advice on national health service corps scholarship application

[smq123]

Do they have last years still on the website so at least I can start preparing my essays and recc letters for it?

thanx

A) Last year's application was never available on any website. Last year, it was a scantron application (the kind that require #2 pencils), so the only way you could see it was by actually applying.

B) This question, by my recollection, has been asked AT LEAST 3 times on this thread so far.

Here was what I answered the last time that someone asked:

Sure, I can understand your frustration.

But please, do NOT stress out about the time needed to complete the application! It is an extremely straight forward application - strictly multiple choice, and it is literally designed like a personality test. (It is a grown-up version of those "quizzes" that you see in Cosmo or Glamour. Literally!) It should take you no more than 2 hours to fill out the entire application. It takes me longer to do my taxes - it shouldn't even take up an entire afternoon.

The application for the NHSC scholarship is NOTHING like a med school application. NO essay, NO LORs, and NO CV required. The only thing that you need to send is a copy of your med school's curriculum - which is probably even available online - and confirmation that you are a student there (or will be in the near future).

Just to be clear: NO ESSAYS. AND NO LORS. AND NO CV/RESUME NEEDED EITHER!

Good luck!

(Maybe we need an FAQ for the top of this forum? That answers all those questions about the NHSC and the application process? I'll definitely write one if anyone thinks that it would help future applicants....)

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[HumblePi]

Hello. I'm going to start at Med School this year (class of 2012) and plan to apply for the NHSC. I'm not sure yet if I'd like to work 2, 3, or 4 years.

If I apply for 4 years, and change my mind later on, can I cancel the final two years? I imagine you increase your chances of being accepted if you apply for a longer period of time, no?

 

[smq123]

Hello. I'm going to start at Med School this year (class of 2012) and plan to apply for the NHSC. I'm not sure yet if I'd like to work 2, 3, or 4 years.

If I apply for 4 years, and change my mind later on, can I cancel the final two years? I imagine you increase your chances of being accepted if you apply for a longer period of time, no?

I don't think it necessarily affects your chances, actually.

I applied 2 years ago, for a three year scholarship, and did NOT get it. But then I applied again last year, for a two year scholarship, and DID get it.

So I really don't think that it makes a big difference.

If you're not sure that you'd like to fill out a 4 year service contract, you could try applying for a two year scholarship now. Then, if you decide that you'd like to serve for three years, you can apply for a one year extension once your two year contract runs out.

The NHSC Scholarship Program award and contract will be for the 2007-2008 school year and *additional school years (Optional Contracts) requested by the applicant and agreed to by the Secretary as indicated on the signed contracts. Support will be paid for the years agreed to in the contracts, provided the student is enrolled full-time in eligible academic courses leading to the degree for which he/she was funded and is not repeating course work.

If a student signs a contract for only 1 year of support (2007-2008 school year), his/her scholarship support will be terminated as of June 30, 2008. Should this student decide that he/she would like additional scholarship support for the next school year (2008-2009) and any subsequent school years through graduation, the student must submit a report and/or letter verifying his/her good standing and a signed contract for that school year (and, if desired, Optional Contracts for subsequent school years through graduation—up to the maximum of 4 school years of support). Please be advised that since all recipients incur a minimum 2-year service commitment, it may be in the best interest of the student to sign contracts for 2 years of support, if the student will need scholarship support for all or part of the 2008-2009 school year. The verification of good standing report/letter and the signed contract(s) must be received by the last Friday of March of the year in which support would be continued. For example, if a scholar wanted continued support for the 2008-2009 school year, the materials must be received by March 28, 2008.

If they have funds available, then they will extend your contract.

(At least, this was an option last year. You should check the newest applicant bulletin to make sure that this is still an option. http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov/applications/scholarship/1.htm#deferments)

 

[cableguy]

... The NHSC's list of qualified sites was unavailable for months! And at just the time that hundreds of scholars are looking for jobs... quote]

I guess I don't understand...I'm an NHSC scholar too and from what I have seen, the list is always available in PDF format on their site: http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov/jobs/

In fact, I have noticed that it is updated monthly too and all the employer contact information is posted with in the PDF as well.

Why do you say the list is unavailable? Am I missing something?

thanks, -will

 

[GrantFP]

The list was unavailable for a few months, probably from around Aug 07 to Nov 07. It used to be a searchable drop down menu and you could filter by degree, discipline, state, etc. It was then posted in PDF format, which is very difficult to search efficiently.

By the way, the "employer contact information" is a misnomer. In my experience, the information nearly always contained typos that made it impossible to make contact, or the contact person no longer worked there, or they just never called/emailed back.

 

[GrantFP]

By the way, I accepted a FP job in rural Southeastern Ohio, to start in July. At the time I interviewed, they didn't have a job opening posted on the NHSC website, but they made one available. So my advice is to keep an eye on the list and potential sites and contact them even if they fill their listed position.

Also see http://hpsafind.hrsa.gov/. You can find HPSA areas that have not applied to the NHSC. You could start your own practice in one of those areas or join an existing practice. But the NHSC does have rules that would apply to any practice you join, and the process of registering a site with the NHSC takes months. So think ahead.

I'm not going to reply to any more private messages. I'm on here to help provide information that you can't get from the NHSC. So please post questions in the forums, where everyone can benefit.

 

[simpler2]

For those committed to underserved/rural medicine...reading everything that has been going on with NHSC scholarship I feel for the anxiety this must be producing. Going into my 4th school year as a scholar, I have become much more aware of the variety of options that are available to eliminate loans (state HSC programs, loan repayment, non-profit forgiveness programs,...) The scholarship is nice but getting it does not reflect your willingness to serve the poor/underserved. I know scholars that have little interest in underserved medicine and its sad to think they are taking money that could be going to those with a great passion for doing so.
Anywho, I just wanted to send some encouragement to those that are frustrated in their efforts to work for the underserved. You all are greatly needed and should know that you are persuing the right path even if a horribly disorganized government agency does not recognize it.

 

[HrvatskiDoktor]

So was anyone else surprised that the application wasn't up today? I was totally expecting a 459pm today, but I guess not.

Anyone call lately and get an update?

 

[HumblePi]

yea i check their website about 3 times a day. i dont have the patience to wait on hold when i call. here's hoping the program will still exist this year?

 

[HillMill]

So much for the end of May....

 

[HumblePi]

i just called earlier today...

the person who answered said the application should be up "within a few weeks". then she said "a week or two."

so i dunno.

 

[HrvatskiDoktor]

i just called earlier today...

the person who answered said the application should be up "within a few weeks". then she said "a week or two."

so i dunno.

Well, technically "a week or two" is "within a few weeks"

But seriously, I've worked with online surveys and such and it does not take 6 months to get things online. I'm sure it is all up and ready to go, and is just waiting for the "go" "no go" for the program.

 

[NYUM]

Who else is a bit dubious of the program starting this year? They keep pushing back the date.

 

[Lurchdubious]

Who else is a bit dubious of the program starting this year? They keep pushing back the date.

I'm....dubious.......lol.

but yeah i'm not gonna hold my breath.

 

[HrvatskiDoktor]

HOLY CRAP!!!!!

Anyone check online today? The bulletin is up, and they have changed the application. This is copied from the website!

So looks like we need a LOR and have 5 essay questions to answer. Since it is due July 9th, I am assuming it will be up by end of day on Monday! Good luck everyone!

HD


The following changes to this year's application requirements will assist applicants in understanding and completing the application.

Applicants are required to:
Submit their application through the on-line portal
Provide the following information on Work/Volunteer Experience(s)
Activity
Dates Involved
Hours Spent per Event
Frequency - On line
Respond to five essay-style questions -- Supplemental Document
Submit a transcript from their last complete year of academic training - Supporting Document
Submit one Dean/Faculty Advisor Evaluation letter - Supporting Document

Applicants must certify that they are not:
Currently excluded (suspended or debarred) or disqualified by a Federal agency from participating in covered transactions.
Delinquent on repayment of any Federal debt. An applicant is considered to be delinquent on a Federal debt if he or she has ever been more than 31 days past due on a scheduled payment. In addition, applicants that are delinquent on a service obligation and/or Federal debt will not be selected for scholarships regardless of circumstances.
Applicants will no longer be required to complete the application booklet since this has been replaced with the essay questions and other supporting documents.

All supporting documents must be RECEIVED by the July 9, 2008 due date. Any applicant that fails to submit a complete application by the deadline will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered for funding under this announcement.

No reminder letter for missing supporting documentation will be sent out.

 

[ajk63]

This is madness!! What about those of us that are beginning medical school? What the heck transcript do I send? I haven't been in school for 4 years. Also, as I'm starting school does the letter come from the dean/faculty advisor of our new school? mayhem! total mayhem!

 

[Smctbone]

This is madness!! What about those of us that are beginning medical school? What the heck transcript do I send? I haven't been in school for 4 years. Also, as I'm starting school does the letter come from the dean/faculty advisor of our new school? mayhem! total mayhem!

yeah...I also like how we didnt know we needed an LOR until the summer, when pretty much all the profs I know are off doing their own thing far from their normal modes of contact and certainly beyond reach of the "institution's letterhead"
This is going to be a little difficult.
(but, of course, worth it )

 

[Lurchdubious]

ditto on ridiculous. the whole LOR thing is enough to make me not want to apply. at least not this year. the 3 people i know who would write that letter are busier now than during the school year. they might consider doing the letter if we could give them at least 2 months to write it...

 

[Smctbone]

Well, it was up for a few minutes this morning...not sure what happened though. I'd post the link here, but the certificate is expired and it's not letting me log back in...

 

[montessori2md]

So it was down most of yesterday, but last night I was able to do the first few pages. What I really wanted to do was print the forms, but of course the stupid thing wants you to do all this other bs first....

 

[montessori2md]

Also the five essay questions are posted on the bulletin part of the site, so the app doesn't have to be live for you to work on that.

It's in the section labelled application checklist or something like that.

 

[Kernal83]

I think I'm interested in the scholarship, but I was just looking at the website and it scared the hell out of me. If you decided to change your mind about your specialty the government totally gouges you. It kind of cut off, but I think that the formula went as such:

A = 3 B (T-S)

Where A is the amount the government would hunt you down for, B is the amount of money they gave you, T is the time left on your contract, and S is the amount of time you served. AND it only gives you one year to pay it back. Scary!

 

[Khanoom]

I think I'm interested in the scholarship, but I was just looking at the website and it scared the hell out of me. If you decided to change your mind about your specialty the government totally gouges you. It kind of cut off, but I think that the formula went as such:

A = 3 B (T-S)

Where A is the amount the government would hunt you down for, B is the amount of money they gave you, T is the time left on your contract, and S is the amount of time you served. AND it only gives you one year to pay it back. Scary!

I met up with a family doc who had done the program and she told me that loan repayment is a much better idea. She warned me that my placements would not necessarily be good ones..... Anyone like to chime in please.

 

[montessori2md]

Don't apply! Leave room for the people dumb enough to apply, like me : )

 

[GrantFP]

I met up with a family doc who had done the program and she told me that loan repayment is a much better idea. She warned me that my placements would not necessarily be good ones..... Anyone like to chime in please.

I'm FP PGY3, starting job July 7. I'm thrilled about my placement, but I thank God for that. Being a Scholar means more financial benefits (monthly stipend, all educational supplies paid for, unlimited payment for tuition) but it is gamble with regards to where you could end up. You do have choices, of course, but not very many! They told us that placement at certain sites was "competitive."

The NHSC also does loan repayment, and so do state agencies. Your future employer is VERY likely to help you repay your loans as well. So it is highly likely you can get significant loans repaid (I'm talking like $25k per year for 4 years) no matter where you work - underserved or not.

I couldn't be happier with how it worked out for me - zero loans and a perfect placement. But I think overall waiting for loan repayment is the wiser choice.

 

[collinscs]

Oh my...

So for the letter of recommendation, I'm in a bind. I'm just starting as a first year next year, so I can't get my med school to write it for me. And I went to a big undergrad where there was no pre-med committee and the pre-health advisors had 200+ kids each! AND I graduated 2 years ago, so even if on the off chance I can get in touch with an advisor, the chances they remember me? Slim to none.

I have been working for the past year, though, with an organization that serves underpriveleged kids. Do you think it would be acceptable if my boss (a pediatrician) wrote my LOR? She's been my advisor/mentor/etc very closely for the past 2 years.

I'm going to call later on today to ask the HelpLine, so I'll post a better answer for all... but any insight is greatly appreciated!!

 

[Smctbone]

Oh my...

So for the letter of recommendation, I'm in a bind. I'm just starting as a first year next year, so I can't get my med school to write it for me. And I went to a big undergrad where there was no pre-med committee and the pre-health advisors had 200+ kids each! AND I graduated 2 years ago, so even if on the off chance I can get in touch with an advisor, the chances they remember me? Slim to none.

I have been working for the past year, though, with an organization that serves underpriveleged kids. Do you think it would be acceptable if my boss (a pediatrician) wrote my LOR? She's been my advisor/mentor/etc very closely for the past 2 years.

I'm going to call later on today to ask the HelpLine, so I'll post a better answer for all... but any insight is greatly appreciated!!

I'd go with whatever they tell you on the help line, but I would think they would accept that. It's not exactly what theyre looking for, but it gets the job done. The LOR is likely going to be the deal breaker for most of us, so hopefully theyll find themselves making exceptions.

 

[Wind Up Bird]

Oh my...

So for the letter of recommendation, I'm in a bind. I'm just starting as a first year next year, so I can't get my med school to write it for me. And I went to a big undergrad where there was no pre-med committee and the pre-health advisors had 200+ kids each! AND I graduated 2 years ago, so even if on the off chance I can get in touch with an advisor, the chances they remember me? Slim to none.

I have been working for the past year, though, with an organization that serves underpriveleged kids. Do you think it would be acceptable if my boss (a pediatrician) wrote my LOR? She's been my advisor/mentor/etc very closely for the past 2 years.

I'm going to call later on today to ask the HelpLine, so I'll post a better answer for all... but any insight is greatly appreciated!!

i've been wondering about that as well - i don't know my advisors from college very well at all, and i've been out of school for three years! did you end up calling the help line, and were you able to find out anything about using a LOR writer other than an academic advisor? Thanks in advance!

 

[Wind Up Bird]

Is anyone else having trouble with the online application? For example, the Work/Volunteer Experience section doesn't have an option for the year 2008 and also doesn't let you enter activities that you participated in concurrently with each other.

 

[montessori2md]

Is anyone else having trouble with the online application? For example, the Work/Volunteer Experience section doesn't have an option for the year 2008 and also doesn't let you enter activities that you participated in concurrently with each other.

Helpline says: Put in random dates, print it, use whiteout to fix the dates, and apologized at least 6 times for the screw up.

 

[HillMill]

So what about the dates on the online application that is submitted? How will they know those are incorrect?

 

[I See You]

is anybody having problem actually printing the application? clicking on the view and submit button gives you an error page. It is not the version of adobe(i have the latest version) and i dont think it's my computer

 

[montessori2md]

So what about the dates on the online application that is submitted? How will they know those are incorrect?

I personally don't think they are going to use the online submission at all. I think they will rely on the printed copy you send them, as the instructions state to print 2 copies, one for them and one for you. But it is annoying, especially since they make you say you didn't falsify any information, and you're being asked to intentionally falsify the dates.

 

[suenos]

does anyone have a sense of what the timeline is going to be for interviews and notification of acceptance? i was looking at last year's schedule and the application was DUE march 30th, with interviews in april-may and award notification in august-september. this year it's due july 11, and i'm wondering if we're not going to receive award notifications until mid-semester (and if so, how do we figure out payment of tuition etc. in the meantime?) or if they are just going to super speed up the process so that we still find out in aug-sept. anyone talked to the helpline or read something about this that i might have missed??

 

[smq123]

i was looking at last year's schedule and the application was DUE march 30th, with interviews in april-may and award notification in august-september.

I think that the only thing that you can depend on with the NHSC is that the process will drastically change without advance notice.

For instance - yes, last year's schedule planned on having interviews in April-May, as you pointed out. Then, at the last minute, they ditched the interviews, and just handed out scholarships instead. That was a little surprising, to say the least.

(But award notification was still in early September.)

this year it's due july 11, and i'm wondering if we're not going to receive award notifications until mid-semester (and if so, how do we figure out payment of tuition etc. in the meantime?) or if they are just going to super speed up the process so that we still find out in aug-sept. anyone talked to the helpline or read something about this that i might have missed??

They may just speed up the process, especially if they didn't have interviews last year.

Even last year, I was notified that I had received a scholarship in September, but the school year had already started back in July. I don't think that there's been a year in recent memory where someone got a scholarship BEFORE the school year started. What you have to do is basically take out loans, as if you didn't have the scholarship, and then (if you do win one), send back the loan money. It's kind of a pain.

 

[suenos]

thanks for the heads-up, smq. i did just call them, and the rep i talked to said we're probably not doing interviews this year because the process is pretty late, plus they are trying to get an understanding of who we are through the 5 essays we have to complete. i better polish up my essays and make sure they are PERFECT! he said we should still be finding out our award status by september.

 

[Khanoom]

I'm FP PGY3, starting job July 7. I'm thrilled about my placement, but I thank God for that. Being a Scholar means more financial benefits (monthly stipend, all educational supplies paid for, unlimited payment for tuition) but it is gamble with regards to where you could end up. You do have choices, of course, but not very many! They told us that placement at certain sites was "competitive."

The NHSC also does loan repayment, and so do state agencies. Your future employer is VERY likely to help you repay your loans as well. So it is highly likely you can get significant loans repaid (I'm talking like $25k per year for 4 years) no matter where you work - underserved or not.

I couldn't be happier with how it worked out for me - zero loans and a perfect placement. But I think overall waiting for loan repayment is the wiser choice.

If I was single I would do the scholarship, truth of the matter is Ill be dragging my husband all over the place for the next 7-8yrs and I dont think it would be fair to him for me to then say" we have to go to so and so for another 2-4yrs" I think its a bit much to ask of a partner. That has really been my concern in terms of placement.

Thanx for the advice/

 

[HrvatskiDoktor]

How's everyone doing on their apps? I pretty much just have to finish up the essays! Part of me wishes that we just had that questionairre to fill out. The essays are the worst part of applications!

Good luck finishing them up everyone!

HD

 

[Smctbone]

How's everyone doing on their apps? I pretty much just have to finish up the essays! Part of me wishes that we just had that questionairre to fill out. The essays are the worst part of applications!

Good luck finishing them up everyone!

HD

same here...just have to solidify the essays! Well, okay, so there's still the LOR issue. I'm having a pretty hard time getting in touch with any/all of my previous advisors. But it'll work out in the end I'm sure.
12 more days!

 

[HillMill]

Do to guys think Monday is too late to send everything?
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[montessori2md]

Do to guys think Monday is too late to send everything?
Posted via Mobile Device

Not if you send it priority. I wouldn't risk standard 1st class, and this is assuming you live in the continental US.

Sent mine in today!! Feel very glad to have that app no longer hanging over my head!

 

[montessori2md]

http://www.hrsa.gov/about/budgetjustification09/NHSC.htm

 

[HrvatskiDoktor]

Do to guys think Monday is too late to send everything?
Posted via Mobile Device

I'm either putting mine in the mail tomorrow or Monday. I plan to pay the extra to overnight the packet. I would much rather have the piece of mind knowing that it got there than risk it.

Just out of curiosity, where are you guys going to school? I'm going to KCOM, starting this fall.

 

[HrvatskiDoktor]

http://www.hrsa.gov/about/budgetjustification09/NHSC.htm

Great find! So, it looks like they want to award 84 scholarships this year. I wonder how many people will actually apply. I know of a few that aren't going to make the deadline due to the LOR. That's really tough.

 

[suenos]

i'm going to MSU-CHM, which is famous for churning out primary care doctors, so maybe that might help!

does NHSC normally give only a month between when they post the application and when it's due? i can imagine how hard it would be to get your LOR ready in time.. luckily i had a super responsible advisor get it done ASAP but i can imagine that that would weed out a lot of people who just couldn't get it together in time.

 

[HrvatskiDoktor]

i'm going to MSU-CHM, which is famous for churning out primary care doctors, so maybe that might help!

does NHSC normally give only a month between when they post the application and when it's due? i can imagine how hard it would be to get your LOR ready in time.. luckily i had a super responsible advisor get it done ASAP but i can imagine that that would weed out a lot of people who just couldn't get it together in time.

So, you are in week 2! How do you like it so far? I am also going to a school that cranks out a lot of primary care doctors, and I think at my interview, they said they have a couple scholars right now.

NHSC has always given just one month to fill it all out. The wrench is that this is the first time they have required a LOR (and essays) and no one knew about it, so everyone is scrambling.

 

[montessori2md]

Great find! So, it looks like they want to award 84 scholarships this year. I wonder how many people will actually apply. I know of a few that aren't going to make the deadline due to the LOR. That's really tough.

According to 2006 data, between 1600-1800 applications are typically received, and that includes all applicants (ie, dental, nursing, PA....). 30-50% of recipients qualified as disadvantaged and/or minority candidates.

What the data don't state is how many of the applications were actually completed apps. Older data suggest that approx. 900 interviews were conducted for 100+ scholarships, so that would indicate in the past, that approx half of the applicants were considered well-qualified. This year, with the major changes in the application, I want to say there will be fewer applicants.

This, by the way, suggests that their website's data of 1:7 odds of getting a scholarship are total BS. That stat MAY be true if you are a minority/disadvantaged candidate (and this year those odds may be even better!).

 

[suenos]

According to 2006 data, between 1600-1800 applications are typically received, and that includes all applicants (ie, dental, nursing, PA....).

are those applications for the scholarship program alone, or does that also include the loan repayment program? i can't imagine that there would be a 5% acceptance rate (84/1600) when they estimate a 14% acceptance rate.

So, you are in week 2! How do you like it so far?

well, actually i'm at the MD school so i don't start orientation til mid-august -- which is actually a big relief cuz i'm trying to get some extra work hours and weekend vacations in before i have to buckle down under pages of anatomy and biochem notes again!

so hrvatski, you have already been accepted into NHSC? have you talked to anyone who has started their actual service commitment? i'm really curious about service corps members' experiences out in the field, and also how the process works for expressing a preference about where you end up getting placed, and how much that gets factored into the final decision about where you go.

 

[ashbrant]

I'm at MSUCOM (which also produces tons of PCPs), so I just finished my second week. It's great so far, but more intense than I was expecting. Anatomy is condensed to 8 weeks so we're flying through the material but we're still expected to know everything. The timing with the application is problematic because I'm trying to dedicate all of my free time to anatomy. Hopefully my essays don't suffer because of it. Our first exam is Tuesday so I probably won't be able to send my app materials in until Wednesday, overnighted of course. Luckily, my grad school advisor has been very helpful and was willing to do the rec with little notice.

 

[HillMill]

Does anyone know what we are supposed to do about the direct deposit form on the checklist of documents to send in? I didn't see a form in the supplemental documents for this. Thanks for the help!