Mission, Work, and Impact

We connect primary health care clinicians to people in the United States with limited access to healthcare.

Strengthening and growing our primary care workforce—through the National Health Service Corps (NHSC)—began in 1972.

Our Mission

The NHSC builds healthy communities by supporting qualified health care providers dedicated to working in areas of the United States with limited access to care.

What drives our work?

We want everyone to be healthy.

To do our part:

We support skilled health care workers.
We require health care workers to serve in high-need areas. We call these Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).

How does our work serve the public?

There aren't enough primary health care workers. That means some people can't get the health care they need. We work to change that.

We focus on:

Caring for everyone, even if they can't pay.
Preventing disease and illness.

Why should I apply to the NHSC?

You can help those in need. And—you can be free of school debt.

How do I become an NHSC member?

First, decide which program fits you—loan repayment or the scholarship program. Then find out if you're eligible and apply.

How do I become an NHSC-approved site?

NHSC-approved sites provide outpatient, primary health services in HPSAs.

If you're eligible, you can apply to become an NHSC site. In some cases, we auto-approve sites. If we approve your site, you gain access to primary care providers.

What is the history of the NHSC?

We created the NHSC because of the health care crisis in the 1950s and 1960s.

Older physicians retired and young doctors stopped choosing general practice. This meant areas of the country would have no access to primary care.

So we stepped in to support health centers in rural, urban, and tribal communities. Our efforts addressed a growing primary health care shortage.

Check out the full timeline marking all the big moments in NHSC history.

Major Milestones

1970s

NHSC creation
Awarded first scholarships
Grew from 181 providers to over 1,800
Budget 10x larger by decade’s end

1980s

Launch of Loan Repayment Program (LRP)
Predicted more physicians than needed—budget reduced
1989: Field strength reaches 1,500

1990s

The early 90s: only 1,000 providers serve
Loan Repayment Program adds mental health discipline
End of the decade: Over 2,500 providers serve

2000s

Unprecedented growth in field strength due to increased funding
Added new primary care disciplines
2008 – 2011: Number of NHSC members doubled

2010s

Behavioral health becomes top discipline among NHSC clinicians
Students to Service (S2S) adds dentistry discipline
Telehealth increases rural healthcare access

2020s

Students to Service Loan Repayment Program adds nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants
Alumni data shows that at least 80% of NHSC members continue to serve in an underserved community

How many people have served in the NHSC?

NHSC alumni include nearly 75,000 primary care medical, dental, and mental and behavioral health providers.

Check out this interactive journey (PDF - 2 MB) through five decades as NHSC members and alumni share “why they serve” in their own words.