Loan Program Resources

Here are some resources to assist you in understanding, finding and comparing state, federal and private loan repayment and forgiveness programs for medical students, residents and new physicians.

Please thoroughly research all of your options.

State

Primary Care Practitioner Loan Redemption Program of NJ

The NJLRP is designed to encourage primary care physicians, dentists, certified nurse midwives, certified nurse practitioners and certified physician assistants to practice in state designated underserved areas or federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Federal

Military

Students who are in the Army National Guard may be eligible for their Student Loan Repayment Program, which offers up to $10,000. (Note, the military and veterans' associations provide many scholarships and tuition assistance programs. See the section on Military Aid for details.)

Medical Studies

The US Department of Health and Human Services offers loan forgiveness programs through the National Health Service Corps. These programs offer loan forgiveness to physicians who agree to practice for a set number of years in areas that lack adequate medical care (including remote and/or economically depressed regions).

The US National Institutes of Health's NIH Loan Repayment Programs repays up to $35,000/year of student loan debt for US citizens who are conducting clinical medical research.

Other loan repayment programs for medical school students include:

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Public Service Loan Forgiveness discharges any remaining debt after 10 years of full-time employment in public service. The borrower must have made 120 payments as part of the Direct Loan program in order to obtain this benefit. This contrasts with the loan forgiveness of the remaining balance after 25 years of repayment under the income-contingent and income-based repayment plans for borrowers who are not employed full time in public service jobs.

Volunteer Service

These volunteer organizations offer loan forgiveness:

AmeriCorps. Serve for 12 months and receive up to $7400 in stipends plus $4725 to be used towards your loan.

Peace Corps. Volunteers may apply for deferment of Stafford, Perkins and Consolidation loans and partial cancellation of Perkins Loans (15% for each year of service, up to 70% in total). Volunteers make a real difference in the lives of real people with two years of service in more than 70 developing countries.

Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA). Volunteer with private, non-profit groups that help eradicate hunger, homelessness, poverty and illiteracy. Provide 1700 hours of service and receive $4725.