You have an opportunity to increase access to primary care services to communities in need.
You have a choice of service options:
- Two-year full-time clinical practice at an NHSC-approved site.
- Two-year half-time clinical practice at an NHSC-approved site.
- Full-time service: Up to $75,000 (primary care providers) or $50,000 (for all providers) for a two-year initial term.
- Half-time service: Up to $37,500 (primary care providers) or $25,000 (for all providers) for a two-year initial term.
Note: If you serve in a private practice, you aren't eligible to practice half-time.
- There is no guarantee that you will receive a continuation contract.
Important dates
- Application launch date: March 19, 2024
- Application submission deadline: May 9, 2024
- Employment start date: July 18, 2024
- Scholars service obligation date: July 31, 2024
- Notification of award: September 30, 2024
- Contract termination deadline: 60 days from the effective date of the contract or at any time if the person who was awarded the contract has not received funds due.
New award enhancement for Spanish-language proficiency
For the 2024 NHSC loan repayment programs, we aim to address language access barriers to health care. To support this effort, we will provide a one-time enhancement award of $5,000 for a total loan repayment award of:
Primary care participants (physicians, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, physician assistants serving in a primary care HPSA):
- Up to $80,000 for full-time participants.
- Up to $42,500 for half-time participants.
Non-primary care participants (physicians, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and physician assistants specializing in behavioral health serving in a mental HPSA, as well as dentists, dental hygienists, and behavioral health providers):
- Up to $55,000 for full-time participants.
- Up to $30,000 for half-time participants.
Award amounts are based on the outstanding balance of an applicant’s qualifying educational loans. Participants must complete the two-year service obligation regardless of the amount of their award.
Who is eligible for the enhancement?
If you indicated that you have proficiency in Spanish when the application closes, you will receive an email containing a link to a Spanish-language competency assessment. This assessment will be conducted by a vendor approved by the General Services Administration. To be eligible for the award enhancement, your score on the assessment must be three or higher.
Note: If your loans are less than the maximum $75,000 (full-time) or $37,500 (half-time) increased award amounts or the $50,000 (full-time) or $25,000 (half-time) traditional two-year award amount, you will not receive the award enhancement even if you are eligible under the other criteria.
Award increase for primary care providers
We have increased the award amount for physicians, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants who provide primary care services in high-need communities (located in a primary care HPSA) to address the critical shortages of these providers.
The increased award amounts are:
- Up to $75,000 for a full-time, two-year service commitment
- Up to $37,500 for a half-time, two-year service commitment
If you are in an eligible discipline but you provide mental or behavioral health care services, you will not be eligible for the increased award amount. Instead, all other providers eligible for an NHSC award will receive up to $50,000 of support for a full-time, two-year service commitment.
Remember, all two-year loan repayment program participants can apply for an NHSC Loan Repayment Program Continuation Contract. This option may allow you to pay off most or all of your health professional education debt.
