The Minnesota Department of Health's Office of Rural Health and Primary Care administers six loan forgiveness or repayment programs for health professionals. The programs are available to:
- physicians, dentists, or midlevel practitioners who agree to serve in specific areas
- medical residents who agree to serve in designated rural areas or underserved urban areas
- midlevel practitioner students who agree to serve in designated rural areas
- dentists who agree to treat public program participants
- nursing students (RN or LPN) who agree to serve in a licensed nursing home or an intermediate care facility for persons with mental retardation or related conditions
- low-income nursing students (RN or LPN) who agree to work in a long-term care facility or serve as a nursing educator in Minnesota for three years or more
- allied health career nursing students
"Midlevel practitioner" refers to a nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist, advanced clinical nurse specialist or a physician assistant. All service obligations must be filled by working in Minnesota.
Applications for these programs are available after July 1, 2006 and are due December 1, 2006, and can be requested from:
Minnesota Department of Health
Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
Tel: (651) 282-3838 or (800) 366-5424 (Minnesota only)
Web: www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/loan.htm
Federal Health Professions Programs
Various federal scholarship and loan programs are available for students interested in health professions, such as nursing, dentistry or medicine. Campus-based programs include the Health Professions Student Loan Program, the Primary Care Loan Program, Loans for Disadvantaged Students Program and Nursing Student Loan Program.
Additional health loan repayment programs may be available from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, such as the Faculty Loan Repayment and the Nursing Education Loan Repayment programs.
To apply, students should contact the financial aid office at the school where they intend to apply or where they are enrolled.
For more information, visit bhpr.hrsa.gov/dsa/
