We’re keeping health professionals in Mississippi by connecting them with scholarships, loan repayment programs, and job opportunities.
HRSA Nurse Corps Scholarship Program
The Nurse Corps Scholarship Program provides scholarships to nursing students in exchange for a minimum two-year, full-time service commitment (or part-time equivalent) at an eligible healthcare facility with a critical shortage of nurses.
The Nurse Corps Scholarship award includes funds for tuition, required fees, monthly stipend, and other reasonable educational costs.
- Full-Time Service Up to $75,000 for a three-year service obligation
- Half-Time Service Up to $37,500 for a three-year service obligation
- Spanish Language award enhancement of up to $5,000 for eligible applicants
- Scholarship details HRSA
Conrad State 30 J-1 Visa Waiver Program
The Conrad State 30 / J-1 Visa Waiver Program is used to place international medical graduates who have completed their medical education in the United States in underserved areas of the state.
Normally, upon completion of their education, these international medical graduates are required to return to their country of nationality for at least two years before returning to the United States. However, under the Conrad State 30/J-1 Visa Waiver Program this home residency requirement can be waived for up to thirty (30) J-1 physicians annually. In exchange, the J-1 physicians must agree to practice medicine full-time at a Mississippi sponsoring site for a minimum of three years. These practice sites must be located in federally designated health professional shortage areas (HPSA) or medically underserved areas (MUA).
Loan Repayment Programs
Partial or full medical education loan repayment is available in return for two to three years of service commitment in a medically underserved area.
State Loan Repayment Program
- $25,000 loan repayment
- Two-year service requirement
This program recruits and retains medical, nursing, dental and mental/behavioral health professionals to serve at eligible practice sites located in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) for two years in exchange for $25,000 in loan repayment.
HRSA Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
- 60% loan repayment
- Two-year service requirement
Loan repayment is available to registered nurses (RN) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) working in public or private eligible critical shortage facilities (CSF) or nurse faculty employed at an eligible school or nursing. Awardees will receive payments totaling 60 percent of their outstanding qualifying educational loan balance incurred while pursuing an education in nursing in exchange for a two-year service obligation. Participants may receive an additional 25 percent of their original loan balance for an option.
- Program details HRSA
NHSC Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment
- Up to $100,000 loan repayment
- Minimum three-year service requirement
Licensed primary care providers, including substance use disorder treatment clinicians, in eligible disciplines, can receive loan repayment assistance through the Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program. In exchange for loan repayment, you must provide at least three years of service at a National Health Service Corps-approved substance use disorder treatment facility in a Health Professional Shortage Area.
- Program details HRSA
NHSC National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment
- Up to $75,000 loan repayment
- Two-year service requirement
- Half-time option
Licensed primary care clinicians in eligible disciplines can receive loan repayment assistance through the NHSC Loan Repayment Program. 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 practitioners. The program awards up to $75,000 for a full-time, two-year service commitment, and up to $37,500 for a half-time, two-year service commitment.
All other providers who provide mental or behavioral healthcare services are eligible for an NHSC award and will receive up to $50,000 of support for a full-time, two-year service commitment.
- Program details HRSA
For program and application guidance, contact the Mississippi Primary Care Office at pco@msdh.ms.gov or call our office at (601) 576-7874.
