Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Financial aid for health career education
Student Loan Programs Authorized by the Public Health Service Act: An Overview
Provides an overview of student loan programs for health profession students authorized by the Public Health Service Act and administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Describes borrower eligibility requirements, loan terms and conditions, and administrative rules. Includes a table comparing the programs by borrower type, repayment terms, the number of participating schools, and the number and financial amount of outstanding loans.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of student loan programs for health profession students authorized by the Public Health Service Act and administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Describes borrower eligibility requirements, loan terms and conditions, and administrative rules. Includes a table comparing the programs by borrower type, repayment terms, the number of participating schools, and the number and financial amount of outstanding loans.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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The National Health Service Corps
Provides an overview of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) program, including the federal scholarship and loan repayment components, and explains how the program affects rural recruitment and retention. Highlights changes in FY2018 focusing on opioid and substance use disorder treatment providers, as well as the provision of funding to expand the number of scholarship and loan repayment awards through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) program, including the federal scholarship and loan repayment components, and explains how the program affects rural recruitment and retention. Highlights changes in FY2018 focusing on opioid and substance use disorder treatment providers, as well as the provision of funding to expand the number of scholarship and loan repayment awards through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Hospitals Help: Michigan 2024 Community Impact Report
Profiles select Michigan hospitals and discusses their community impact. Includes information on rural hospitals and scholarship programs that support the healthcare workforce on the upper peninsula and other rural areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Michigan Health & Hospital Association
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Profiles select Michigan hospitals and discusses their community impact. Includes information on rural hospitals and scholarship programs that support the healthcare workforce on the upper peninsula and other rural areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Michigan Health & Hospital Association
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Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce Loan Repayment & Scholarship Awards Report: Fiscal Year 2025
Features sections on the Physicians for Rural Areas Assistance Program (PRAAP) and the Dentists for Rural Areas Assistance Program (DRAAP). Features county-level maps showing areas with improved access to care due to PRAAP and DRAAP.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce
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Features sections on the Physicians for Rural Areas Assistance Program (PRAAP) and the Dentists for Rural Areas Assistance Program (DRAAP). Features county-level maps showing areas with improved access to care due to PRAAP and DRAAP.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce
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Select Committee on Advancing Rural and Small Town Health Care Final Report - To the General Assembly of Virginia
Recommendations for improvement in healthcare in rural Virginia, based on information from meetings with providers and citizens in rural areas. Areas of focus are health workforce, maternal health, dental care, obesity, telehealth, and transportation.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Commonwealth of Virginia, House Select Committee on Advancing Rural and Small Town Health Care
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Recommendations for improvement in healthcare in rural Virginia, based on information from meetings with providers and citizens in rural areas. Areas of focus are health workforce, maternal health, dental care, obesity, telehealth, and transportation.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Commonwealth of Virginia, House Select Committee on Advancing Rural and Small Town Health Care
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Arizona Medically Underserved Areas: Biennial Report 2024
Biennial report for Arizona containing a list of Primary Care Areas (PCAs) by county, maps of medically underserved areas, and a list of Arizona State Loan Repayment Program sites. Describes methodology for designating PCAs as Medically Underserved Areas (AzMUAs), including ratio of population to primary care, travel distance to a primary care physician, and health insurance status, among other factors.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Department of Health Services
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Biennial report for Arizona containing a list of Primary Care Areas (PCAs) by county, maps of medically underserved areas, and a list of Arizona State Loan Repayment Program sites. Describes methodology for designating PCAs as Medically Underserved Areas (AzMUAs), including ratio of population to primary care, travel distance to a primary care physician, and health insurance status, among other factors.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Department of Health Services
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Health Professional Retention in Underserved Areas: Findings From the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program Participants in the United States, 2019–2021
Results of a study to identify National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program (LRP) participants' patterns of experiences, and to assess whether these patterns were associated with post-service retention. Features statistics with breakdowns by standard LRP, Substance Use Disorder LRP, and Rural Communities LRP.
Author(s): Kathleen Rowan, Savyasachi V. Shah, Alana Knudson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Public Health Policy, 2024
Date: 08/2024
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Results of a study to identify National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program (LRP) participants' patterns of experiences, and to assess whether these patterns were associated with post-service retention. Features statistics with breakdowns by standard LRP, Substance Use Disorder LRP, and Rural Communities LRP.
Author(s): Kathleen Rowan, Savyasachi V. Shah, Alana Knudson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Public Health Policy, 2024
Date: 08/2024
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Advancing Health Equity through Primary Care Policy: Priorities and Recommendations for California
Provides policy recommendations to improve access to primary care and improve health equity in California, summarizing perspectives and conclusions from policy, primary care, and health equity experts who participated in the 2023 Summit on Primary Care Policy to Advance Health Equity. Covers topics including engagement with community organizations, workforce development, access to care, data sharing, payment, and accountability. Discusses people who live in rural areas and other underserved populations throughout.
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Rebeckah Muratore, Alexandra Ament, Deliya Wesley, Katie Morrison Lee
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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Provides policy recommendations to improve access to primary care and improve health equity in California, summarizing perspectives and conclusions from policy, primary care, and health equity experts who participated in the 2023 Summit on Primary Care Policy to Advance Health Equity. Covers topics including engagement with community organizations, workforce development, access to care, data sharing, payment, and accountability. Discusses people who live in rural areas and other underserved populations throughout.
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Rebeckah Muratore, Alexandra Ament, Deliya Wesley, Katie Morrison Lee
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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Strategies to Reduce Barriers for Underserved Students in Health Professions Programs: Addressing Rural and Urban Health Professional Shortages by Building a Diverse Healthcare Workforce
Evaluates barriers to the education, recruitment, and placement of rural and underserved health professions students in Arizona, utilizing interview data from 15 educators and program managers with relevant experience. Identifies opportunities for improvement, including discussion of pathway programs, financial aid, admission practices, community supports, public policy, and more.
Author(s): J. Ringhand, A. Oteng-Quarshie, J. Peters, A. Garn, B. Koch, D. Derksen
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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Evaluates barriers to the education, recruitment, and placement of rural and underserved health professions students in Arizona, utilizing interview data from 15 educators and program managers with relevant experience. Identifies opportunities for improvement, including discussion of pathway programs, financial aid, admission practices, community supports, public policy, and more.
Author(s): J. Ringhand, A. Oteng-Quarshie, J. Peters, A. Garn, B. Koch, D. Derksen
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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Health Professions Pathway Programs: A Literature Review
Reviews 26 articles to identify common practices of health professions pathway programs for underrepresented, underserved, or rural students pursuing primary care medical or dental education. Identifies instructional and financial practices which address Arizona's health workforce shortages by improving health workforce distribution and diversity.
Author(s): Jack Ringhand
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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Reviews 26 articles to identify common practices of health professions pathway programs for underrepresented, underserved, or rural students pursuing primary care medical or dental education. Identifies instructional and financial practices which address Arizona's health workforce shortages by improving health workforce distribution and diversity.
Author(s): Jack Ringhand
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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