The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) supports more than 20,000 primary care medical, dental, and behavioral health providers through scholarships and loan repayment programs. For more than 50 years, they have increased access to quality health care in communities with significant health professional shortages.
NHSC offers priority funding to applicants who work at NHSC-approved sites in high-need areas, as defined by a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) score. Search for NHSC-approved sites.
The Michigan State Loan Repayment Program (MSLRP) helps employers recruit and retain primary medical, dental, and mental healthcare providers by providing loan repayment to those entering into service obligations.
MSLRP assists employers in the recruitment and retention of medical, dental, and mental healthcare providers who continue to demonstrate their commitment to building long-term primary care practices in underserved communities designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). MSLRP will assist those selected by providing up to $300,000 in tax-free funds to repay their educational debt over a period of up to ten years. New applicants and current participants compete for consecutive two-year MSLRP agreements requiring them to remain employed for a minimum of 40 hours per week for no less than 45 weeks per year at eligible nonprofit practice sites providing primary healthcare services to ambulatory populations.
Providers must have one of the following professional titles to be eligible for loan repayment thorough MSLRP. Both fully licensed and limited-licensed mental healthcare providers listed below are eligible for MSLRP.
The MI Kids Now Loan Repayment Program (MKN LRP) is a medical education debt repayment program focused on incentivizing behavioral health care providers to practice in underserved areas in Michigan. Eligible providers will receive student loan repayment for providing mental health services in eligible nonprofit, outpatient practice sites, or public school-based systems. The program has a two-year service obligation.
MKN LRP will assist those selected by providing up to $300,000 in tax-free funds to repay their educational debt over a period of up to ten years of participation.
The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program is available to Registered Nurses (RN) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) working in a public or private eligible Critical Shortage Facility (CSF) OR Nurse Faculty employed at an eligible school of nursing for two years.
A Critical Shortage Facility is a health care facility located in, designated as, or serving a primary medical care or mental health, Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).
HRSA pay up to 85% of unpaid nursing education debt for:
MIDOCs is a state-funded program set up to expand graduate medical education residency positions in select specialties to recruit and retain physicians in underserved areas in the state of Michigan. MIDOCs residencies may feature a variety of enhanced curricular elements in areas such as ambulatory care, quality improvement, population health, interprofessional collaboration, and care of diverse and underserved populations. MIDOCs offers up to $75,000 in loan repayment to residents for the repayment of qualifying educational loans with an agreement to work in a medically underserved area of Michigan for 2 years post-residency.
If you’re employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, you might be eligible for the PSLF Program. The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you’ve made the equivalent of 120 qualifying monthly payments under an accepted income-based repayment plan, and while working full-time for an eligible employer.
Eligible employers include:
Many individuals can also utilize the PSLF while being part of NHSC LRP or MSLRP.
Paige Recker
Access to Rural Care Manager
paige.recker@affiliate.msu.edu
