Review Site HPSA Score and Job Search Requirements for NHSC Scholars

Make a smooth transition from training to practice. Understand your employment deadlines and NHSC-approved site requirements.

How to understand Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Scores

Site Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) score requirements differ by specialty and class year. The end of your training determines your class year (CY) and aligns with the government fiscal year (FY).

How do we calculate HPSA scores?

We follow three steps to calculate the score each year.

You are part of the 2023 scholar class, IF:

You are completing a residency that ends between October 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023.
You aren’t completing a residency but your graduation date is between October 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023.

How to understand employment deadlines

Physicians
Must start work within six months of the end of (required) residency
Dentists
Must start work within six months of the end of (optional) residency OR within six months of graduation
Nurse Midwives, Nurse Practitioners & Physician Assistants
Must start work within six months of the end of (optional) residency OR within six months of graduation

What are the notifications and deadlines for CY 2023 NHSC Scholars?

When	What Happens?
Summer 2022	We will ask you to select top three states or territories where you would like to practice. We assign you a Regional Advisor to oversee your site search. Begin networking and start your job search using available NHSC tools Ongoing contact with your Regional Advisor.
February 1, 2023	Deadline to submit Notice of Intent to accept a chief residency or fellowship position through the BHW Customer Service Portal. We grant deferments in one year increments.
April 14, 2023	Deadline to continue postgraduate residency training for physicians or dentists through the BHW Customer Service Portal. We grant deferments in one-year increments.

How to learn site HPSA requirements

Prior to July 1 of each year, we publish the minimum Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) score for scholarship participants in the final year of health professions training.

What are HPSA score requirements by class year?

NHSC-approved sites must meet the HPSA score requirements* by class year (CY):

Discipline	CY 2023	CY 2022	CY 2021	CY 2020	CY 2019
Primary Care Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), & Nurse Practitioner (NP)	18	20	20	19	18
Physician Assistant (PA)	5	14	20	19	18
Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM)	14	10	18	16	18
Dentists (DDS & DMD)	18	20	20	19	18
Psychiatric (MD & DO)	18	20	20	21	18

*Nurse practitioners and physician assistants were not broken out by specialty in this year’s HPSA scoring for mental health.

Note: An NHSC-approved site may no longer be available, or its HPSA score may change, by the time you are ready to serve.

If you interview at a site and submit an official interview request via your BHW Customer Service Portal account, we will honor the original HPSA score of the site for up to six months after the date of your interview, even if the site’s HPSA score changes.

We reserve the right to make final decisions on all sites to comply with statutory requirements. Learn more about the CY 2023 HPSA score and how sites may provide additional information.

How to identify where you want to work

Review the different types of NHSC-approved sites.
Consider site size, patient population, organizational support, and work schedule options.
Think about what kind of environment and location best suit you and your family.
Make a list of your “must haves” vs. “nice to haves.”
Be flexible and keep an open mind about high-need areas across the country.
Remember the HPSA score requirement.

How to connect with your assigned Regional Advisor

Meet key job search deadlines and documentation requirements.
Ask about clinical rotations.
Get approval for potential sites and verify site HPSA scores.
Receive job search guidance and discuss pre-approval process for job interviews.

How to begin your job search

Start networking—follow NHSC on LinkedIn
Set up a profile; then search the Health Workforce Connector, a database of jobs at NHSC sites.
- Don’t limit your search to only open vacancies.
- You are eligible to compete for all job vacancies in your discipline/specialty.
- Contact the site directly to apply.
Attend a Virtual Job Fair.
Contact your state Primary Care Office (PCO) or Primary Care Association (PCA) to learn about open positions, the local community, and sites that may be hiring.

Related Resources

Date Last Reviewed:

June 2022