NHSC Scholarship LORs

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JesusInvert

Full Member
2+ Year Member
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Hello everyone, I wanted to post my dilemma to see if you all have any suggestions.

I am applying for the NHSC scholarship and their online application requires two letters of recommendation. The requirements are as follows:
  • One letter from the Department Chair, faculty advisor, or faculty member of your current health professions program or most recent academic program; and
  • One additional letter of recommendation from an individual—but not a family member—who is familiar with your professional, community, and/or civic activities, especially related to underserved communities.
I am really struggling with the first LOR as I have been out of school for some time (graduated may 2019). When I did undergrad, I built a great repertoire with one of my protein engineering professors and she wrote a LOR for medical school. Should I use her again? Or, should I reach out to the de facto Department Chair who was also my faculty advisor after I transferred to the university (first 2 years were elsewhere). I rarely talked to her (maybe 2-3 times a semester to discuss academic struggles and adjusting my study habits), and I got a C+ in her class, Cell Biology (maybe i’m just being neurotic but I truly didn’t feel stellar in her eyes). What should I do? Do you think the protein engineering professor would fulfill the LOR requirement better and be more meaningful?

The additional letter from an individual shouldn’t be a problem because I have a fantastic relationship with one of the former internists I used to scribe for. I still keep in touch with her to date and after we were both laid off, she said that if I ever needed a letter of recommendation she would be happy to write it.

Any advice or productive dialogue would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!!!
 
I would look at the thread on this in the section below financial aid. Seems like it’s a really not great deal quite often. The owing 4x as much as they pay if you quit the limited jobs that your allowed to have is terrible. I actually think HPSP is a better deal.
 
I would look at the thread on this in the section below financial aid. Seems like it’s a really not great deal quite often. The owing 4x as much as they pay if you quit the limited jobs that your allowed to have is terrible. I actually think HPSP is a better deal.
Thanks for pointing out the thread i’ll check it out. I’ve been leaning against the program because I am dead set on family medicine but don’t want to overly limit myself when I graduate. Great point.