National Health Service Corps – Hawai’i

Top of Konahuanui 2. Honolulu, Hawai’i.

As a proud physician Scholar of the National Health Service Corps completing my four-year service obligation in a physician shortage area, I am hoping this page can assist other NHSC scholars looking to complete their service obligation in Hawai’i. Previously, an NHSC Ambassador program appointed certain community physicians as information sources for potential applicants, but this was done away with. The NHSC also tried a program to match current medical student scholars, but this also didn’t go anywhere. This page aims to provide information about potential service sites in Hawai’i as well as prior/current scholars in Hawai’i.

Timeline of Events

  • Before Medical School / In Medical SchoolApplication Process
    • Review the application for the prior/current application cycle (see above link, updates annually)
      • Make sure you read all the fine print!
      • Make sure you talk to prior/current Scholars doing their repayment (see below)
      • Typically it is 1 year of medical school to 1 year of service repayment (minimum of 2 years of service repayment!)
    • The application is typically due in April
      • You don’t hear anything back until the Fall. . .
    • The award is announced in the Fall
      • You take loans out or pay for that academic year, and if you are chosen as an NHSC Scholar, then they give you funds to pay for the tuition that year
  • Once You are an NHSC Scholar (this depends on Scholar vs. Loan Repayment)
    • Receive monthly stipend (see application for amount)
    • Tuition is paid for
    • Submit annual ‘good standing’ forms from the Office of Student Affairs to the NHSC
    • During the final year of medical school
      • Must prove that you are matched to a required specialty
  • During Residency Training (this depends on Scholar vs. Loan Repayment)
    • Submit annual ‘good standing’ forms from residency office to NHSC
    • During the final year of residency
      • They will pay for you to do a rotation at a potential clinic site (see application/contract)
      • They will also pay for moving expenses (see application/contract)
      • You can sign a contract with a clinic that has a HPSA score that meets your graduation year criteria as soon as the criteria is announced (e.g. in ~July NHSC will announce the minimum HPSA score for your service repayment, pick a geographic location, find a clinic with that HPSA score, reach out to them, sign contract, submit to NHSC for verification, and you are good to go!)
  • While Working at the Clinic Site
    • Submit annual verification of full-time employment forms to NHSC

NHSC Scholar Service Locations in Hawai’i

The most up-to-date Health Provider Shortage Area (HPSA) can be found here.

Important Things to Consider

  • What other specialties are present at the site?
    1. Will you be the only Pediatrician? Only Family Medicine doctor?
    2. Is it a Peds/IM/OB-based clinic or a Family Medicine predominant group?
    3. What is the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants
  • Location & Support
    1. Where is the closest ER, hospital, urgent care, pharmacy, labor, and delivery facility?
    2. Does the electronic medical record communicate with outside facilities?
  • Call and Clinical Duties
    • Do you have to do inpatient and outpatient or only outpatient?
    • Do you take call for the clinic or just your own patients?
    • How often do you take call?
      • Are you paid for time on call?
    • How many days a week do you work?
      • 4 x 10 hour days VS. 5 x 8 hour days VS. 6 days a week + call
    • Do you get to pick your own medical assistant?
    • Is your medical assistant assigned to you?
    • How many exam rooms do you get?
    • How many, how often, do you need to move between clinic sites per week?
    • How long have other providers worked there?
  • Reach out to providers currently working at the clinic site
    • Email me for assistance, if needed <last name>@hawaii.edu

**This site is not endorsed by the National Health Service Corps or any specific community health center in Hawai’i.**