The following provider types are eligible for the Oregon Partnership State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP):

• Allopathic or Osteopathic Physician
• Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• Primary Care Physician Associate
• Certified Nurse-Midwife
• Dentist (DMD/DDS)
• Dental Therapist
• Expanded Practice Dental Hygienist
• Clinical or Counseling Psychologist
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Professional Counselor (LPC), or Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
• Psychiatric Nurse Specialist
• Registered Nurse
• Pharmacist
• Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor III (Master’s degree required)
• Registered Dietitian (Master’s degree required)

Physician Specialty Requirements
Physicians must practice in one of the following primary care specialties:

• Family Medicine (or General Practice for Osteopathic Physicians)
• Internal Medicine
• Pediatrics
• Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN)
• Geriatrics
• Psychiatry

Physician Associate and Nurse Practitioner Specialty Requirements
Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) must practice in one of the following primary care specialties:

• Family Practice
• Pediatrics
• Psychiatry / Mental Health
• Geriatrics
• Women’s Health

Providers must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national
• Hold a current, unrestricted license in their discipline
• Have qualifying educational loan debt
• Be in good standing with federal debt obligations (no defaults or judgments)
• Work at a SLRP approved practice site 
• Provide outpatient primary care services

Practice sites must:

• Be a nonprofit (public or private); and
• Be Located in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA); and
• Provide outpatient, ambulatory, primary medical, mental and behavioral, and/or dental services; and
• Provide services on a free or reduced-fee schedule basis to individuals at or below 200% of the federal poverty level; and
• Offer services to all patients regardless of ability to pay; and
• Accept or participate in public insurance programs (e.g., Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, as applicable); and
• Not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or ability to pay; and
• Approved by ORH to participate in the SLRP with a Site Application on file that is no more than two years old (from date the provider submits their SLRP application)

For questions regarding practice site eligibility contact the SLRP program coordinator.

Full-Time Participants

Physical Health Providers

• Minimum 2-year service commitment
• Up to $75,000 total (or $37,500 per year)
• Award is capped at the lesser of 50% of qualifying educational debt or the federal maximum

Dental and Behavioral Health Providers:

• Minimum 2-year service commitment
• Up to $50,000 total (or $25,000 per year)
• Award is capped at the lesser of 50% of qualifying educational debt or the federal maximum

Half-Time Participants

Physical Health Providers

• Minimum 2-year service commitment
• Up to $37,500 total (or $18,750 per year)
• Award is capped at the lesser of 50% of qualifying educational debt or the federal maximum

Dental and Behavioral Health Providers:

• Minimum 2-year service commitment
• Up to $25,000 total (or $12,000 per year)
• Award is capped at the lesser of 50% of qualifying educational debt or the federal maximum

After completing the initial 2-year service commitment, participants may apply for additional funding through continuation contracts.

• Continuations are awarded in 1-year increments
• Participants must remain at an eligible site and continue to meet all program requirements
• Applicants must verify that prior SLRP funds were applied to qualifying educational debt

Award Amounts

Continuation awards follow the same annual limits as initial awards:

• Up to $37,500 per year (full-time)
• Up to $25,000 per year (full-time dental/behavioral health)
• Half-time: up to 50% of the applicable full-time annual amount

Availability

• Continuation awards are not guaranteed
• Awards depend on:
  • Available federal and state funding
  • Program priorities and workforce needs
  • Site eligibility and compliance
     

There is no federal lifetime maximum for SLRP awards. Participants who successfully complete their initial service obligation may apply for additional continuation contracts and receive funding over multiple years. However, continuation awards are not guaranteed and depend on available funding, site eligibility, and program priorities.

Click here for the Oregon Partnership State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) Application.

I work in an inpatient setting. Am I eligible to apply?
Clinicians employed full-time in an inpatient setting are not eligible for an Oregon Partnership State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) award. Eligibility is generally limited to providers delivering outpatient services at an approved SLRP practice site.

What is an SLRP-approved practice site?
An SLRP-approved practice site is a facility that meets the program's eligibility requirements, has submitted a Site Application to the Oregon Office of Rural Health, and has received confirmation of SLRP approval.

My practice site qualifies for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). Does that mean it automatically qualifies for SLRP?
No. Although the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and the Oregon Partnership State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) share many similar requirements, they are separate programs with distinct eligibility criteria, approval processes, and application requirements. Practice sites must apply separately for SLRP approval, even if they are already approved by NHSC. Additional information about the NHSC site application process is available on the NHSC website.

Do providers have to be U.S. citizens to apply for SLRP?
Yes. Applicants must be either a U.S. citizen (born or naturalized) or a U.S. national to be eligible for the Oregon Partnership State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP).

Can providers participate in another loan repayment program while serving in SLRP?
No. Providers may not have more than one active service obligation at the same time. Participating in multiple loan repayment, scholarship, or service-obligation programs simultaneously—sometimes referred to as "double dipping"—is prohibited and may result in a violation of the SLRP contract. Examples of such programs include, but are not limited to, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), Nurse Corps, and employer-sponsored loan repayment or service-obligation programs.

Must providers be licensed to apply for SLRP?
Yes. Applicants must hold a current, full, permanent, unrestricted, and unencumbered professional license, certification, or registration, as applicable to their discipline, at the time of application.

Can providers apply for more than one scholarship or loan repayment program at a time?
Yes. Providers may apply to multiple scholarship or loan repayment programs if they meet the eligibility requirements for each program. However, providers may only accept one award and may not hold more than one active service obligation at the same time. Any existing service obligation must be completed before beginning participation in another scholarship or loan repayment program.

Is participation in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program considered a service obligation that would make a provider ineligible for SLRP?
No. Participation in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program does not constitute a service obligation and does not make a provider ineligible for the Oregon Partnership State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). Providers may participate in PSLF while fulfilling their SLRP service commitment, provided they meet all other SLRP eligibility requirements.

If selected for an award, will loan repayment funds be paid directly to my loan servicer?
No. Award funds are disbursed directly to the participant. The initial payment will be issued by check, and subsequent payments will be made via direct deposit. Participants must provide documentation demonstrating that the full amount of each disbursement was applied to their qualifying educational loans before the next payment can be issued.

Will I be responsible for paying taxes on my SLRP award?
No. Loan repayment awards administered through the Oregon Office of Rural Health are not considered taxable income. Participants are not responsible for federal taxes on these loan repayment funds.