State Loan Repayment Program

Eligible health professionals can qualify for education loan repayment assistance by practicing in Mississippi areas with provider shortages.

The Mississippi Center for Rural Health and Population Studies administers the Mississippi State Loan Repayment Program (MSLRP), funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The program recruits and retains medica professionals to serve at eligible practice sites located in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs).

HPSAs can be geographic areas, populations or facilities. These areas have a shortage of primary health care providers.

Benefits

Program participants (MDs and DOs only) must practice at least two years at an approved public or private healthcare organization and can receive up to $150,000 toward educational loan repayment.

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Applicant Eligibility

Applications will be accepted beginning July 2026.

To apply to the Mississippi State Loan Repayment Program (MSLRP), applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Must be a United States citizen or national.
2. Must work in a HPSA that corresponds to their training and/or discipline. For example, psychiatrists and other mental health care providers must serve in a mental health HPSA.
3. Must agree to use SLRP funds only to repay qualifying educational loans. Qualifying educational loans are Government and commercial loans for actual costs paid for tuition and reasonable educational and living expenses related to the education of the participant.
4. Must provide full-time or half-time primary health care services at an eligible site. All half-time providers will receive half the award for their obligation period.

Applicants must not have:

• Federal judgment liens.
• A current default on any federal payment obligations (e.g., Health Education Assistance Loans, Nursing Student Loans, federal income tax liabilities, Federal Housing Authority Loans, etc.) even if the creditor now considers them to be in good standing.
• Any contractual obligations for health care professional service to the federal government (e.g., an NHSC Scholarship or Loan Repayment Program obligation, or a NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program obligation), or other entities. (However, if the service obligation will be met before the State LRP contract has been signed, then it is acceptable.)
• An existing service obligation.
• An employment contract that has a service obligation requirement. For example, an employer offering a physician a recruitment bonus in return for the physician’s agreement to work at that facility for a certain period or pay back the bonus.
• Breached a prior service obligation to the federal/state/local government or other entity, unless it was later satisfied.
• Any federal or non-federal debt written off as uncollectible or received a waiver of any federal service or payment obligation.

Practice Site Eligibility

• Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
• FQHC Look-A-Likes
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Certified Rural Health Clinics
• Indian Health Service Facilities, Tribally Operated 638 Health Program, and Urban Indian Health Programs
• Correctional or Detention Facilities
• Private Practices (solo or group)
• Community Outpatient Facilities
• Community Mental Health Facilities
• State and County Health Department Clinics
• Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Health Service Corps
• Free Clinics
• Mobile Units
• School-based programs
• Critical Access Hospitals affiliated with a qualified outpatient clinic
• State Mental Health Facilities
• Rural Emergency Hospitals affiliated with a qualified outpatient clinic

• More about site eligibility and Health Professional Shortage Areas HRSA

Eligible Disciplines and Specialties

• M.D.: Allopathic Medicine
• D.O.: Osteopathic Medicine

Specialties

For M.D. and D.O. applicants.

• Family Medicine
• Internal Medicine
• Pediatric
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Geriatrics
• Psychiatry

Related

• MSDH Center for Rural Health and Population Studies