NHSC Application Process

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Contract signed by Lisa W!

Role: OFAM Approver, HRSA

Date: Today (8/9/2013)

Looks like things are starting to get finalized! Hopefully more invites will be going out later today?!?! (That's what happened in previous years)

WOO! :luck:
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You're getting free dental school?
 
Ferneezy said:
You're getting free dental school?
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Well, if I have learned anything from my halfhearted attempt at high school economics... There is no such thing as a free lunch.

:laugh:
 
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cooliyak said:
Just got my finalist email! Wooo!
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WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wonder how many more finalist emails went out... COOLIYAK, when did your email say you needed to have all of your forms in?


:highfive::clap::soexcited::lock::claps::banana: :biglove: :zip:
 
JAWSSS said:
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wonder how many more finalist emails went out... COOLIYAK, when did your email say you needed to have all of your forms in?


:highfive::clap::soexcited::lock::claps::banana: :biglove: :zip:
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Congrats, cooliyak! I'm also wondering how many emails were sent and if they have anymore to send. My app online still says "under review" :scared:
 
Thanks ss0913!
Also, if anybody knows, I am wondering if they ever verify tuition and costs with the school or with us. The original document I uploaded was only estimates and has since been changed.
 
cooliyak said:
Thanks ss0913!
Also, if anybody knows, I am wondering if they ever verify tuition and costs with the school or with us. The original document I uploaded was only estimates and has since been changed.
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They will verify with the school
 
For those who applied, would you mind sharing who wrote your letters of rec? I'm in ferneezy's pot, just applying to schools this cycle, but this is looking like an attractive option. I'd assume that acquiring LORs for this might be particularly tricky because you'd want the writer to not only know you well, but also be familiar enough with the NHSC to attest to your commitment to their mission/values/goals/etc.
 
free99 said:
For those who applied, would you mind sharing who wrote your letters of rec? I'm in ferneezy's pot, just applying to schools this cycle, but this is looking like an attractive option. I'd assume that acquiring LORs for this might be particularly tricky because you'd want the writer to not only know you well, but also be familiar enough with the NHSC to attest to your commitment to their mission/values/goals/etc.
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I had my PI write one and my dentist write another. They will receive a prompt on what to write in the email they receive from the NHSC when you request a LOR. If you want to see the prompt they will receive, then here:

https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/downloads/spapplicationguide.pdf

The PDF above is from the NHSC and on page 34/35 they describe exactly what they are looking for from each writer. According to the "score sheet" for each applicant (which I found by looking around the HRSA site), you will be scored on each aspect of what they are looking for from each writer. So, if they are looking for the writer to say, A,B,C, & D... But, the writer only mentions A & F... Well, your score for that letter will be low and affect your overall score.

Read that PDF, it will help you get a better understanding of the whole process and it will help you start getting things together.

Let me know if you have more questions. :)
 
cooliyak said:
Hey thanks! The email says I have until 8/14! That's quick!
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Yeah... That's REALLY fast. Considering we all got 8 days.

It's also fast considering you only three business days to get your stuff all filled out and turned in. But, You'll be fine.

Well, hopefully this site maintenance is not holding you up! GL!
 
free99 said:
For those who applied, would you mind sharing who wrote your letters of rec? I'm in ferneezy's pot, just applying to schools this cycle, but this is looking like an attractive option. I'd assume that acquiring LORs for this might be particularly tricky because you'd want the writer to not only know you well, but also be familiar enough with the NHSC to attest to your commitment to their mission/values/goals/etc.
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I worked as the pre-health professions academic advisor at my university and so I had my supervisor write one of mine (she was the main academic advisor in the college of life sciences). Then, I led a large group of missionaries on a trip I went on a couple years ago and got to know the president of the organization pretty well so I had him write my other one.
You are right that they need to know you well, but they don't necessarily need to know the NHSC in order to write you a good letter. I finished my essays in time to give them a copy so that they could familiarize themselves with the NHSC as well as see my conviction to their mission. From there they can put it in their own words and add extra insight from their own experiences with you.
 
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JAWSSS said:
Yeah... That's REALLY fast. Considering we all got 8 days.

It's also fast considering you only three business days to get your stuff all filled out and turned in. But, You'll be fine.

Well, hopefully this site maintenance is not holding you up! GL!
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Yeah, it isn't much time, but I'm sure I can get it all in. What is after the first page? All I can see is the banking info, the w4 and the enrollment verification. I'm afraid that I'm going to get all that in but then click next and there will be like 10 more forms that I didn't know about... Then I'll REALLY be in a pinch.
 
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cooliyak said:
Yeah, it isn't much time, but I'm sure I can get it all in. What is after the first page? All I can see is the banking info, the w4 and the enrollment verification. I'm afraid that I'm going to get all that in but then click next and there will be like 10 more forms that I didn't know about... Then I'll REALLY be in a pinch.
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No worries! After the first page you will see your electronic contract. You select the amount of years you would like to receive the scholarship and then you will electronically sign the contract for that many years (you only sign once and it will be considered signing for all of the years of scholarship you are requesting). You sign by entering your social and your password. After you submit that then everything is done... The new portal will have a section that confirms that they received your W4 and enrollment form. It will also have a link to your signed contract. You can keep checking your signed contract and eventually you'll see an e-signature from HRSA.

It should take 5 minutes, haha.

Also, the portal is back up. Any changes for anybody? Any finalists see any new signatures on their contract?
 
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JAWSSS said:
No worries! After the first page you will see your electronic contract. You select the amount of years you would like to receive the scholarship and then you will electronically sign the contract for that many years (you only sign once and it will be considered signing for all of the years of scholarship you are requesting). You sign by entering your social and your password. After you submit that then everything is done... The new portal will have a section that confirms that they received your W4 and enrollment form. It will also have a link to your signed contract. You can keep checking your signed contract and eventually you'll see an e-signature from HRSA.

It should take 5 minutes, haha.

Also, the portal is back up. Any changes for anybody? Any finalists see any new signatures on their contract?
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Great! Thanks, that sounds good.
What are the chances of actually receiving the award once you are a finalist? I read somewhere (could have been this thread) that it was pretty good but I do not want to get my hopes up.
 
cooliyak said:
Great! Thanks, that sounds good.
What are the chances of actually receiving the award once you are a finalist? I read somewhere (could have been this thread) that it was pretty good but I do not want to get my hopes up.
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Supposedly its a really good chance.
 
Just so everyone knows, I got a call from Vanessa asking if I was going to accept the award. She told me that a lot of people have been declining the award. That is good if you have not heard yet because you still have a good chance. However, that is somewhat unfortunate if you have already accepted because that means that we won't hear "officially" from them until later on (she estimated the beginning of September).
 
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cooliyak said:
Just so everyone knows, I got a call from Vanessa asking if I was going to accept the award. She told me that a lot of people have been declining the award. That is good if you have not heard yet because you still have a good chance. However, that is somewhat unfortunate if you have already accepted because that means that we won't hear "officially" from them until later on (she estimated the beginning of September).
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Last year 22 declined the initial finalist email.

The year before someone said that "a lot" declined as well.

They all heard relatively quickly, so, I would hope it is the same this year.

It never ceases to shock me how many people apply and then get cold feet. People would rather pay $500,000 to the government than work in a smaller city... I just checked the current open positions for dental and there are tons in HUGE cities (Philadelphia, D.C., Seattle, etc.) What a wasted opportunity. Because these are the positions open now... I would assume that these similar positions will be open in four years when we are applying.
 
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i would approach site availability as a constantly moving window: as people like me prepare to enter repayment, there are a number of others preparing to move out. chances are decent you could get something close to what you want when the time comes.

on the other hand, say you're doing a four year sentence service in a location you're not too hot for, is it possible to put in for a venue change after you've started? yes, i know how that could make one look.
 
Ferneezy said:
i would approach site availability as a constantly moving window: as people like me prepare to enter repayment, there are a number of others preparing to move out. chances are decent you could get something close to what you want when the time comes.

on the other hand, say you're doing a four year sentence service in a location you're not too hot for, is it possible to put in for a venue change after you've started? yes, i know how that could make one look.
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I agree about the moving window. :thumbup: That's probably a way more accurate view.

Any new signatures or finalists?
 
Also, I found a statement from the NHSC that hopefully clarifies that a "finalist" is pretty much guaranteed the award as long as all of the forms are submitted in time. Here it is:

NOTIFICATION OF AN AWARD
Individuals selected for awards will be notified by email/letter no later than September 30, 2013. To accept the award, an applicant must respond by the deadline in the notice of award email/letter. If the applicant does not respond to the NHSC SP by that deadline, the offer of award expires and will be offered to an alternate. Applicants who respond by the deadline will be asked to sign the NHSC SP contract, complete the online banking form for direct deposit, and complete the W-4 form.
 
JAWSSS said:
Also, I found a statement from the NHSC that hopefully clarifies that a "finalist" is pretty much guaranteed the award as long as all of the forms are submitted in time. Here it is:

NOTIFICATION OF AN AWARD
Individuals selected for awards will be notified by email/letter no later than September 30, 2013. To accept the award, an applicant must respond by the deadline in the notice of award email/letter. If the applicant does not respond to the NHSC SP by that deadline, the offer of award expires and will be offered to an alternate. Applicants who respond by the deadline will be asked to sign the NHSC SP contract, complete the online banking form for direct deposit, and complete the W-4 form.
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Sounds good to me. I originally thought that but their wording made me lose a little hope. Thanks for pointing that out!
 
I also found this little gem in the Frequently Asked Questions of the Application Guide:
"#18- Can I make changes to my banking information after it has been submitted?
Only applicants being awarded NHSC scholarships will be requested to submit banking information. ..." (emphasis added).
 
cooliyak said:
I also found this little gem in the Frequently Asked Questions of the Application Guide:
"#18- Can I make changes to my banking information after it has been submitted?
Only applicants being awarded NHSC scholarships will be requested to submit banking information. ..." (emphasis added).
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:thumbup: That's what I like to see!
 
after further cursory review of the nhsc site, i get the sense they prefer eventual practitioners that will do the "primary care" of their respective fields.

does this notion play out with those in this thread currently pursuing this scholarship?
 
Ferneezy said:
after further cursory review of the nhsc site, i get the sense they prefer eventual practitioners that will do the "primary care" of their respective fields.

does this notion play out with those in this thread currently pursuing this scholarship?
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They make it very clear that they are looking for primary care professionals. It's not a secret.

In fact, all three essay prompts ask you to write about some aspect of your experience working with underserved or to explain why you want to go into primary care. Both LORs need to address our desire to pursue primary care. Your CV has to demonstrate your ability to succeed as a primary care professional as well.

I am excited about the scholarship because it is exactly what I want to do with my career.
 
I am a little confused about this application process and it may just be my incapability of putting the pieces together at the moment, so please bear with me.

Are you all applicants for the 2017 class or is the current application process for the class of 2018? I know you can apply even after entering dental school, but I have worded it that way for the sake of clarification. I am applying for the class of 2018 and I am wondering if I have already missed the boat for this scholarship. I had figured the application cycle did not open up until sometime after dental schools began sending out acceptance letters, but I am concerned about how hopelessly wrong I have been.
 
El Dentistador said:
I am a little confused about this application process and it may just be my incapability of putting the pieces together at the moment, so please bear with me.

Are you all applicants for the 2017 class or is the current application process for the class of 2018? I know you can apply even after entering dental school, but I have worded it that way for the sake of clarification. I am applying for the class of 2018 and I am wondering if I have already missed the boat for this scholarship. I had figured the application cycle did not open up until sometime after dental schools began sending out acceptance letters, but I am concerned about how hopelessly wrong I have been.
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We are all c/o 2017 (or earlier)!

Your application cycle will open in March 2014.

(I thought it was confusing too)
 
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I just confirmed today that when finalists receive the second signature on their contract, then it is official.

The second page of the contract says that everything is in effect when the secretary OR HIS/HER AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE signs the contract.

So, once you see a signature that says "OFAM Approver, HRSA", the wait is over, I guess...

Just have to wait for the final email.
 
JAWSSS said:
I just confirmed today that when finalists receive the second signature on their contract, then it is official.

The second page of the contract says that everything is in effect when the secretary OR HIS/HER AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE signs the contract.

So, once you see a signature that says "OFAM Approver, HRSA", the wait is over, I guess...

Just have to wait for the final email.
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Have you received the second signature?
 
cooliyak said:
Have you received the second signature?
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Yeah, on the 9th. I called about it today..... (pretty much what they asked us not to do) but, I just had to ask. Just waiting until we hear something "real" haha.
 
cooliyak said:
How long after you submitted your paperwork did you get your signatures? And how long in between them?
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My signature was there immediately. the OFAM Approver's signature was there 9 days after the deadline to turn everything in. There will only be two e-signatures total.
 
cooliyak said:
That makes so much more sense haha. I thought there were 3 signatures. Yours, a 1st NHSC and a second one. Thanks for explaining that.
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Do you have your second signature yet?
 
Do either of you know if they're planning on doing many more after the last round went out?
 
Signed!

Signature: Electronically signed by ******
Role: OFAM Approver, HRSA
Date: 08/15/2013 **** PM EDT
 
Gritz said:
Do either of you know if they're planning on doing many more after the last round went out?
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I am not too sure... however, when I called to ask about things the lady said that "more" would be going out.
 
proxbox said:
Signed!

Signature: Electronically signed by ******
Role: OFAM Approver, HRSA
Date: 08/15/2013 **** PM EDT
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WOOOOOOOO!

Hopefully this means that things are starting to get finalized. I wonder when we are going to get those emails... I think it was on the MD NHSC forum that said the "official congrats emails" will not be coming until early-mid September.
 
BUMP FOR A NEW WEEK!

(I hope this week has more "movement" from the NHSC)
 
cooliyak said:
Wait... What? I'm waiting on my second signature.
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Yeah, I am saying that since you heard later (on the 9th of August rather than the 23rd of July like the rest of us) then you will probably have to wait a bit longer to see your second signature.

It'll come soon! Let us know when it shows up! :)
 
JAWSSS said:
Yeah, I am saying that since you heard later (on the 9th of August rather than the 23rd of July like the rest of us) then you will probably have to wait a bit longer to see your second signature.

It'll come soon! Let us know when it shows up! :)
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Haha yeah sorry, it took me a second to realize what you were saying. I guess you replied before I had a chance to go back and edit my comment.
 
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