Hey everyone! Here are some quick facts and information about the NHSC scholarship program.
The purpose of the scholarship is to encourage healthcare students (from various professions, including PA) to serve in medically underserved communities as primary care providers. The NHSC is run by the HRSA, a subsidiary of the U.S. government.
SERVICE
For PAs, this means working in a medically underserved community for 2 years (for 2 years of scholarship assistance). Additionally, the minimal service is 2 years, so even if you only have the scholarship for your second year of PA school, you still must complete 2 years of full-time service.
ELIGIBILITY
Must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national
Must be ENROLLED or ACCEPTED into PA school and will begin classes BEFORE September 30th
Be attending an accredited PA program within the United States or U.S. territory
Be eligible for federal employment
Not have an existing service obligation (aside from military service)
Submit a complete application (online)
SELECTION / QUALIFYING
The NHSC selects candidates based on 3 factors (in order of importance):
"History of honoring prior legal obligations"¹
Academic performance
"Commitment to a Career in Primary Care & Working in Underserved Communities."¹ based on three essay questions and 2 recommendation letters
Not having any judgment liens from federal debt or being excluded from a federal agency
Now, if you meet all the following requirements, you may be considered for an award. Furthermore, the NHSC selects awardees based on the following criteria:
AWARD SELECTION
Current NHSC scholars
"Characteristics likely to remain in Health Professional Shortage Areas"¹
Disadvantaged background (Either educational or financial)
The NHSC states it is typically capable of awarding 10% of applicants.¹
DEADLINES & DATES
The application typically opens in mid-April & the deadline was May 5th for the 2022-2023 cycle (may vary).
You'll be notified of acceptance or denial by September 30th
You'll receive your first stipend payment + other reasonable cost payment on November 7th (around $10k).
THE AWARD
Tuition + Fee coverage: The NHSC covers your full tuition as well as any fees while in graduate school.
Stipend: The NHSC pays a monthly living expenses payment of ~$1,400 while in graduate school.
Other reasonable cost payments: This payment is for books, lab coats, a laptop, or other costs associated with the school. Mine was a little over $5,000 but will depend on the program you're attending.
Housing/travel/relocation payment: The NHSC will cover moving costs when you travel to the location of your service commitment, as well as travel costs for visiting possible employers or traveling for interviews.
THE SERVICE
No, you do not get "forced" or "shipped" to work anywhere. There is a site, https://connector.hrsa.gov/connector/, where you will visit to search for job opportunities/sites that are classified within "healthcare deficit areas." These are positions you can apply to like any other PA job or recent graduate student would. The pay is the same as it would be for anyone else in primary care in that specific area. Job offers I have seen that posted their salary range from $80-90k on average. Most service commitments will be in rural areas, however, there are many opportunities in big cities as well like NYC, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, etc. (In the northeast U.S. area, at least!). You can apply to positions in ANY state.
You can either complete a full-time or part-time commitment. However, if you are in a part-time position, your commitment time is doubled.
You are allowed normal vacation, sick days, etc. as anyone else and offered the same benefits from your employer as anyone else. It's a normal job! You can expect to have fewer resources than other facilities, though.
Once your service commitment is complete, you can either continue at your current employer, chose to stay within primary care or leave primary care and your area completely. There is no commitment required after your service contract is over.
"How can I become a strong applicant for the NHSC scholarship?"
Here are my stats/information when I applied for the NHSC scholarship (that mirrors what the NHSC wants):
GPA: 3.9 (science, non-science, and overall) (You'll need to send all transcripts for each degree)
A diverse set of service experiences in underserved communities (Service projects in local communities & across the country, fundraising for service trips to Guatemala (international service trips are EXCELLENT to stand out!, and tutoring/mentoring in local underserved communities as well as advocating for equitable patient-care through organizations like ACEP, demonstrating leadership ability)).
A 5-page CV (extended resume) outlining my educational background, desire to work in underserved communities ("Objective"), employment background (Grocery store, PTA in rehabilitation hospital, college tutor), service background (many, diverse, and several leadership positions), organization membership (several PA groups; sub-groups of the AAPA), my credentials (PTA license, BLS/CPR, Stop The Bleed certified, Hands-only CPR presenter with RedCross, etc.), and a list of references.
2 excellent letters of recommendation - one from my current employer, and one from the PA program director at my school. I was blessed enough to have known the program director 2 years prior as I had met with her several times to discuss my application (networking! Highly recommend interacting with someone from each program you apply to, before applying, preferably in-person), and further networking while preparing for the service trip to Guatemala (canceled due to COVID). They both wrote of my character in my academics/work, and my commitment to service in underserved communities & history of service/leadership in these communities.
Documentation of my disadvantaged background (I qualified as both educational and financially disadvantaged - lucky me, right?). I received the federal pell grant for low-income households throughout college and attended a high school district where over 50% of students received free or reduced lunch (my school percentage was far above this!). These are the requirements to classify as having a disadvantaged background.
Three essays detailing my interest in serving underserved communities. These may have been my most well-written, structured writing - ever. Even more so than my essays for PA school. I put everything into these, had everyone I know review them, and multiple visits to the writing center at my school. I focused primarily on experiences in patient care and an impactful service experience I had while mentoring/tutoring Latino/Latina youth in my local community. The essay prompts for the scholarship are usually the same each year, and are posted in their program guide (referenced below).
REFERENCES
For more information, you may visit here: https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/nhsc/scholarships/scholarship-application-guidance.pdf
Disclaimer: I am not, nor do I claim to be an official of the NHSC, HRSA, or U.S. government, and the views expressed in this article do not express those of any organization referenced above. This is simply my personal experience and knowledge of the scholarship, as well as properly cited references as indicated in the text.
Please feel free to reply to this thread with any questions you may have about the scholarship. (You need to create an account before replying!)