USPHS and Frontier?

Specialties CNM

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Hi!

This is my first official post on this site! I value all the honest information it has provided me over the last year or so and I finally feel ready to contribute!

Here is my question...

I will graduate with my BSN in approximately one year (May '11), and I am planning to work in my area (Kansas) for a year before I join the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. I want to do a Midwifery program while I am in the Corps. Has anyone done this? Is it possible?

From what I have heard from Frontier (which is my first choice for school), it would be possible to continue working full time during the first two years of the part-time midwifery program. However, they said the last year it gets kind of difficult to work, especially full time, because of clinicals. How does this work out with the commissioned corps? Is it possible to take a leave of absence for one year? Do you have to completely reapply or can you go to inactive duty for the duration of the clinicals? I may ask this question in the military section, but I thought I would try here first. Any information you can give as to how much you worked while doing the part-time Midwifery program would be helpful. We do not have children yet, but are planning to start almost immediately when I am done with my BSN, so we would probably have a baby/toddler during this time too. Would I also have enough time for family??

My other related question is if anyone has used the Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program to pay off their Frontier loans? I am wondering if this process is difficult and hoping that a degree from Frontier is eligible for repayment by them. Anyone been successful? I am unsure because it is a distance learning program and have heard that the IHS has restrictions on what can be repaid. I called the IHS-LRP people last week, but the guy I talked to was not very specific when he answered my questions... it left me a bit skeptical.

Any information is appreciated! Thank you!

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