paying for it: Indian Health Service, National Health Service Corps, etc

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Did anyone go this route in paying for grad school? It's a looooooooooong way off for me - I'm going into my senior year of college (non-nursing), haven't even hit my accelerated BSN prereqs yet, but it's good to be prepared: is working for the IHS a good thing or a bad thing?

I'm an anthropologist and firmly committed to the "preferential option for the poor" that Paul Farmer talks about so I'm inclined to work in underserved areas anyway... I think I just need some ammunition to talk my partner into coming with me :)

thanks guys

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Welcome to allnurses! :balloons:

I would have loved to sign up for one of those programs, but none of the Federal agencies fund my specialty (child psych). I have known a number of people who were signed up with the USPHS, IHS, or VA in grad school, and they were all happy with the experience.

In addition to the US Public Health Service and Indian Health Service, the VA offers (or use to offer, at least) a program where they pay for you to attend grad school in return for your commitment to work for them for the same amount of time (same # of years as they funded you in school). The people I knew who were in this program were not only getting all their school expenses paid, but also a monthly stipend for living expenses.

Also, "underserved areas" that qualify for fulfilling your service commitment after you graduate are not all in rural areas. A good friend of mine did her service in a lower-income, formerly industrial suburban town in a lovely part of NY that is a comfortable commute from NYC. She was so happy with her PHS job, and she and her husband enjoy the area so much, that they have stayed in the same place even though she completed her required service years ago. I've known several other people who have done the same thing -- just stayed on after they completed their commitment because they liked the area and job so much.

Best wishes for your education and future!

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Specializes in General Med/Surg.

Paul Farmer is great!!

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