Boston University Medical Campus
Student Financial Services

The Financial Assistance Program (FAP) was implemented by the DOD to attract physicians in residency and fellowship programs in specialties determined to be of critical need to the armed forces. Physicians currently accepted for or enrolled in an accredited residency or fellowship in one of the designated specialties are eligible to apply to the FAP.

Participation in the FAP provides:

• A commission in the Medical Corps of the Reserves, in inactive status.
• An annual grant while in residency or fellowship.
• A monthly stipend while in residency or fellowship. This is in addition to the annual grant.
• Payment of all educational expenses.
• All of the above prerequisites are in addition to any stipend and allowances provided by the civilian training institution.
• An active duty appointment in the Medical Corps Reserves upon completion of the residency or fellowship program.

The FAP requires that an individual:

• Complete an active duty obligation of two years for the first year of participation as a resident or fellow, plus a half year for each additional half year of participation, or proportion thereof. The active duty obligation is additive to any unfulfilled active duty obligation through other programs such as the Health Professions Scholarship or ROTC.
• Serve for a total Reserve commission of eight years after completion of residency or fellowship. A portion of that may be served in inactive status.

Details of the FAP are available through your local Medical Recruiting Office or by calling:

United States Air Force (781) 270-4169
United States Army (617) 753-4834
United States Navy (617) 753-4501

The Hospital of Saint Raphael has joined the national effort in sponsoring a Primary Care Initiative. The program encourages physicians to enter primary care and offers all categorical residents who successfully complete their three year Internal Medicine Program, a lump sum payment equal to the level of their educational-related indebtedness, up to a maximum of $30,000.

In order to qualify:

1. You must successfully complete the 3-year Internal Medicine Categorical Program
2. You must supply appropriate documentation detailing education loan indebtedness from an authorized lending source.

For more details about the Residency and Internal Medicine Program, contact program officials at:

Internal Medicine Training Program
1450 Chapel Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Telephone #: (203) 789-3358
Fax #: (203) 789-3222

Participants in this program will be paid up to $30,000 per year toward their qualified educational loans for each year of full-time clinical practice at a designated IHS site in the U.S. Eligible participants are health professionals in practice, in postgraduate training or in their final year of professional school. Priority is given to those physicians in specialties of need as determined by the program.

For an application and further information, you may contact:

Loan Repayment Program, Indian Health Service
Health Manpower, Support Branch
801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 120
Rockville, MD 20852
Telephone #: (301) 443-3396

The NHSC provides funds directly to states for the operation of loan repayment programs. States match federal contributions dollar-for-dollar. The application is made to a state coordinating office. Recipients need not be residents of the state applied to but are required to serve in a Health Professions Shortage Area there. Specific benefits and service requirements should be verified at the state level. Information about these programs is included in both the AAMC and NHSC web pages.

In addition, primary care physicians, dentists and certified nurse-midwives may receive repayment of health professions educational loans up to $50,000 for the first two years and $35,000 per year thereafter, through this program. In exchange for loan repayment, participants are obligated upon completion of training to serve full-time at a designated NHSC site of their choice. The program pays toward the participant’s qualified federal health professions educational loans for each year of full-time salaried service. The NHSC will also reimburse the participant for increased federal, state, and local income taxes caused by loan repayment. Currently the tax reimbursement is 39% of the yearly payment. Selection for the program is based on the staffing needs of the NHSC. Priority for selection will be given to those who have completed residencies in fields of need at the time of application.

The minimum service commitment is two years. Applicants must have a valid license to practice in the appropriate state at the time of service. U.S. citizenship is required.

For additional information and an application, you may call (800) 435-6464 or consult the Bureau of Primary Health Care website.

The Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers (MLCHC) is accepting applicants for the Statewide Primary Care Physician Loan Repayment program.

The MLCHC, in conjunction with Bank of America-Partners Healthcare support, will utilize $1.7 million in state funds, to support the recruitment of primary care physicians across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Applications are now being accepted from candidates at all Massachusetts community health centers hired on or after April 6, 2007.

For application materials or additional information, please visit www.massleague.org. The next deadline for application submission is December 1, 2007.

ADDED NOVEMBER 20, 2007