News and Announcements

Funding is still available for eligible non-profit sites who have already sponsored one provider this project period for the State Loan Repayment Program and Underserved Physician Workforce Programs.

The Illinois National Health Service Corps State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) assists communities in recruiting health professionals to their healthcare facilities. Requirements include U.S. citizenship and willingness to practice primary care, either full-time or half-time, in a Federal Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) in Illinois without regard for the patient’s ability to pay. Eligible specialties for this program are internal medicine, family practice, pediatrician and OB/GYN physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and certified nurse midwives. Also eligible are dentists and psychiatrists.

The Underserved Physician Workforce (UPW) Loan Repayment Program assists communities in recruiting physicians to their non-profit healthcare facilities. Requirements include U.S. citizenship and willingness to practice primary care, emergency room medicine or general surgery either full-time or half-time, in a Federal Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) in Illinois without regard for the patient’s ability to pay.

There is currently money available to accept new SLRP & UPW applicants. If you are aware of any health professionals(SLRP) and/or physicians(UPW) with educational loan debt that qualify, direct them to apply to the IDPH website for SLRP and UPW, respectively.

SLRP website (illinois.gov)
UPW Info/Application: UPW Information (illinois.gov)

For more information, contact DeJoie Simmons, IDPH, Center for Rural Health, 535 West Jefferson, Springfield, IL 62761 or call 217.785.4023.