INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE IHS Scholarship Program Health Professions Scholarship Recipient Orientation Deferment and Service Obligation

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE

www.ihs.gov/scholarship

IHS Scholarship ProgramHealth Professions Scholarship

Recipient OrientationDeferment and Service Obligation


http://www.ihs.gov/scholarship

IHS Scholarship ProgramIHS Scholarship Program

Agenda Deferment of Your Service Obligation Fulfilling Your Service Obligation Breach of Contract and Default Additional Information



Deferment of Your Service ObligationDeferment of Your Service Obligation




PurposeTo allow Health Professions scholarship recipients in identified

health profession degree programs the opportunity to complete required or optional post-graduate clinical training programs to fulfill the requirements for board certification or licensure.



Eligible Degree Programs

Required Training Medicine Clinical Psychology Social Work Dietetics

Optional Training Dentistry Nursing Optometry Pharmacy





Program Policies — Medicine

Eligible Residencies

Three-Year Deferment: Emergency Medicine Family Practice General Internal Medicine General Pediatrics






Four-Year Deferment: Family Practice/Psychiatry General Psychiatry Internal Medicine/Family Practice Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Internal Medicine/Psychiatry Obstetrics/Gynecology






Five-Year Deferment: Anesthesiology General Surgery




Program Policies — Clinical Psychology A training position must be secured within 90 days

of graduation. The maximum deferment period is two years. State licensing boards require that graduate psychologists

practice under the supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist for a specified number of hours (usually 2,000) before they are eligible to take the state exam.




Program Policies — Clinical Psychology All supervised work must be completed and a license obtained

within those two years. You must complete a PhD or PsyD program and become an

independent, licensed clinical psychologist before any service will count toward your service obligation.




Program Policies — Social Work You must secure a training position within 90 days

of graduation. The maximum deferment period is two years. State licensing boards require graduate social workers to

practice under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker/psychologist for a specified number of hours (usually 2,000) before they are eligible to take the state exam.




Program Policies — Social Work You must complete all supervised work and obtain a license

within those two years. You must complete a master’s degree program and become an

independent, licensed clinical social worker before any service will count toward your service obligation.




Program Policies — Dietetics You must secure a training position within 90 days

of graduation. The maximum deferment period is one year. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) requires dietitians

to complete a 900-hour ADA-approved internship under the supervision of an RD before they are able to take the ADA registration exam.




Program Policies — Dietetics You must complete all supervised work and become a

registered dietitian within one year. You must complete a bachelor’s degree program and become a

registered dietitian before any service will count toward your service obligation.




Program Policies — Dentistry You must secure a training position within 90 days

of graduation. The maximum deferment period is one year. You must complete a one-year Advanced Education

Program in General Dentistry (AEGD) or General Practice Residency (GPR).

Only programs that are fully operational with the ADA CODA accreditation status are permitted.




Program Policies — Nursing You must secure a training position within 90 days

of graduation. The maximum deferment period is one year. The training program must emphasize clinical out-patient

(OPD), in-patient (IPD) and/or emergency (ERD) nursing skills (example: Montana American Indian Nurse Internship program [MAINI]).




Program Policies — Optometry You must secure a training position within 90 days

of graduation. The maximum deferment period is one year. You must enroll in Ocular Disease/Pathology and Primary

Care Optometry residency programs only. Consult the IHS Discipline Chief for Optometry prior to

applying to a residency program.




Program Policies — Pharmacy You must secure a training position within 90 days

of graduation. The maximum deferment period is one year. You must complete a one-year American Society of

Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) or American Pharmacists Association (APhA) accredited Post-Graduate Year One (PGY 1) Pharmacy Residency Program (Hospital, Community or Managed Care only).




Required Forms Prior to Training Request for Approval of Deferment (IHS-856-11)

• Submit to your IHS Scholarship Program Analyst prior to your final year of academic training.

• List post-graduate clinical training program(s) to which you will be applying.

• Receive approval for the program(s) from your IHS Scholarship Program Analyst.




Required Forms Prior to Training Notification of Deferment Program (IHS-856-14)

• Submit by May 31 of your final year of academic training.

• Notify your analyst of the post-graduate clinical training program in which you have been accepted and intend to begin your training.

• The Request for Approval of Deferment form, submitted at the beginning of the academic year, must list that clinical training program.




Required Forms and Documentation During Training Notification of Deferment Program (IHS-856-14)

• Submit annually until the approved deferment period is complete.

Letter of Good Standing

• Submit annually until the approved deferment period is complete.

• The Director or Coordinator must sign this letter.



Fulfilling Your Service ObligationFulfilling Your Service Obligation




Program PoliciesAll recipients scheduled to graduate or complete post-graduate

clinical training must: Provide one year of service for each year of scholarship

support received, with a two-year minimum service period. Apply for available job vacancies in their chosen

health profession. Find a position at a facility within 90 days of graduation

or completion of training.




Program Policies Engage in full-time clinical practice

• 80 hours/two weeks — with a minimum of 64 hours providing direct inpatient or outpatient care.

Spend no more than seven weeks, or 35 workdays, per service year away from the practice.




Eligible Service Sites Indian Health Service program Tribal health program Urban Indian health program




Eligible Service Sites Private practice:

• Option for physicians, dentists and clinical psychologists only.

• Must be in a designated Health Profession Shortage Area (HPSA) in which at least 75% of the patient base from that geographic area are documented members or descendents of federally or state-recognized Tribes.

• Only available when there are no identified vacancies in an Indian, Tribal or Urban Indian health program.

• Final approval of this option is at the discretion of the Director, IHS.




Career Paths Federal civil service Direct Tribal hire USPHS Commissioned Corps




Job Search Begin your job search three to six months prior to graduation

or completion of post-graduate clinical training.




Job Search Submit the following forms and documentation to the ASCs

in the IHS Areas where you would like to work at least three months prior to graduation:

• Optional Application for Federal Employment (Optional Form-612)

• Preferred Placement (IHS-856-12)

• Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service (Form BIA-4432)




Job Search One month before graduation you must:

• Send a Notice of Impending Graduation (IHS-856-13) to your IHS Scholarship Program analyst.

• Follow up with each respective ASC and IHS Discipline Chief regarding available vacancies and application status if you have not yet selected a job.

• Prepare for licensure, if applicable.




Job SearchYou must submit the following form if you are unsuccessful

in securing employment prior to graduation or completion of post-graduate clinical training.

Placement Update (IHS-856-15)

• Submit 30, 60 and 90 days after graduation or completion of post-graduate clinical training.

• Attach documentation of attempts to secure employment (for example, letter of application, interview dates, denial letters, etc.).




Job SearchYou will be subject to involuntary placement if you do not

secure employment after 90 days of graduation or completion of post-graduate clinical training.




Offer of EmploymentThe IHS Scholarship Program must approve your service site

and position prior to employment. The service site must submit a written document identifying:

Whether the site is an IHS program, Tribal program, Urban Indian program or private practice.

The clinical position that you will fill. Whether the clinical position is full time or part time. If the services you will provide are included in an IHS Contract

or Compact under which you will serve authorized patients.




Documentation Requirements — GraduationThe following documentation is required upon graduation

or completion of post-graduate clinical training: A copy of your diploma. An official final transcript stating the degree conferred. A copy of your license or certificate

(if required for employment).




Documentation Requirements — Verification of Employment The following documentation is required to verify your employment status:

Civil ServiceA copy of your Notification of Personnel Action form (SF-50) from your personnel office reflecting your entrance on duty date.




Documentation Requirements — Verification of Employment Tribal ProgramA contract, work agreement or hire letter from the Tribe indicating the start date of employment.




Documentation Requirements — Verification of Employment Commissioned CorpsA copy of your Call-to-Active-Duty notice (CAD).




Documentation Requirements — Verification of Employment Private PracticeA contract, work agreement or hire letter from the facility indicating the:

• Start date of employment.

• Position title.

• Position description.

• Terms of employment and benefits.




Documentation Requirements — During Your Service ObligationThe following documentation is due annually until your service obligation is completed:Annual Status Report (IHS-856-16)Combined leave report

• Your local Human Resources department will provide this report.

Note: Private practice clinicians must also provide quarterly reports documenting the practice’s user population of American Indians and Alaska Natives vs. non-Indian and Alaska Native.




Other NotificationsYou are also required to notify the IHS Scholarship Program if

there are any interruptions in your service obligation due to: Maternity leave. Extended sick leave. Disability or family-friendly leave. Outside training exceeding 10 days per a 12-month period. Breaks in service related to a change of work site. Any other extended time away from work.



Breach of Contract and DefaultBreach of Contract and Default




You will be in breach of your IHS Scholarship Contract and placed in default if you:Pursue an unapproved post-graduate clinical training program.Fail to serve within the health profession for which you received financial aid.




LiabilityRecipients who complete their degree and pursue an

unapproved post-graduate clinical training program or fail to serve in their chosen health profession will be liable to:

Repay three times the amount of scholarship funding plus interest.

Repay the scholarship funds plus interest within one year of the default date.



Additional InformationAdditional Information



Additional InformationAdditional Information

For assistance contact:

IHS Scholarship Program Analyst — (301) 443-6197

Area Scholarship Coordinator — http://www.ihs.gov/scholarship/

IHS Discipline Chiefs — http://www.ihs.gov/scholarship/

IHS Recruitment Office — (301) 443-2443

For additional information:Visit http://www.ihs.gov/scholarship/ or consult your Student Handbook.

Documents

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE IHS Scholarship Program Health Professions Scholarship Recipient Orientation Deferment and Service Obligation