Physician Loan Repayment Program

For many of Colorado’s rural and underserved urban communities, the biggest barrier to health care is a shortage of practicing physicians.

This is why the Foundation, in conjunction with the Colorado Rural Health Center, has developed the Physician Loan Repayment Program. The 2008 Program recently granted more than $2 million to 18 physicians who will be working at federally qualified health centers, rural health centers or ClinicNet facilities in rural or underserved urban communities across Colorado. The awards will help pay off the physicians’ educational loans during the three-year period in which they work in the underserved clinics.

Currently, there are more than 85 unfilled positions in freestanding clinics, and 96 openings are projected through 2010. The increased demand for physicians has been fueled by a growing number of people who rely on safety net clinics for their health care. Patients seen at Colorado’s FQHCs have increased by more than 40% since 2001.

By populating rural and underserved areas with more physicians, we believe that access to health care will improve throughout Colorado.

• 2008 Award Recipients
• Fact Sheet
• FAQ
• Application Materials

For more information about this program, please contact Cherith Chapman at the Colorado Rural Health Center, 303-832-7493 or cc@coruralhealth.org.