Contents of this area:

Recruitment Services       Federal Faculty Loan Repayment Program       Federal Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program       Federally Qualified Health Centers       Greater New Orleans Health Service Corps       Health Professional Shortage Areas       J-1 Visa Waiver Program       La. Task Force on the Future of Family Medicine       Louisiana Tax Credit for Physicians and Dentists       Med Job Louisiana - Louisiana's professional recruitment program       National Health Service Corps Initiative           Applying for National Health Service Corps           HRSA Grant           NHSC - Community Site Profiles       State Loan Repayment Program

State Loan Repayment Program Factsheet
State Loan Repayment Plan Policies

About the State Loan Repayment Program
The purpose of the Louisiana State Loan Repayment Program is to encourage primary care practitioners to serve in Health Professional Shortage Areas. For the purpose of recruitment under this program, eligible primary care practitioners include those who are specialty board certified or have completed a residency in family practice, osteopathic general practice, obstetrics/gynecology, internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, or dentistry. Mid-levels include physician assistants, advanced nurse practitioners, and nurse midwives. The mission of the program is to alleviate, and ultimately overcome, the state's problem of a substantial mal-distribution of primary care health professionals in rural and inner city areas.  
 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Work in a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area
• Work for a public or nonprofit entity
• Work full-time (40 hours per week) in an outpatient capacity
• Accept assignment of  Medicare, Medicaid
• Have a sliding fee scale for low-income, uninsured patients
• Be a United States citizen
• Licensed to practice in Louisiana
• Have no other obligation for health professional services
• Have not defaulted on educational loans
• Have not breached a health professional service contract

COMPENSATION 
To enhance the provision of the health care services, the program will repay governmental or commercial educational loans obtained by the practitioner which have been consolidated into one loan. Physicians and dentists can receive up to $18,000 per year for a two-year commitment, up to $20,000 per year for a three-year commitment.  Mid-levels can receive up to $5,000 per year for a two-year commitment, up to $7,000 per year for a three-year commitment.

Should a primary care physician work in a health professional shortage area AND in one of the top 10 priority parishes, the practitioner can receive up to $30,000 per year for a three-year commitment.

Should a dentist work in a health professional shortage area AND accept referrals for HIV infected patients from the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health's and/or the Louisiana State University Health Science Center's outpatient sites, he/she can receive up to $30,000 per year for a three-year commitment.

For additional information, contact Jeanne Haupt at 225.342.3506 or e-mail jeanne.haupt@la.gov.