Applications Available for 2007 Steven M. Thompson Loan Repayment Program; Deadline Is March 24
[Posted 01/18/07]

Applications are now available for the 2007 Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program. Physicians selected for the program, which was created under a CMA-sponsored law in 2002, will receive medical school loan repayment grants of up to $105,000 in exchange for a three-year service commitment in a medically underserved area of the state.

The program is open to newly licensed physicians who commit to serve a minimum of three years in the approved geographic areas, which include official “health professionals shortage areas” (HPSAs) and federally qualified “health center look-alikes,” community health centers, migrant health centers, and public housing centers. Last year, loan recipients worked in a variety of underserved areas throughout the state, from community clinics in downtown Los Angeles to farmworker health clinics in the Central Valley to rural health facilities in Northern California.

The law requires that most participants be selected from the specialty areas of family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics/gynecology. Up to 20 percent of the participants may be selected from other specialties.

Applications are due by March 24 and can be downloaded here.

CMA is still seeking a permanent funding source for this very important program. Unfortunately, the Schwarzenegger administration’s proposed 2007-2008 budget does not include new funding for this program.

Please consider supporting this worthy program with a tax-deductible donation. To make a donation, download the donation form here, or contact the Health Professions Education Foundation at 800/773-1669. You will also have the opportunity to support the program with a voluntary donation during the medical license renewal process.

Click here for an application.

Contact: Susan Bassett, 916/444-5532 or sbassett@cmanet.org.