The goal of the Ohio Physician Loan Repayment Program (OPLRP) is to increase access to primary care for under-served communities and populations. In exchange for loan repayment assistance, physicians commit to practice for a minimum of two years at an eligible site in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) or Health Resource Shortage Area, accept Medicare and Medicaid, and see patients regardless of ability to pay.
For the first two-year contract, selected full-time applicants practicing a minimum of 40 hours per week may receive up to $25,000 annually for repayment of outstanding medical school debt. Those who remain at their practice sites and maintain eligibility may receive up to $35,000 annually for a third and fourth year of service. Part-time participants practicing between 20 and 39 hours per week may receive up to half the amount of full-time participants.
The following primary care specialties are eligible:
• Family Practice
• General Internal Medicine
• Internal Medicine/Pediatrics
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• General Pediatrics
• Adolescent Medicine
• Geriatrics
• Psychiatry (General, Child and Adolescent, Geriatric)
Physicians applying to OPLRP must either be in current practice or in the final year of residency or fellowship training at the time of application. If applicants have existing obligations to a government or other entity, the obligations must be met prior to beginning a loan repayment contract.
To learn more and to obtain the OPLRP application, please visit https://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/chss/pcrh_programs/recruitment/slrp.aspx
For more information, please contact:
Shane Ford, MA
Recruitment/Retention Coordinator
Primary Care Office
Ohio Department of Health
614-466-7475
Shane.ford@odh.ohio.gov