Loan Repayment
Primary Care Services Loan Repayment Program
Effective July 1, 2011, the Oregon Rural Health Services Loan Repayment program will become the Primary Care Services Loan Repayment Program and will be administered by the Oregon Office of Rural Health.
The Oregon Rural Health Services Loan Repayment program (Primary Care Services Loan Repayment Program) was not funded by Oregon Legislature for the 2011-2013 biennium; therefore no new applications are being accepted at this time.
If you have questions about practice opportunities in rural Oregon, please contact Jo Johnson, Recruitment Coordinator, (503) 494-4450.
Oregon Partnership State Loan Repayment Program
The Office of Rural Health is accepting applications for the Oregon Partnership State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). This program is a loan repayment opportunity for primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dentists, dental hygienists, social workers, counselors, and psychologists. Qualifying providers can receive a maximum award of $35,000 per year or 25% of total debt, whichever is smaller. All program funds must be fully and directly applied to the approved lender(s) identified in the award notification.
To qualify, participants must meet the following criteria:
- Participant must work full-time. “Full-time clinical practice” is defined as a minimum of 40 hours per week of patient care at an approved site, with no more than 8 of those hours per week devoted to practice-related administrative activities.
- Participant must work in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and see patients regardless of ability to pay.
- Commit to service obligation of at least two years. One year extension may be awarded for up to three additional years, for a maximum service obligation of five years.
- Participant must be a US citizen.
Program Questions and Answers
What types of loans are eligible?
Government and commercial loans incurred for the purpose of obtaining a health professional education. Qualifying commercial lending institutions are those that are subject to examination and supervision, in their capacity as lenders, by an agency of the United States or of the State in which the institutions have their principal place of business.
What are the site requirements?
To be eligible, practice sites must be a public or private non-profit organization, located in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and willing to provide 50% of the award amount.
What is the time commitment required?
Participants sign a contract for a minimum two-year practice commitment. They must work full-time (40 hours per week), with no more than 35 days vacation per year. There are severe penalties for default on contracts.
How is the program funded?
The program is funded through a grant from the Bureau of Health Professions, National Health Service Corps, with a 1:1 dollar match from the practice site. The Oregon State Partnership Loan Repayment Program is administered by the Oregon Office of Rural Health.
Applications
For more information, contact Linda Clark, Oregon Partnership State Loan Repayment Program Coordinator, (503) 494-4450.
National Health Service Corp (NHSC)
The National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program (LRP) has opened its 2012 application cycle. The application deadline is May 8, 2012, however providers are strongly encouraged to apply early.
Program Updates
Award amounts for this year’s program have been modified to help ensure communities with the greatest need – those with the highest Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) scores – receive recruitment support to fill much needed clinical positions. Initial awards amounts are as follows:
Providers |
2 Years Full-time |
4 Years Half-time |
2 Years Half-time |
| Providers at Sites with HPSA Score 14+ | Up to $60,000 | Up to $60,000 | Up to $30,000 |
| Providers at Sites with HPSA Score 0-13 | Up to $40,000 | Up to $40,000 | Up to $20,000 |
With continued service, NHSC providers may be able to pay off all of their student loans.
For additional program details, please see the 2012 NHSC Loan Repayment Program At-A-Glance Fact Sheet and the complete Application and Program Guidance.
Federal Faculty Loan repayment Program
The Faculty Loan Repayment Program helps eligible health professions faculty from disadvantaged backgrounds to repay their student loans.
The Faculty Loan Repayment Program provides as much as $20,000 a year to eligible faculty members who apply to and are selected to receive funding from the program in return for a 2-year service commitment.
Participants should also receive matching funds from their employing educational institution.
In addition, Faculty Loan Repayment Program participants receive a tax liability benefit.
To learn more about the Faculty Loan Repayment Program and for application information, please visit their website or contact the HRSA Call Center at (800) 221-9393.
Additional Programs
Expanding Public Health Nursing Leadership in Oregon: An MPH/CPHN Online Program at OHSU. Responding to a critical shortage of nurses prepared for leadership in public health, the School of Nursing at Oregon Health & Science University will make it possible for nurses to earn a master's degree in public health nursing online. The School of Nursing offers the full Oregon Masters in Public Health/Community Public Health Nursing track online. For more information contact Sharon Bailey, director of recruitment for the MPH - online program, (503) 494-3879.
The Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP) offers registered nurses substantial assistance to repay educational loans in exchange for service in eligible facilities located in areas experiencing a shortage of nurses. Authorized by Section 846 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, the purpose of the NELRP is to assist in the recruitment and retention of professional nurses dedicated to providing health care to under served populations.
Links to Resources
Allied Health Programs At Mt. Hood Community College: educational information on the Allied Health Professions.
Oregon Center for Nursing was established by the Oregon Nursing Leadership Council in 2001 as a strategy for dealing with Oregon's severe nursing shortage. The non-profit organization identifies solutions to a nursing crisis that will seriously jeopardize the health care of Oregonians unless we act. Funding updates and recruitment strategies are posted regularly.
For more information on Recruitment Services for rural Oregon, contact Jo Johnson, Recruitment Services Coordinator, (866) 674-4376 or (503) 494-4450.
