Loan Repayment Program Overview
Additional Programs and Resources
Prospective Applicants
1. What is the purpose of the loan repayment program?
2. What is the loan repayment to be used for?
3. If I am interested in a loan repayment program, can I apply to more than one program?
4. When do I submit an application to be considered?
1. What is the purpose of the loan repayment program?
The purpose of Virginia’s Loan Repayment Programs is to recruit primary care practitioners in underserved areas of Virginia and in state and local institutions.
2. What is the loan repayment to be used for?
Loan Repayment benefits must only be used to repay qualifying outstanding medical educational loans.
3. If I am interested in a loan repayment program, can I apply to more than one program?
You can apply to all eligible loan repayment programs, but you can only accept one of the programs. Each program requires that you have no other service obligations to any other program.
4. When do I submit an application to be considered?
Online applications are only available and accepted between January 1 and March 31st of the year in which the applicant intends to initiate practice in a Health professional shortage area (HPSA).
5. How do I learn if a practice site is in a medically underserved area or a health profession shortage area?
For Va-SLRP prospective applicants, visit the Data Warehouse Website and search their databases.
Candidates
1. How do I check the status of my loan repayment program application?
2. If I am eligible for renewal in the loan repayment program, what is the loan amount?
3. Are there selection criteria for this program?
1. How do I check the status of my loan repayment program application?
All applicants to the Virginia Loan Repayment Programs are notified quickly if they are not eligible or have not submitted a complete application.
All applicants are notified electronically that their applications have been received.
Applications are reviewed in the order that they are received.
If you have applied to the loan repayment program through the National Health Service Corps, you are advised to call Discovery Logic at (800) 638-0824 directly. The Virginia Department of Health does not administer this program.
If you have applied to either of the Virginia loan repayment programs, you should call the office at (804) 864-7435 or email OlivetteBurroughs@vdh.virignia.gov.
2. If I am eligible for renewal in the loan repayment program, what would be the loan amount?
Current recipients of the loan repayment program may be eligible for renewal if they still have qualifying medical education debt.
Renewal amounts are up to $20,000 for a third year commitment and up to $20,000 for a fourth year commitment.
3. Are there selection criteria for this program?
Yes. Selection factors include:
- The recipient’s commitment to serve in a HPSA area
- The recipient status as a Virginia resident/ Virginia graduate or a Virginia native of a rural or medically underserved area
- The recipient’s immediate availability for service
- The recipient’s professional qualifications and competency to practice in an underserved area
- The recipient’s other service obligations
- See Guidelines
Loan Repayment Program Recipients
1. How do I renew my application after the first two years in the loan repayment program?
2. If I am eligible for renewal in the loan repayment program, what is the loan amount?
3. Is there a prorated amount for part-time work?
1. How do I renew my application after the first two years in the loan repayment program?
Current loan repayment program recipients may be eligible to renew their contract if they still have outstanding medical educational debt. Recipients must submit a new application to be considered.
Priority for awards is given to current recipients. However, recipients are strongly encouraged to adhere to all requirements of the program, namely, the submission of timely Verification of Employment Forms.
2. If I am eligible for renewal in the loan repayment program, what is the loan amount?
If medical educational loans are still owed, current recipients may be eligible for a renewal in the program. An award amount of $20,000 is provided for a third year commitment to work in a HPSA. An additional award amount of $20,000 is provided for a fourth year commitment to work in a HPSA.
3. Is there a prorated amount for part-time work?
No, there is no prorated amount for part-time work as the program requires all recipients to work full-time (at least 40 hours per week).
Practice Sites
2. Will the practice site have any reporting requirements?
1. As a practice site interested in hiring a practitioner and supporting their application to the loan repayment program, what is our responsibility(ies)?
Practice sites will be required to submit a completed Practice Site Recruitment Form, which is to accompany the Loan Repayment Application.
2. Will the practice site have any reporting requirements?
No. However, the recipient has a reporting requirement which requires his/her supervisor to provide verification of the recipient’s work hours at the approved practice site, by completing the Verification of Employment Form.