Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program offers loan repayment to registered nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and nurse faculty who work in eligible critical shortage facilities in primary care or at accredited nursing schools.
Learn more: bhw.hrsa.gov/funding/nurse-corps
What is the NHSC?
The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) is a federal program that offers loan repayment and scholarships to qualified health professionals who serve in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). The goal is to increase access to primary care in underserved communities.
Learn more at the official site: nhsc.hrsa.gov
Eligibility Criteria
The NHSC currently provides loan repayment programs to registered nurses (RNs), nurse practitioners (NPs), and other select providers only if they work in primary care, substance use disorder treatment, or mental health clinics.
While these services are essential, this narrow focus excludes many other equally critical specialties that serve patients with complex, chronic needs.
How HPSA Scores Are Calculated
The NHSC uses a metric called the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Score to evaluate the level of need in a region. Higher scores indicate greater need. The primary care HPSA score is determined using:
- Population-to-provider ratio
- Percentage of the population below the federal poverty level
- Infant health index (e.g., infant mortality, low birth weight)
- Access to care (travel time to nearest provider)
These scores prioritize areas for funding and provider placement, but the scoring model is tailored to primary care and does not measure specialty access.
Source: HRSA Shortage Designation Criteria
NHSC Comparison Tool
The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) assigns rural health scores to prioritize areas for support. This tool compares Marshall Rheumatology to typical NHSC criteria to show how underserved specialty areas rank for access and need.
Marshall Rheumatology Estimated Rural Score: 18
(Based on geographic isolation, patient load, and limited access to specialty care)
NHSC Eligibility Threshold: Primary care threshold is typically 14–18.
Marshall Rheumatology would meet or exceed most primary care eligibility benchmarks, yet specialty NPs and MDs are not currently included.
What NHSC Excludes
Despite its importance, the NHSC does not include specialty providers in its loan repayment eligibility. Excluded specialties include:
- Rheumatology
- Nephrology
- Pulmonology
- Endocrinology
- Allergy and Immunology
- Cardiology and others
This omission contributes to gaps in care for patients with complex, chronic diseases, especially in rural and underserved regions.