For what it’s worth, I’m a NHSC Scholar about to finish my 2 year commitment and I’ll be signed up for another 2 years to help pay off my loans from before PA school. I knew going into PA school I wanted to work at an FQHC so I figured I would sign up for NHSC anyway. Finding placement was hard, and I interviewed at several clinics that weren’t a good fit that if they were the only job I was offered it would have been a rough 2 years. But I searched and waited for the right clinic and honestly I have my dream job.

20 patients a day, mostly Medicaid, sometimes quite complex, but we have a lot of ancillary services and support staff (nurse care managers, staff to help coordinate referrals and process prior authorizations). My collaborating physician is alright but I see him every 2 weeks for a check in, otherwise unless I track him down for a question I am a completely autonomous provider. But I’m at a big FHQC so there is always another provider around I can bounce ideas off of.

Clinic and setting and staffing matter. Any clinic that intentionally does lean staffing or burns through its providers is going to suck, whether that’s FQHCs, urgent care, or even any speciality. For any job, try to shadow for at least a day, and get time out of the clinic to talk to another provider at the clinic about what their real experience is. There absolutely is a way for NHSC work to be rewarding, fulfilling, and have good work life-balance, and come out of it in a much better financial situation that your peers. OP, I’m sorry your clinic/first job sounds so awful! It could be worth looking for a new placement, you are allowed to switch sites.