Questions for NHSC scholars? Difficulties switching out of primary care?

[mitskistan69]

I'm having a hard time finding a lot of information about the NHSC scholarship. I'm wondering what everyone's experiences have been with it and if anyone regretted taking the scholarship? 

 

It seems like a great idea, but I don't want to limit myself in terms of what specialty I initially go into before I go into rotations and, from what I see, you have to specify some kind of primary care specialty. I also want to go into surgery at some point (I have interest in primary care as well), but I wonder how hard it would be to get into certain surgical subspecialties if you aren't a new grad. Has anyone had any difficulty switching out of primary care and into surgery? I want to be out of debt completely a couple years after PA school and I feel like the scholarship is the best option.

[MusicalPA]

On 7/27/2022 at 1:41 PM, mitskistan69 said:

I'm having a hard time finding a lot of information about the NHSC scholarship. I'm wondering what everyone's experiences have been with it and if anyone regretted taking the scholarship? 

 

It seems like a great idea, but I don't want to limit myself in terms of what specialty I initially go into before I go into rotations and, from what I see, you have to specify some kind of primary care specialty. I also want to go into surgery at some point (I have interest in primary care as well), but I wonder how hard it would be to get into certain surgical subspecialties if you aren't a new grad. Has anyone had any difficulty switching out of primary care and into surgery? I want to be out of debt completely a couple years after PA school and I feel like the scholarship is the best option.

As a wife of a PA, get the scholarship if you can. A few years in primary care will be worth not being in debt up to your eye balls. My husband didn't want to apply for the scholarship for the reason of not being really interested in primary care. He wanted to do ortho or surgery. After school he landed a job doing primary care with ER coverage at a CAH(we didn't know that type of work combo existed prior to PA school). That scholarship would have been nice. He did the student loan repayment for a few years. He is still working at the same place 3.5yrs out of school. Being on the forum it seems like a lot of people on here say doing primary care for a while can help strengthen your foundation when it comes time to take the PANCE vs. going straight into a speciality. I've also read on here that sometimes doing a sub speciality can pigeonhole you moving to other specialities. I would think if a place is willing to take a new grad in surgery they would be willing to take a PA with some experience in primary care. You would know pretty much the same as a new grad going into a surgery job. A 6 week rotation is just to get you familiar with the speciality. Keep up suturing skills, which depending on where you go for primary care you will do that. According to my husband, surgeon to surgeon will do things differently. So just as soon as he figured out a certain suture or technique the next surgeon on his rotation will tell him he was wrong and to do it a different way. Good luck!

[MusicalPA]

On 7/27/2022 at 1:41 PM, mitskistan69 said:

I'm having a hard time finding a lot of information about the NHSC scholarship. I'm wondering what everyone's experiences have been with it and if anyone regretted taking the scholarship? 

 

It seems like a great idea, but I don't want to limit myself in terms of what specialty I initially go into before I go into rotations and, from what I see, you have to specify some kind of primary care specialty. I also want to go into surgery at some point (I have interest in primary care as well), but I wonder how hard it would be to get into certain surgical subspecialties if you aren't a new grad. Has anyone had any difficulty switching out of primary care and into surgery? I want to be out of debt completely a couple years after PA school and I feel like the scholarship is the best option.

Also, the scholarship probably works a lot like the NHSC student loan repayment when it comes to selecting a job. You need to find a qualified place to work before a certain time or they will help pick a place for you. I would search up qualified places in the area you would like to live and see if job openings will be available. Usually if their site score is high enough they will be looking for providers. I know for the student loan repayment program the qualified site had to have a score of 14 or higher to even be considered. This information is on the NHSC website.

[TeddyRucpin]

On 7/27/2022 at 2:41 PM, mitskistan69 said:

I'm having a hard time finding a lot of information about the NHSC scholarship. I'm wondering what everyone's experiences have been with it and if anyone regretted taking the scholarship? 

 

It seems like a great idea, but I don't want to limit myself in terms of what specialty I initially go into before I go into rotations and, from what I see, you have to specify some kind of primary care specialty. I also want to go into surgery at some point (I have interest in primary care as well), but I wonder how hard it would be to get into certain surgical subspecialties if you aren't a new grad. Has anyone had any difficulty switching out of primary care and into surgery? I want to be out of debt completely a couple years after PA school and I feel like the scholarship is the best option.

You have to be cool with not having much of a say on your job search...and be open to primary care. Some non-NHSC colleagues of mine have already received job offers, pre-PANCE, while on rotations. Anecdotal, but these jobs are all outside of primary care. Personally, having no interest in primary care and wanting a say where I can go post-PA school, I couldn't in good faith apply. 

It seems relatively straightforward to receive this scholarship; I know numerous people who received with a decent range of GPAs, PCE, life experiences, etc. It is totally awesome for someone with flexibility and has a legit interest in primary care. 

Edited September 1, 2022 by TeddyRucpin