Title 42 › Chapter 6A— PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter II— GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES › Part D— Primary Health Care › Subpart iii— scholarship program and loan repayment program › § 254p
Allows the Secretary to make one loan to a Corps member who signs a written promise to work full-time in private clinical practice in a health professional shortage area for at least 2 years. If the member must finish an earlier required service period, the 2-year private practice must start no later than 1 year after that required service ends. If the member has no required service, the Secretary decides when the 2-year practice begins. The member must follow the practice rules in section 254n(b)(1) and any other conditions the Secretary requires. A loan can be no more than $25,000 and the interest rate cannot be over 5 percent per year. The member must apply and be approved. The Secretary will set exact interest and repayment rules by regulation. If the member breaks the written promise, the Secretary will notify them. If within 60 days the member is not practicing as promised and does not give acceptable assurances, the United States can collect money back. For someone who got a grant under the older rule (as it was before October 1, 1984), the amount is figured under section 254o(b) using the grant plus interest as if it were a loan, with “t” as the months agreed and “s” as the months actually worked. For someone who got a loan under this rule, the full loan principal and interest must be repaid.
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The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
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42 U.S.C. § 254p
Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60