Graduation

On this page:

• Congratulations
• For Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants/Certified Nurse-Midwives
• Deferments
• Leaves of Absence
• The Bermuda Triangle: Suspension/Defaulting on Your NHSC Commitment
• Links & Resources

Congratulations! Now that you've walked down the aisle with diploma in hand the real fun begins. The next phase of your NHSC journey goes in different directions depending on who you are and what you've studied. The match cycle varies as well depending on what you studied:

• MDs, DOs, DDSs: If you finish your residency or dental school training between 10/01/04 and 9/30/05 you must match (secure a position) by 6/30/05
• PAs, NMs, NPs: Your match cycle starts 3 months before you graduate and continues for 9 months
  
  *Please note: Because sites looking for clinicians, policies, and other factors change, don't begin looking for a position until you're in the match cycle. You might end up spending a lot of time and energy for nothing. Spend your time focusing on getting the best education and experience that will make your resume "stand out from the crowd" when it is time for you to apply for a position. Also, if your graduation date changes for any reason, please let us know and include a confirmation letter from your school with your new graduation date and reason for the change.

Remember that it is your responsibility to select sites that appeal to you and interview with them in your quest to land a position, so be as proactive as possible and go get 'em! Important reminder: If you haven't found a position by the end of your match cycle, you lose your freedom of choice; you'll interview and go to the site we select.

Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants/Certified Nurse-Midwives
The time has come to identify a community that needs you the most. Wondering where to start? Fortunately for you, the NHSC is teeming with career-related resources. Once you've passed your national certification exams and are ready to kick off your job search in earnest, take a look at:

• The Career Information section of the NHSC Web site, which will get you off and running
• The NHSC Job Opportunities list, which is updated on a weekly basis and provides information on communities in search of primary care clinicians
• Remember, not all vacancies on this list are approved practice sites for NHSC Scholars — click on the "NHSC Scholarship Opportunity" icon to see only the sites approved for NHSC Scholars
• Also, keep in mind that listings are not exclusive to the NHSC, so non-NHSC clinicians may be competing for the same positions
• P.S. The list is only valid for the specific year you're in the match cycle
• The annual Scholar Placement Conference, which takes place annually and helps prepare you for landing a position at a site
• Scholars meet with clinic administrators to talk about potential job opportunities
• The Recruitment Training and Support Center (RTSC) keeps NHSC's extensive Job Opportunities List up and running, and helps navigate you once you're in the placement cycle by:
• Helping you find sites with job opportunities available, arranging interviews, and marketing you to sites
• Providing online training assistance for everything from whipping your resume into shape to wowing site administrators in an interview
• More job resources are available on our Links page: http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov/links/

Deferments
For allopathic and osteopathic medical students, deferments will be granted for these approved specialties:

• Family practice (3 years)
• General internal medicine (3 years)
• General pediatrics (3 years)
• Obstetrics-gynecology (4 years)
• General psychiatry (4 years)
• Rotating internship with a request to complete one of the above specialties (DOs only)

For dental students, deferments will be granted for these approved specialties:

• General practice dentistry (1 year)
• Pediatric dentistry (2 years)

Leaves of Absence
First things first-requests for leaves of absence must be submitted in writing and accompanied by a written letter from the head of your program approving your leave and declaring the start and end date. Also, if your leave changes your graduation date, make sure your new date of graduation is included in the letter from your program.

Don't forget to contact your Analyst as soon as you start thinking about taking a leave of absence.

While you are on a leave of absence (for personal or medical reasons), all of your NHSC Scholarship benefits stop.

Just a reminder-for any full or partial year of support, you are committed to a year of service, with a minimum of 2 years of service commitment. The most support you can receive through your NHSC Scholarship is 4 partial or full years.

The Bermuda Triangle: Suspension/Defaulting on Your NHSC Commitment
We don't mean to be party poopers, but…if you're dismissed from school for academic or disciplinary reasons—or if you quit school—you'll be declared in breach of your scholarship commitment and held liable for repayment of all NHSC Scholarship Program funds paid to you and your school. Moreover, you must pay the amount owed within 3 years.

Also, if you don't comply with the terms and conditions of deferment (including physicians who fail to complete an NHSC-approved residency), or if you don't begin or complete your service commitment after you finish training, you will be considered in breach of your NHSC commitment. If this happens, you must pay damages equal to THREE TIMES the scholarship award plus interest—including stipend payments, tuition, and ORCs for every year you received support.

Suspensions and waivers may be granted only if it is determined that you suffer from a physical or mental disability that prevents you from performing the necessary duties to fulfill your commitment.