NHSC's future?

[alina_s]

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I applied to the NHSC scholar's program last year and was rejected. I am trying to decide whether to apply again and have been looking at the NHSC scholar opportunities periodically. I noticed that there seem to be far fewer scholar-eligible sites in my field this year than when I was looking last year; has anyone heard anything about funding cuts? Or have the criteria for scholar vs loan repayment sites changed? I am pretty flexible about sites but at the last search, there were only about 35 psychiatry spots in the whole country and there are definately areas I wouldn't want to live in. The loan repayment program seems like a safer bet but it would make me inelgible for IHS sites, which I am interested in.

 

[neurobiology]

I think I remember reading in NHSC's newsletter about six months ago that President Bush has increased their funding. I am applying myself this year, so I hope that is true since that will increase my chances of getting the scholarship.

Good luck!

 

[alina_s]

Good luck, neurobiology! I heard about the funding increases last year and had the impression that they were supposed to affect that group of applicants. That was part of why I was surprised that every applicant I know was rejected. It's also why I am surprised that there are so few sites. Maybe the funding increase is being directed towards the loan repayment program rather than the scholars program? Or is the new plan to limit the number of sites so much that each one will have to be filled?

 

[tedstriker]

By law the NHSC has to have least 3 opportunities for every 1 NHSC scholar. So my guess is that the number of sites will increase once they start increasing the number of NHSC scholarships...

 

[alina_s]

Thanks, tedstriker. That's a useful and reassuring bit of information.

 

[wyo]

Also, IHS has their own loan repayment program. If that's what you are interested in, I'd definately check it out. I'm not sure how it compares, but they really need doctors. Especially in certain parts of the country.