Office of Rural Health

National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment
and Scholarship Program

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) seeks primary care providers dedicated to working with our nation’s medically underserved populations. There are two programs to aid transition of health professionals into practicing in medically underserved communities.

The NHSC Loan Repayment Program offers fully trained providers repayment of qualified educational loans in exchange for a minimum of two years' service at an eligible site. Participants also receive a competitive salary, some tax relief benefits, and a chance to make a significant impact on the health status of a community.

The NHSC Scholarship Program offers the payment of tuition and fees, books, supplies, and equipment for up to four years of education, and a monthly taxable stipend. For each year of support received, the provider must serve one year in a federally designated health professional shortage area (HPSA) of greatest need. The service commitment is a minimum of two years and begins upon completion of residency or other training.

ATTENTION COMMUNITIES: The NHSC can make your community in a health professional shortage area healthier by helping you recruit and retain qualified health care clinicians who care about underserved people and choose to work where they are needed most. For more information on becoming an NHSC-approved site, visit http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/communities/.

For more information contact the Office of Rural Health, 600 E. Capitol, Pierre, SD 57501; phone 1-800-738-2301 or 605-773-3517. Or visit the National Health Service Corps web site at http://nhsc.hrsa.gov.

You can also visit the U.S. Department of health and Human Services for more information on national programs of financial aid for health professional students and practitioners. http://www.hrsa.gov/help/healthprofessions.htm.