Indian Health Service Logo: takes you to the Home Page
Indian Health Service:  The Federal Health Program for American Indians and Alaska Natives

 
     HOME   ABOUT  I H S   SITE MAP     HELP
 Jobs and
Scholarships


Scholarship Program Logo.

Health Professions Preparatory
 Scholarship Program 

Section 103(b)(1):


 Description

Health Professions Preparatory Scholarship Program provides financial assistance for American Indian and Alaska Native (Federally or State recognized) students only to enroll in courses that will prepare them for acceptance into health professions schools, i.e., nursing, pharmacy, etc. Courses may be either compensatory (required to improve science, mathematics, or other basic skills and knowledge) or preprofessional (required in order to qualify for admission into a health professions program).

 Priority Health Career Category

The selection of health career categories that are considered and given priority for award or scholarship depends upon the health staffing needs of the IHS and of the Indian people. Since staffing needs change from year to year, priority categories also change. In order for an applicant to be considered for scholarship support during the 2000-2001 scholarship cycle, he/she must be accepted by or enrolled in a college or university beginning in Fall 2001 for the following priority career categories:

  • Prenursing—preparatory for entry into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. If an applicant is enrolled for preparatory courses at a non-approved school, he/she must transfer to an approved and accredited program before being considered for award of a scholarship to a professional nursing program. Contact your IHS Scholarship Coordinator to confirm approval of the selected schools and program.
  • Pre Medical Technology—preparatory to entry into a Bachelor of Science degree program in Medical Technology.
  • Prepharmacy—preparatory to entry into a Bachelor of Science degree program for Pharmacy.
  • Predietetics—preparatory to entry into a Bachelor of Science degree program in Dietetics.
  • Pre Social Work—preparatory to entry into a Masters degree program in Social Work.
  • Pre Physical Therapy—preparatory to entry into a Bachelor of Science degree program in Physical Therapy.
  • Pre Engineering - preparatory to entry into a Bachelor of Science degree program in Engineering

 Specific Requirements

The applicant must:

  1. be an American Indian or Alaska Native (Federally or State recognized);
  2. be a high school graduate or equivalent;
  3. have the capacity to complete a health professions course of study;
  4. be enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, in a compensatory/ preprofessional general education course or curriculum; and
  5. intend to serve Indian people upon completion of professional health care education and training as a health care provider in the descipline/speciality for which he/she is taking preparatory courses and for which the application is submitted.

Applicants must provide a course curriculum outline, approved and signed by your advisor, for your chosen health program:

  1. Courses are required to meet the applicant's educational deficiency and compensatory needs at the preprofessional level or are preparatory to enrollment in the applicant's chosen health professional program and
  2. represent at least 12 credit hours per semester/quarter full-time or 6–11 credit hours for part-time in relation to the applicant's needs.

Limitation of Support

 This program makes scholarship support available for up to two academic years full-time or up to four academic years part-time of compensatory or preprofessional education, which, upon completion, will enable the student to qualify for enrollment or reenrollment in a health professions school. Only those students who meet the continued eligibility requirements and have been recommended for continuation will be given priority consideration for additional periods of scholarship support. Scholarship support to preprofessional students will be paid for 10 months each academic year.

Continued Eligibility

Recipients of scholarship support must apply annually to continue funds beyond the initial funding period and meet specific eligibility criteria for consideration. The criteria are:

  1. recipient must be in good academic standing;
  2. must be enrolled for the next semester in at least 12 credit hours or the equivalent which is considered full-time or 6–11 credit hours which is considered part-time; and
  3. must remain full-time or part-time during this current academic year.

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
12300 TWINBROOK PARKWAY, SUITE 100
ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND 20852
PHONE: 301/443-6197
FAX: 301/443-6048

Please e-mail questions and comments to Cahhaitt@hqe.ihs.gov



Accessibility  --  Disclaimer  --  Website Privacy Policy  --  Freedom of Information Act
Kids Page  --  Contact Information  --  FirstGov  --  HHS

This file last modified:   Friday January 11, 2002  9:40 AM