LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM

The Loan Repayment Program (LRP):

Eligibility, Disciplines & Specialties:

All health profesionals are eligible to apply to the LRP. However, physicians and nurses have historically received the highest priority for selection into the program.

LRP applicants must be health or allied health professionals who:

are U.S. Citizens;

are committed to practice at an IHS or other Indian health program priority site, demonstrated by signing a binding contract to serve at such at such a site;

are free to begin service on or before September 30, in a full-time clinical practice for two continuous years in an approved IHS or other Indian health program priority site; and,

Section 4(n) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA), Public Law (P.L.) 94-437, as amended, provides that:

"Health Professions means family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, geriatric medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, podiatric medicine, nursing, publc health nursing, dentistry, psychiatry, osteopathy, optometry, pharmacy, psychology, public health, social work, marriage and family therapy, chiropractic medicine, environmental health and engineering and allied health professions"

have a degree in medicine, osteopathy, dentistry or health profession consistent with Section 4(n); and have a completed an approved graduate training program in medicine, osteopathy, dentistry or other health profession in a State, and have a license to practice medicine, osteopathy, dentristry, or, if applicable, other health profession in a State, except that the Secretary may waive the requirement of graduate training for good cause shown.

For the purposes of this program, the term "Indian health program" is defined in Section 108 (a)(2)(A) of the IHCIA, as follows:

...any health program or facility funded, in whole or in part, by the IHS for the benefit or American Indians and Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) and administered:

a. Directly by the service; or
b. By any Indian tribe or tribal or Indian organization pursuant to a contract under:

1. The Indian Self-Determination Act (P.L. 93-638 as amended); or
2. Section 23 of the Act of April 30, 1908 (25 U.S.C. 47), popularly known as the Buy Indian Act; or
3. By an urban Indian organization pursuant to Title V of the IHCIA.

Please e-mail questions and comments to Webmaster (cahhaitt@hqe.ihs.gov).