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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

93.288:  National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program

Popular Name:  NHSC Scholarship Program

Objectives:  To assure an adequate supply of primary care physicians, certified nurse midwives, certified family nurse practitioners, and physician assistants; and, if needed by the National Health Service Corps, an adequate supply of other health professionals in the Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) of the U.S.A. by providing service-obligated scholarships to health professions students.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

93.288 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  At the time of award, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national. At the time of award, the applicant must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in accredited school in U.S. The applicant must submit application and signed contract to the Public Health Service (PHS) by the last Friday in March, agreeing to accept payment of scholarship and provide full-time primary health services in a Health Professional Shortage Area.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  The grantee is the beneficiary.

Credentials/Documentation:  Verification of specific program acceptance or enrollment at time of application. Proof of U.S. citizenship at time of award offer. Certificate from medical school of participation in Federal "Scholarship for Students of Exceptional Financial Need" giving priority for selection. Certificate of "Disadvantaged Background" (if claimed) from medical or nursing school financial aid officials if from low-income family or experienced inhibiting educational environment. Physician assistants (PA's) may be certified at their local schools.

93.288 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  Students must be given a fair summary of the rights and liabilities of student applicants prior to application. This summary is included in the application packet. Applications are available directly from the program up to 2 weeks before the application deadline. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:  Application, a signed contract, and other information required (as listed in the application packet) are submitted to the administering Program Office.

Award Procedure:  Priority will be given to applicants who are prior recipients and to former recipients of the Federal Scholarship Program for First-Year Students of Exceptional Financial Need (EFN), or certified by their school as being from a disadvantaged educational background. Special consideration is given to students whose specialty plans are in primary care fields. Criteria which determine competitive ranking for awards may include characteristics that increase the probability of continuing to practice in a Health Professional Shortage area: (a) Work experience, preferably health related, in communities of health care need; (b) personal background from a community of health care need; (c) career goal of primary care practice in Health Professional Shortage Areas; and (d) characteristics that increase the probability of continuing to practice in a Health Professional Shortage area. Student financial need does not affect selection.

Deadlines:  Deadline for receipt of applications for each new academic year is the last Friday in March.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  Notification to successful and rejected applicants is made no later than 6 months after deadline for receipt of application.

Appeals:  None.

Renewals:  Renewal applications are not necessary for students in compliance; contracts may be multi-year funded through graduation (1 to 4 years) from the respective fiscal year appropriation.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Priority will be given to students of allopathic and osteopathic medicine, who are former recipients of the Federal Scholarship Program for First-Year Students of Exceptional Financial Need (EFN). Second priority for consideration will be given to all students who have characteristics which increase the probability they will continue professional practice in a Health Professional Shortage Area when they complete their service obligation. (This includes a primary care specialty preference.) Third priority will be given to students with the first priority who are from "disadvantaged backgrounds.

Examples of Funded Projects:  Scholarships covering tuition, monthly stipends and payments for other reasonable education expenses made to medical school students, as well as for students of nurse practitioner, nurse midwifery and physician assistant programs.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  Monthly stipend payment for the 1999/2000 school year is $964.

93.288 RELATED PROGRAMS:

• 93.108 Health Education Assistance Loans;
• 93.162 National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment;
• 93.342 Health Professions Student Loans;
• 93.364 Nursing Student Loans;
• 93.820 Scholarships for Students of Exceptional Financial Need;
• 93.972 Health Professions Scholarship Program.

93.288 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

93.288 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Type of Assistance:  Project Grants.

Obligations:  (Grants) FY 99 $28,522,790; FY 00 est $28,521,250; and FY 01 est $28,521,250.

Budget Account Number:  75-0350-0-1-550.

Authorization:  Public Health Service Act, Title III, Sections 338A and 338C-E, 338G, as amended, Public Law 101-597.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  The most recent regulations, 42 CFR 62.1-14, were published on August 20, 1980. Information Bulletin published annually and Program Fact Sheets are available at no charge.

93.288 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  Not applicable.

Headquarters Office:  Program Contact: Chief, Scholarship Programs Branch, Division of Scholarships and Loan Repayments, Bureau of Primary Health Care, Health Resources and Services Administration, Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services, 4350 East-West Highway, 10th Floor, Bethesda MD 20814. Public Information Phone: (301) 594-4410. For 24-hour toll-free calls from outside MD: 1-800-638-0824, use for requesting applications.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

93.288 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  This program has no statutory formula or matching requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Each award covers 1 to 4 years of support, as requested. No awardees may receive more than 4 years of support.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Service-obligated scholarships for full-time students of allopathic (M.D.) and osteopathic (D.O.) medicine, family nurse practitioner, nurse midwifery, and primary care physician assistants. Other health disciplines may be included after 1999 if needed by National Health Service Corps. Scholarship pays tuition and required fees for the year to the school, pays a monthly stipend to student ($964 for 12 months of the 1999-2000 school year) and a single annual payment to the student to cover the cost of all other reasonable educational expenses (books, supplies, equipment, uniforms, clinical travel, etc.) based on average costs by school and class year. Awards are limited to U.S. citizens due to potential for Federal employment during service. Applicant must be enrolled in a U.S. accredited school. Each year of support incurs 1 year of service. A 2-year minimum service obligation is required. A maximum of 4 years of support may be awarded. Service is primarily a nonfederal salaried or contracted employee of a public or private non-profit entity, providing full-time primary health services. Services may also be in a fee for service private practice setting, or a Federal employee in Federal health systems such as the Indian Health Service or Bureau of Prisons. Service sites are selected by the scholarship recipient from the list of high priority sites in HPSAs identified by the National Health Service Corps. Physicians receive their site list at the beginning of their last year of residency training; nurse practitioners, nurse mid-wives, and physicians assistants receive their site list within 6 months of their graduation. Service sites are limited to the United States, territories, and successor States to the Trust Territories, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. Deferments of service are granted physicians to complete residencies in family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, and OB/GYN.

93.288 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  Annual reports by schools indicating average student educational expenses.

Audits:  None.

Records:  The files of unsuccessful applicants are retained for 6 months after the application deadline. The files of successful applicants are retained for 15 years following completion of obligated service (19 to 27 years: 2-year award + 2-year service + 15 years = 19 years; 4-year award + 4-year deferment + 4-year service + 15 years = 27).