National Health Services Corps scholarship

First of all...congrats on your acceptance....I loved UHS when I was there.....about the scholarship...of you go to the Financial Aid Forum...there are quite a few threads about the NHSC Scholarship..that you will find informative.
I am on the scholarship as well...so after reading the posts...if you have any further questions...feel free to post, e-mail or send me a personal message...

See you in the financial aid forum.....

 

Kappa-

Congrats.

I'm an NHSC scholar and happy to answer any questions. If you're really committed to under served primary care it's a great progam, but make sure you're interested in primary care and not just getting school paid for.

Follow the financial aid thread and feel free to ask anything.
Good luck!

 

To answer your questions, the NHSC is very competitive. There were about 2000 applicants for 200 positions. I received the scholarship two years ago. I am happy with my decision. I have saved about $100,000 and the stipends of $1,065 are not bad. However, my wife applied this year and she was denied.

A few points to mention about applying for the scholarship. Make sure you do the application right. There are certain ways to the application that will guarantee an interview. The interview is the make or break. You need to stress why you are interested in the NHSC, that you will be training in the primary care fields, have leadership skills, and have experience working in underserved areas. In addition, you must enter the primary care fields (family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, ob/gyn) if you accept the scholarship. You can no longer do fellowships after residency in internal medicine. However, you can request dual residencies that are in the primary care fields. As far as taxes, I have not written a check to the IRS for the taxable yearly stipend of $13,000. If you have any further questions or comments, you can email me at [email protected]. Good luck.

 

I'm a NHSC scholar and I think you should definately do 4 years!
But you must enter a AOA/AMA approved IM, Psych, OB, Peds, FP residency complete it then do your payback. They also will allow you to do IM/Peds and a rotating internship.

Once you complete this residency you must enter into your payback. Which you can designate the site (hard but doable), you have several choices of locations.

Keep this mind if you find out 3rd year you really want to do ER... you can not do ER/FP or you will be in violation. What do I mean by this double-triple the scholarship amount.. about $400,000 payable in 1 year or 18mo imprisonment.

Good luck
Diane

 

here is a what-if question--- what if i do peds and during residency decide to sub-specialize within peds-- do i have to finish the residency, work, and then re-apply for the sub-specialty? It sounds like a super way to do med school, especially if those fields interest you-- i just hate to close the door to sub-specializing. Thanks for the input!

 

I am also curious in RE to jhug's question. Is it "OK" to finish residency, go on to do your commitment, and then get into a fellowship afterward? Would it be really hard to get into a fellowship at that time?

 

Jhug, you're right - you can't sub-specialize before you fulfill your commitment. You'd have to do it afterwards. This shouldn't be too daunting, as a lot of docs change their direction mid practice. Especially if your interviewers know the circumstance, you'll be fine.

 

Order:
Do residency in 1/5 fields
Payback 4 years
Then subspecialize
out of order is 300K/18 mos jail

 

Hi there,

I'm also a 4-yr NHSC Scholar.... I've posted before so if the search engine is working you may find some of my comments.

I've talked to a few DMU alums that were had the NHSC and all of them eventually subspecialize in something.... After you pay back your time commitment, the alums told me you become more of an attractive applicant for subspecializing or other fellowship program because they know that you've had experience under your belt.... sort to speak.... That's what I've been told... as to the truth to that I guess I won't find out till I do it myself....

Good luck in your decision.... as everyone has mentioned make sure you want to be in IM, Peds, FP, Psych, or OB/GYN.... If not then give your place to someone else that wants to be an NHSC scholar.... I think every year someone is place in the alternate hoping to finally get it....

Later,

 

This is what I typically tell people when they ask me this question....

Once you start filling out your application you will figure out what they are looking for.... trust me. The things they look for include: Leadership quality and experience, working in a group or team collaborations and any evidence you have of doing such work through volunteer or work experience, genuine interest to serve the underserve (this will be evident more so during your interview as you share your experience), problem solver, taking initiative, .... That's it for now.... I'm sure someone else will come up with something.

 

k-- i've got a few more questions about how this whole thing works Do you have to have selected where you will work before you are awarded the scholarship?? OR do you get the scholarship now and decide after residency where to go on their list of places ??? It seems odd to select a place to work in 7-8 years from now. Also, could you be given a place as you start med school to work and then NOT get the scholarship??? Last one, on the web site it has a number code to scale the need of places-- is the higher the number the greater the need??? if so, what is the highest possible number?? Thanks for the help!!!

 

Jhug-

You get the scholarship now and find out/ determine in your last year of residency where you'll work for your service repayment. so no, you're not choosing a place to practice 7-8 years from now. In fact you can't because the demand and status of underserved areas changes so constantly.

I've been told various things about how the process works... some folks say you pick the region and they give you 3 choices within the region. Others say 3 choices peroid.

I have been told by NHSC reps that if there's a particular region you want to work in, start getting to know the regional director during your residency. And if there's a specific place you want to work and you know they qualify, do alot of the foot work yourself - they're more likely to make sure you're placed there.

 

thanks so much-- i assumed that you couldn't pick somewhere so far in advance but the web site for NHSC made it sound like you could be hired in one of their areas yet still not get the scholarship and that threw me for a minute. So how early can one send in applications??? i'll be starting next fall and would like to get a jump on this stuff. Thanks again!!!

 

Is it true that they tax you on the stipend?

 

I am a current NHSC scholar. Until last year the entire amount was taxable - tuition, books, stipend travel expenses . . . . Last year in the big tax break the powers to be were able to sneak in a waiver for us. From my understanding now only the stipend is taxable ~13,000 a year. If you have no other income that is below the taxable level anyway.

The reason the website talks about getting the job and not the scholarship is there are two programs.

1) Scholarship - pays for school books etc. you owe one year for each year of support with a two year minimum

2) Payback. - In this program you get one of the jobs that count for payback time and they pay down your school loans. In this program you could get the job but not be approved for the payback if there are not enough funds in the cookie jar that year.


I think it is a great program IF you know for SURE that you want to go into primary care. If you might want to be a neurosurgeon than you better take out the loans and fullfill your dreams

 

nycompedsguy-- what was your timeline?? when did you send in your application and when did you find out about the acceptance? Congrats on the scholarship-- where do you think to work after residency??

 

JHug-

The initial application deadline is usually in the spring (end/ middle of March I think). The interview is usally later in the spring/ summer (Mine was in may). And then usually you find out sometime in August whether you were accepted. If you were, you won't get your first payment until November, but after that life is great. And yeah they do tax your stipend...

 

i am so sorry i have so many annoying questions about this but.... what happens if you interview, are accepted, but then decided maybe you don't want to close any doors as far as specialties go?? I know i love working in an underserved area, and i know i love peds and fp-- i just have occational relapses into the-- what if i want to do surgery thing. Thanks for the help!!

 

As long as you change your mind before you've taken any of the money you're fine... but if you change you mind after you've taken the money... well let's just ouch. I think the pay back is at something like 18%... if you're waivering at all I'd say go with the loan repayment plan rather than the scholarship - it gives you a little more time to decide.

 

The time line for me was about the same - I applied in the late winter and interviewed in the spring. I found out that I had the scholarship ~ august.

I plan to go into peds - I hope to serve my payback time in a urban inner city setting. I go to the NHSC web site from time to time to see what the job offerings are. It appears that FP is in greater desire than peds but there are always a few positions.

If you are at all in doubt I would not do this route. I would take on the loans and keep my choices open.

However if you want to apply go for it. After you are awarded the scholarship you can back out before they send the money to your school (I think).

The interview is a little strange. Everybody in the country gets asked the same questions. The interviewers are not supposed to deviate from their script. So if they ask you what flavor ice cream you like and you respond salami with mustard they just ask the next question. It makes it difficult to judge how well you are doing.

They ask you questions about who you are more like your mom or dad. What sports you like. Why you want to serve poor people. Mostly it is more of a psychological profile than an interview.

Good luck

 

NYCOMPPEDSGUY good reply. The interviews start May and end in August. YOU MUST HAVE AN ACCEPTANCE LETTER TO FILL OUT THE APPLICATION. Approximately 12 people interview for 1 spot, so its much more competitive than medical school. Also it is a personality assesment test.

If you can honestly say that you desire to help the underserved and can demonstrate this you will get the slot. How to acheive this-they look for flexibilty, family plans (this equals stability thus familys usually want to stay in one location for extended times).

Good luck let me know if I can be of further assistance
Diane

 

here is another random question i've been on the web site and looking at approved areas to work in after residency-- how competivtive is it to get a site-- say in florida or california?? Do we compete just with other nhs scholars for the job or is it open to everyone who may apply?? the more i think about this the more i feel it really is for me

 

How much do they pay you for working in the underserved areas?