Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(A) A primary care physician will not have an
outstanding obligation for medical service to the federal government, a state,
or other entity at the time of participation in the physician loan repayment
program and meets one of the following requirements may apply for participation
in the physician loan repayment program if:
(1) The primary care physician is enrolled in
the final year of an accredited program required for board certification in a
primary care specialty; or
(2) The
primary care physician is enrolled in the final year of a fellowship program in
a primary care specialty; or
(3)
The primary care physician holds a valid license to
practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery issued under
Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code.
(B) The application shall be submitted by a
date and on a form prescribed by the department.
The form shall require an applicant to set forth the following
information:
(1) Name;
(2) Current and permanent mailing
address;
(3) Telephone
number;
(4) Primary care
specialty;
(5) The medical school
or institution or school or college of osteopathy attended, dates attended and
verification of attendance;
(6) The
facility or institution where medical residency and
fellowship training was completed or is being
performed, and if completed, the date(s) of completion;
(7) A summary of the educational expenses for
which reimbursement is sought under the physician loan repayment program and
verification of expenses;
(8)
Verification of United States citizenship or legal alien status;
(9) Verification of
an
active license to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine
under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code; and
(10) Any other information requested by the
department .
(C) The director shall grant an application for placement
in a health resource shortage area and participation in the physician loan
repayment program if all of the following apply:
(1) Funds are available in the physician loan
repayment fund;
(2) The general
assembly has appropriated adequate funds for the physician loan repayment
program; and
(3) The director finds
that the applicant is eligible for placement and participation and that, in
accordance with the priorities established under rule
3701-6-04 of the Administrative
Code, the applicant's primary care specialty is needed in a health resource
shortage area.
(D) Upon
granting an application, the director shall notify and enter into discussions
with the applicant. The object of the discussions is the placement of the
applicant in a health resource shortage area in which, according to the
priorities established under rule
3701-6-04 of the Administrative
Code his or her primary care specialty is most needed.
(E) If the health resource shortage area
site, the director and applicant agree on the applicant's placement in a
particular health resource shortage area and the amount of the applicant's
educational expenses to be repaid, the applicant shall prepare, sign, and
deliver to the director a letter of intent agreeing to that
placement.
(F) In the event that it
is necessary to establish priorities among applicants, the director shall
consider the following factors:
(1) The
applicant's background and career goals;
(2) The applicant's primary care
specialty;
(3) The length of time
the applicant is willing to provide primary care services in a health care
resource shortage area;
(4) The
applicant's expressed interest in working and staying in an underserved area
and whose family members are interested in the lifestyle associated with areas
of underservice;
(5) The extent to
which the applicant has sought or undertaken culturally or economically diverse
experiences;
(6) The amount of the
loan balance for which the applicant is requesting repayment
assistance;
(7) Physicians being
recruited to a health resource shortage area and not yet practicing in an
eligible area will be given preference over physicians already practicing in
the eligible area;
(8) To ensure an
equitable distribution of physicians desiring to practice in a health resource
shortage area, preference will be given to applicants desiring to practice in a
health resource shortage area which has not had a physician placed in the
preceding four years in the area either through the Ohio physician loan
repayment program or through the federal national health service corps
scholarship and loan repayment programs.
(G) Each applicant will be evaluated against
the factors listed in this rule. A score will be given to an applicant's
response to each factor and each
applicant will be given a total score. In addition, the director may instruct
staff to interview applicants to gather responses not easily evaluated from the
applicant's written application. The applicants with the highest scores will be
recommended for funding provided that funds are authorized and available.
Click to view
Appendix
