This funding record is inactive. Please see the program website or contact the program sponsor to determine if this program is currently accepting applications or will open again in the future.

National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program (NHSC LRP)

Link

https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loan-repayment/nhsc-loan-repayment-program

Deadline

Application Deadline: Apr 25, 2023

Sponsor

Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW)

Purpose

Provides funding for loan repayment for primary care, dental, behavioral health, mental health, or maternal health providers in exchange for service commitments at National Health Service Corps (NHSC)-approved sites in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). Aims to increase access to quality and culturally competent primary care, dental, behavioral health, mental health, and maternal health services in rural, urban, and underserved areas.

Eligible primary care, dental, behavioral health, and mental health professions include:

  • Physicians (MD or DO)
  • Nurse practitioners (NP)
  • Certified nurse midwives (CNM)
  • Physician assistants (PA)
  • Dentists (DDS or DMD)
  • Dental hygienists
  • Health service psychologists (HSP)
  • Licensed clinical social workers (LCSW)
  • Psychiatric nurse specialists (PNS)
  • Marriage and family therapists (MFT)
  • Licensed professional counselors (LPC)

NHSC LRP fact sheet

Amount of Funding

A maximum of $50,000 for an initial 2 years of full-time clinical practice for providers serving at an NHSC-approved site with a designated HPSA score.

A maximum of $25,000 for an initial 2 years of half-time clinical practice for providers serving at an NHSC-approved site with a designated HPSA score. This option is not available to applicants serving under the Private Practice Option (PPO).

Additional practice type and service obligation information is available in the program guidance.

Who Can Apply

Applicants must work in a primary care, dental, behavioral/mental health, or maternal health approved discipline and specialty to be eligible for this program and meet the following requirements:

  • Be a U.S. citizen, born or naturalized, or a U.S. national
  • Have a current, full, permanent, unencumbered, unrestricted health professional license, certificate or registration in the discipline in which the individual is applying to serve
  • Participate or be eligible to participate as providers in the Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as appropriate
  • Be eligible to hold an appointment as a Commissioned Officer of the Public Health Service or as a federal civil servant
  • Be employed by, or have accepted a position at, a NHSC-approved site where employment and provision of care to patients will begin no later than July 18, 2023
  • Submit a complete application

NHSC will prioritize applicants by the following funding priorities when making loan repayment awards:

  • Current or former NHSC scholarship recipients that have completed their service obligation and continue to have eligible student loans
  • Applicants who have characteristics that indicate a likelihood they will remain in a HPSA, as determined by the following factors:
    1. Come from a disadvantaged background
    2. Have completed training through one of the following HRSA-funded programs:
      • Primary Care Training and Enhancement: Training Primary Care Champions Program
      • Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Payment Program
      • Advanced Nursing Education Nurse Practitioner Residency Program
      • Advanced Nursing Education Nurse Practitioner Residency Integration Program
      • Addiction Medicine Fellowship

Applications will also be reviewed and approved based on their HPSA score. Applicants currently serving or who will serve at a site with a higher HPSA score will be given preference.

In fiscal year 2023, maternal healthcare applicants will be placed using either their HPSA or Maternity Care Target Area score (MCTA), whichever is higher.

Geographic Coverage

Nationwide

What This Program Funds

Financial Aid for Healthcare Workforce

Application Process

Application instructions, requirements, and other relevant information can be found on the program website. Submit an application through the Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) portal.

Application and program guidance
Applicant webinar recording
Application checklist

Contact

For questions:
800-221-9393
TTY at 877-897-9910
Online contact form
Bureau of Health Workforce Customer Service Portal

Topics This Program Addresses

Healthcare Workforce • Mental Health