MusicalPA Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 Thank you JC40. For those of you familiar with how this scholarship works, once the app is closed and approval notices sent out, can a recipient decline or negotiate their offer? (Maybe because of dislike with part of the offer package) - Or once you are selected, are you obligated to accept the contract? I'm under the impression that once accepted for the scholarship you sign a "mobility agreement" stating you are willing to go where they need you to go. They will request your top 5 choices 6 months before graduating and try and put you in a good fit, but nothing is guaranteed with location and/or specialty. I'm guessing that if you are accepted to the scholarship but decide it isn't for you, that you can reject the offer because you hadn't signed the "mobility agreement" or contract as one would call it. Once you sign that, you are locked in for 2 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicalPA Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 How would this work if you are almost finished with your first year? Would you get the monthly stipend for the previous months and cost of tuition you already paid? No. It is not retroactive. They will only pay for Fall 2017 tuition on plus the monthly stipend until you graduate. On the Academic Verification form you only put classes and tuition/projected cost for Fall 2017 on. Nothing that you have already completed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicalPA Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 I'm under the impression that once accepted for the scholarship you sign a "mobility agreement" stating you are willing to go where they need you to go. They will request your top 5 choices 6 months before graduating and try and put you in a good fit, but nothing is guaranteed with location and/or specialty. I'm guessing that if you are accepted to the scholarship but decide it isn't for you, that you can reject the offer because you hadn't signed the "mobility agreement" or contract as one would call it. Once you sign that, you are locked in for 2 years. But maybe you have to sign the mobility agreement before you push the "apply" button. I haven't emailed the person in charge of the scholarship about that yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted April 1, 2017 Moderator Share Posted April 1, 2017 Hello everyone.. New to the forum, but saw this post and thought I would give you a few ideas about this program. As I used to work in the VA and know a few things, if you permit, I will enlighten you. At this time, the VA is very understaffed with PA's which is why I'm changing my career path. The VA pays on average around 80K if you meed the minimum standards listed in job postings. There are also, living allowances that bring you up to certain standards of living in certain states/cities. The benefits that also come with these positions are incredible as federal retirement is exceptional and if you want to look further into it, it's called the TSP or Thrift Savings Plan. This scholarship mirrors the Department of Defense USPHS scholarship where for your tuition, you are locked into a contract upon graduation with the Department of Veterans Affairs. They will pay your tuition and more than likely some of your medical books/instruments, and fees, however I would get the extras down to make sure. Being that it's a part of the federal government, they will itemize everything in your contract, trust me on that. I would highly encourage anyone looking for such a scholarship to work within the VA as it won't be hard to make it to the top. Pay for PA's and Psychiatric MD's/DO's is becoming closer to the private market as they (VA) realize that they are losing out on excellent providers. As you will have federal status once you graduate from this program, to see what the VA is paying, utilize USAJOBs.gov and use the search feature along with your dream city/state to see what PA's salaries are going for. Not too long ago I saw Cardio-Thoracic PA positions in Houston,Texas was paying 140k plus benefits.. Not bad at all. If you are a veteran, let me know and I will walk you through your paperwork process in order to get your points for competitive purposes. Also, if anyone has any questions about what the VA world is like, I will be happy to talk to anyone offline, just send me an email or a number. I hope this scholarship will become written in stone as I've about a year of pre-reqs to get done before I can apply. For clarification, I am a Marine Vet, who just left the mental health service line at the VA and now work for the Dept.of the Navy in Mental Health. Good Luck, Gavmalav I have had a very different experience with the VA I am prior service with a disability rating and have wanted to work for the VA for 15 years After they finally got back to calling me back, they made an offer that was laughable - was WELL under what RN's get paid, was >$40,000 LESS then the local hospital system. They readily admitt that they want to hire NP(as that is what is always posted) I have a desire to work for the VA - but the BS is a joke, the salary is easily 30-40 THOUSAND less then the going rate, and the politics of fighting for a job to be posted PA and NP is stupid.... sorry I am out of wanting to work at the VA.... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btvample Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 When you sign the mobility agreement, you give them a top 5 placement list 6 months before you graduate? Is the mobility agreement within the united states? Could you go to another country for your service obligation? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pabound2016 Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 Does anyone know how many awards they plan on granting for this application cycle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsylte Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 I think they are awarding 25. Should hear in mid June. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPZ Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 When you sign the mobility agreement, you give them a top 5 placement list 6 months before you graduate? Is the mobility agreement within the united states? Could you go to another country for your service obligation? thanks I asked the contact for the scholarship this question. Placements are within the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1234g Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 has anyone heard back/have an idea when we will in regards to getting or not getting the HPSP? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPZ Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 has anyone heard back/have an idea when we will in regards to getting or not getting the HPSP? I haven't heard anything, but I believe you can check the status of your application on the usajobs.gov website. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wamucc Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 I haven't heard either. Does anyone know when they expect to make a final decision? I can't find any specifics about that online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codyrl27 Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 Has anyone heard anything from this at all? Early and Mid June have passed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awesome_Otter Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 I just got an e-mail saying that my application was passed on to the selection committee. However I was not among the most highly rated so they will not review it again unless they need more applicants in the next 90 days. I am not a veteran and not in my 2nd year of school so I will be low priority overall. Just a heads up that there was some action on my account. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codyrl27 Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 I just got an e-mail saying that my application was passed on to the selection committee. However I was not among the most highly rated so they will not review it again unless they need more applicants in the next 90 days. I am not a veteran and not in my 2nd year of school so I will be low priority overall. Just a heads up that there was some action on my account. I got a reply too, same results as you but I am a veteran and about to start my second year in school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPZ Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 I just got an e-mail saying that my application was passed on to the selection committee. However I was not among the most highly rated so they will not review it again unless they need more applicants in the next 90 days. I am not a veteran and not in my 2nd year of school so I will be low priority overall. Just a heads up that there was some action on my account. I received the same email. They do encourage to reapply next year so maybe better luck next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codyrl27 Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 I received the same email. They do encourage to reapply next year so maybe better luck next time. I am in a top 5 PA program, veteran with over 10% comp, over 3.0 GPA, what else do they want? HAHHAHA I'm just sour right now. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pabound2016 Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 I just got an e-mail saying that my application was passed on to the selection committee. However I was not among the most highly rated so they will not review it again unless they need more applicants in the next 90 days. I am not a veteran and not in my 2nd year of school so I will be low priority overall. Just a heads up that there was some action on my account. Got the same email. Did everyone get this as a reply? I am an incoming first year and not a veteran, so I was low priority too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wamucc Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 I am in a top 5 PA program, veteran with over 10% comp, over 3.0 GPA, what else do they want? HAHHAHA I'm just sour right now. Based on the response I got, they said they were told to focus on students with less than 12 months left to graduation. If your second year is longer than that, maybe that's the reason? Though, to me, that seems nit-picky. You seriously sound like the candidate they specifically said they were looking for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicalPA Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 I'm sure they are trying to pay as little for one person as possible and get the most service obligation out of someone considering it is a minimum of 2 years no matter how many months of school you have left. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrspastudent Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 I applied and got accepted! They have not really given me many more answers than what I have seen here posted on this forum. Best of luck to everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicalPA Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 24 minutes ago, mrspastudent said: I applied and got accepted! They have not really given me many more answers than what I have seen here posted on this forum. Best of luck to everyone! Congrats! It would be great if scholarship receivers could "blog" their experience through the process of getting a job through the VA. One reason we decided not to apply for the scholarship is that there seemed to be too many "risks" of the unknown, especially with salary. Where I found on the govt website is that a PA with a master's with no experience(straight out of PA school) would start at a GS-09 level which the pay seemed too low to be worth it. I'm sure there are other factors, but it would be great for future scholarship applicants to have a better idea on what they would be getting themselves into. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellness Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 What is the timeline on the application of this? I was accepted to a January start program this past July. I assume it's too late to look into something like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicalPA Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 6 hours ago, Wellness said: What is the timeline on the application of this? I was accepted to a January start program this past July. I assume it's too late to look into something like this. I don't see it on USAjobs right now. The OP posted it to this thread in March. I believe it had a deadline of June 1st. They give preference to "in your last year of PA school" and veterans. I bet they will open it again around March 2018. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellness Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 6 hours ago, JC40 said: I don't see it on USAjobs right now. The OP posted it to this thread in March. I believe it had a deadline of June 1st. They give preference to "in your last year of PA school" and veterans. I bet they will open it again around March 2018. Okay, thanks! I was trying to do some digging and found little explanation on the website about the application process. The benefits are drawn out well, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmostaTexan Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 This is great news. I'd already been hoping to work for the VA at some point or another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.