. my loan would have been around 350,000 (damn private dental school) and I have about 23,000 from undergrad... that's almost 400k..... Maybe I'm a wuss, but I was reallllly scared of having such a gigantic looming loan above my head. So, so far, I'm happy. They pay me a stipend, about 1,200/month. I still have to take out a little money in loans because I live in a major city, and my rent alone is almost that much, but still, my debt from dental school and college will all be under 40k, that's 1/10th of what it would have been. So, for me, that's a good risk. We'll see though. I kind of think of it as a residency... if I was apply for a specialty, I'd be going anywhere I got in as well, so it's kind of the same idea. It's really a matter of compromising your freedom for 4 years, but in return you won't be paying off loans for 30 years. Another thing, on the plus side, you'll get a lot of experience doing things that you might not get to do normally, but a downfall is, you will be doing a lot of amalgams and extractions too, and not really that many crowns, and definitely no veneers or aesthetics. It's pretty simple, you work in a community health clinic, it's kinda self-explanatory. It can be very rewarding, it's just a risk that you might not get to stay by your family or wherever you planned on. If you are willing to uproot yourself and travel somewhere new, then this is definitely something worth looking into. If you are hesitant about that, which I'll admit I was/am, then be more wary. Best of luck.


Hey, Yorkiepoo!

I just applied for the NHSC Scholarship. How have your experiences been over the past few years with NHSC?

Thanks!
 
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