Clinician Recruitment and Service
Faculty Loan Repayment Program/Minority Faculty Fellowship Program

Authorizing Legislation: Sections 738 of the Public Health Service Act.

Program Description and Accomplishments
The Faculty Loan Repayment Program (FLRP) is a loan repayment program for health profession graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds who serve as faculty at an eligible health professions college or university for a minimum of two years. In return, the Federal Government agrees to pay up to $20,000 of the outstanding principal and interest on the individual’s health professions education loans for each year of service. The employing institution must also make payments to the faculty member equal to the principal and interest amount made by the HHS Secretary for each year in which the recipient serves as a faculty member. The Secretary may waive the institution’s matching requirements if the Secretary determines it will impose an undue financial hardship. Most of the Health Professions’ TitleVII and Title VIII, PHS Act programs were reviewed as a unit in 2002 using the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART). This program was included in that assessment. These programs in the aggregate, received a rating of Ineffective.

In FY 2007:

• The FLRP program made 20 new loan repayment awards, and 71 currently obligated loan repayers from disadvantaged backgrounds were teaching in health professions schools.

Funding History

Budget Request
The FY 2009 Request does not request funding for the Faculty Loan Repayment Program/Minority Faculty Fellowship Program. The budget focuses on activities that fund the placement of more dentists, doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals in direct service capacities that face severe recruitment problems. This effort can be supported in the future by other sources, such as States, health professions institutions, and private foundations.