NHSC Scholarship

[homeostatician]

Just wondering if anyone was planning on applying for the National Health Service Corps Scholarship. Seems like a pretty sweet deal. Any comments on the matter?

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[Lightwave]

I've been considering it pretty seriously--it IS a sweet deal, but there's part of me that's reluctant to make such a commitment with regards to where and what I'll practice this early in the game (even though I'm quite sure it'll be primary care, and there looks to be plenty of diversity when it comes to potential practice sites.) Instead, I may see if I have any luck applying for their loan repayment program after med school, once I have a better idea of what's going on in my life. The award ($50K) isn't as large as the scholarship, and it's over two years, but it's still pretty decent.

 

[ahumdinger]

I am also considering it. My boyfriend is in his 2nd year right now, and if our relationship goes anywhere, we're gonna have a lot of debt. Right now I'm thinking about going into geriatrics, but like many people, a part of me wants to wait to see how I like the surgical specialties. I really think I would be good at something procedural-- maybe ophthamology, ENT, or urology. I want to take the money now, but I also am afraid that later on, I'll regret not considering other options, for the sole purpose of reducing debt.

 

[annamarie]

Yup, I'm applying--just sent in the packet today. I was wondering if y'all know how much of a choice you have as to where you practice. Do they assign you a location, or can you choose from their list?

Thanks!

 

[homeostatician]

Yup, I'm applying--just sent in the packet today. I was wondering if y'all know how much of a choice you have as to where you practice. Do they assign you a location, or can you choose from their list?

Thanks!

This is what's making me hesitate about applying. I don't know if you have much of a choice of where you get to go. Do they decide where you go, or do you have some say in the matter. I'd be fine if I could stay within the continental US, but I'm not so hot about going to Puerto Rico, Guam, Marianas, Samoa, Micronesia, etc. If i could be sure about staying in the US, I'd apply right away. I'm pretty sure primary care is the field for me, either family practice or internal. I'm also most interested in working with the urban underserved.

 

[PhillyEaglesFan]

thought about it. in the end, i also didn't like the lack of control over where to practice (i like fp and im too). i've heard the nhsc will 'work' with you to get a mutually agreeable location, but they do have the ultimate authority to tell you where to go.

 

[annamarie]

Just wanted to let y'all know that I'm posting a link to this thread in some of the other forums, so maybe someone who has gone through being assigned/choosing a location might be able to give us more insight.

 

[PurpleHaze]

I'm applying also... mailing the application off right now.

 

[RuralMedicine]

thought about it. in the end, i also didn't like the lack of control over where to practice (i like fp and im too). i've heard the nhsc will 'work' with you to get a mutually agreeable location, but they do have the ultimate authority to tell you where to go.

I don't know what kind of materials they send out now but when I applied it was pretty straight forward about the obligations and committments you were making. Perhaps the process has changed. In a nutshell there is a HPSA list and you can apply for any job you are qualified for as long as that site has a high enough HPSA score (loan repayers select sites off the same list but they are allowed to take jobs where the HPSA score is lower). As long as you find a job from the list before the end of June in the final year of your residency NHSC is uninvolved in your placement. If you have not sent them a signed copy of your contract by the last day of June then they will put you in their placement cycle and find you a job. At this point you do not have any control and if the first place they send you wants to hire you then you will either take that job or be considered in default of your scholarship obligation. It really isn't a problem unless you can't find a job.

 

[PurpleHaze]

I don't know what kind of materials they send out now but when I applied it was pretty straight forward about the obligations and committments you were making. Perhaps the process has changed. In a nutshell there is a HPSA list and you can apply for any job you are qualified for as long as that site has a high enough HPSA score (loan repayers select sites off the same list but they are allowed to take jobs where the HPSA score is lower). As long as you find a job from the list before the end of June in the final year of your residency NHSC is uninvolved in your placement. If you have not sent them a signed copy of your contract by the last day of June then they will put you in their placement cycle and find you a job. At this point you do not have any control and if the first place they send you wants to hire you then you will either take that job or be considered in default of your scholarship obligation. It really isn't a problem unless you can't find a job.

Just as a heads up everyone, there's a rather large thread about the scholarship and the application process for it in the Financial Aid Forum!

 

[NapeSpikes]

Does anyone else think the paper app is bizarre? No essays, no LORs, just weird scantron questions. Or is there another part I didn't see?

 

[xaviera_o]

I don't know what kind of materials they send out now but when I applied it was pretty straight forward about the obligations and committments you were making. Perhaps the process has changed. In a nutshell there is a HPSA list and you can apply for any job you are qualified for as long as that site has a high enough HPSA score (loan repayers select sites off the same list but they are allowed to take jobs where the HPSA score is lower). As long as you find a job from the list before the end of June in the final year of your residency NHSC is uninvolved in your placement. If you have not sent them a signed copy of your contract by the last day of June then they will put you in their placement cycle and find you a job. At this point you do not have any control and if the first place they send you wants to hire you then you will either take that job or be considered in default of your scholarship obligation. It really isn't a problem unless you can't find a job.

yup, still the same. you can go on the website and see a list of available jobs for NHSC scholars for right now. they have a lot, i was suprised. if you click on job opportunities, then search vacancies now, you can search for what jobs NHSC scholars can get into.

(BTW I'm not an NHSC scholar, just thinking about applying )