Do you have a plan to stay in control of your specialty choice, or is debt going to drive your career? No matter what values a student brings with them to medical school, the cost of their training and the weight of their student loans puts a lot of pressure on their specialty choice. Some may even avoid medicine as a career choice because of the costs. But for those who are really committed to primary care and community-oriented medicine, there are options. The National Health Service Corps is one of those options. In addition to awarding scholarships and loan repayment in exchange for commitments to serve in designated underserved areas after residency, the National Health Service Corps’ Students-to-Service program takes applicants in their final year of medical school for up to $120,000 in loan repayment in exchange for three years of service. With the application process for the Students-to-Service program opening in mid-August, we bring you a conversation with Dr. Luis Padilla, director of the National Health Service Corps, about his own experience as a National Health Service Corps scholar, as well as what they are looking for in their applicants.