NHSC chances for non-disadvantaged applicant (2021-2022 cycle)?

[Rusino]

Hi all!

I have just submitted my NHSC application this week. I am not disadvantaged by the definition of the NHSC. I spent about half a decade of my life in a rural village abroad with family, a few months at a time. That certainly was an underserved/rural area. I did not even mention this in my essays because I could not find an organic opportunity to bring it in (that may have been a mistake). I did not want to claim a disadvantage I did not deserve. I am appreciative of where I am in life today and I want to give back to others, which is why I am pursuing rural medicine in the first place.

In terms of my activities, however, I have been deeply involved with a local free clinic for the past four years, where I have worked with underserved populations extensively. I wrote about that heavily in my essays. I described my interactions with patients and programs I enacted in my time there, as well as their impact. I am a public health major and I incorporated many public health principles into my writing. I am also a recipient of a rural, primary care medicine scholarship at my medical school, which I highlighted in my CV. I am 100% confident that I will be going into rural primary care (likely FM). I am deeply passionate about this path and I tried my best to convey that in my essays in an authentic manner. Yet that is a difficult thing to convince others of when applying for programs such as this as a non-disadvantaged student and I feel like it is an uphill battle.

The NHSC sent out an email this year saying that the CARES Act awarded them an extra $880 million in funding and that they will accept a record number of applicants this year. I am somewhat optimistic because of this fact. However, the 10% acceptance rate statistic makes it pretty daunting. I know no one can give me a definitive answer, but I was wondering if there are any non-disadvantaged scholars out there or if anyone knows any anecdotal stories about people who got the scholarship in the past without such a status. Don't be afraid to lay into me though.

I guess I can always reapply next year, but I feel like my chances will never be better than now because of that CARES Act provision.

Thank you!

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[smq123]

I’m not disadvantaged in any way, and I still got the scholarship. I did have a history of working with underserved populations as a college and medical student but I’m not personally from a disadvantaged background.

 

[Rusino]

I’m not disadvantaged in any way, and I still got the scholarship. I did have a history of working with underserved populations as a college and medical student but I’m not personally from a disadvantaged background.

Thank you for sharing! It might be just confirmation bias at this point, but I feel I am in the same boat and can afford a bit of optimism.

 

[simpler2]

I also received scholarship and, other then being first gen college grad, am about a demographically privileged as they come. I was pulled off a wait list the year I received for a 4 year award. Having seen many people receive and be denied both NHSC Scholarship and Loan Repayment over the years, I can confidently say I still have no idea what ultimately results in an award to one person and not to another. It stands to reason that a larger pot of money should result in more recipients but would be impossible to say as this program/process has never been transparent.
I continue to feel that it should be reasonable to expect you should have to pay little to none of your medical school costs if you are flexible in location and plan to work at a rural or high HPSA score clinical location (due to NHSC Scholarship/LRP and various other incentive programs).

 

[Rusino]

I also received scholarship and, other then being first gen college grad, am about a demographically privileged as they come. I was pulled off a wait list the year I received for a 4 year award. Having seen many people receive and be denied both NHSC Scholarship and Loan Repayment over the years, I can confidently say I still have no idea what ultimately results in an award to one person and not to another. It stands to reason that a larger pot of money should result in more recipients but would be impossible to say as this program/process has never been transparent.
I continue to feel that it should be reasonable to expect you should have to pay little to none of your medical school costs if you are flexible in location and plan to work at a rural or high HPSA score clinical location (due to NHSC Scholarship/LRP and various other incentive programs).

Yeah, I am sure I will find some incentive program/scholarship (private, federal, or state) somewhere down the road. I know the NHSC is not my only option and I actually already have a small-ish rural med scholarship at my med school. Given that I am indeed flexible about my location and plans, I am sure I can find some options.

I was just kind of hoping to keep things simple for myself and minimize the number of applications I have to deal with. And also minimize my financial stress sooner rather than later (i.e. getting the NHSC Scholarship in September offers more immediate financial/emotional security than getting some state equivalent a year or two from now).