How does OP have a long way to go? Don't you have to apply for the scholarship before you begin school in order to receive it (at least for all 4 years)? They don't award scholarships retroactively, after you have changed your career choices umpteen times, do they?
TBH, you might be thinking about another program. This is a full tuition scholarship plus stipend in return for a service commitment, very similar to the one the military has. OP seems to be spot on -- the NHSC document describing the program explicitly says they expect to be able to fund around 10% of new applicants. The exact opposite of "not hard at all."
It's a full ride to med school in return for a 4 year service commitment. Why wouldn't every single med student in the county who is interested in either serving the underserved (apparently, we all are, at least according to our apps
) OR just interested in primary care w/o a NYU acceptance be interested in this program??
With respect to OP's question, while I cannot profess to be an expert, since I am merely a fellow pre-med, I would guess that what sets an applicant apart in a competition with a 10% success rate for a full ride is simply the depth of the commitment to serving the underserved, as demonstrated through years of prior service, as opposed to an ability to BS your way through a few essays.
I seriously doubt there is any magic formula to success beyond that. Plus, of course, the other things they look for, like not defaulting on prior financial commitments, disadvantaged background, etc. Basically, if I didn't fit squarely within all of the desired criteria, I wouldn't bother applying, given the relative lack of funding, but that's just me not wanting to waste time or effort They are clearly looking for people most likely to serve for the long term (disadvantaged people from the target areas with a demonstrated desire to return), and not people looking for a scholarship in return for a 4 year commitment.
