Michel Tetrault, DC
Executive Director
Chiropractic Diplomatic Corps
michel_tetrault@hotmail.com

===========================================================
Federal Agencies with Chiropractic Loan Repayment Provisions


1. National Health Service Corps (NHSC)

The HELP (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions) committee moved 
to include 
doctors of chiropractic in the NHSC program for a three-year period. 
This 
provision guarantees that doctors of chiropractic will receive loan 
reimbursement under the NHSC program. The action taken by the 
Senate HELP 
Committee is a significant victory! While the committee removed 
the 
podiatrists and optometrists from the program, doctors of 
chiropractic, for 
the first time, will be eligible for student loan reimbursement in 
the NHSC 
program. After the three-year period, Congress will decide whether 
or not to 
make chiropractic a permanent part of the NHSC. It will be very 
difficult 
for Congress not to make chiropractic a permanent part of the NHSC 
program. 
Once the chiropractic profession is made a permanent part of the 
NHSC, 
doctors of chiropractic will have a federal designation as primary 
care 
providers. Sept., 2001 - Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C., 
Sections 
254d, 254e, and 2541)


2. Indian Health Service (IHS) Educational Loan Repayment
The purpose of the Indian Health Service (IHS) Loan Repayment 
Program (LRP) 
is to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals to meet 
the 
staffing needs of the IHS or an Indian health program. All health 
professions are eligible to apply to the Loan Repayment Program. 
However, 
physicians and nurses have historically received the highest priority 
for 
selection into the program. LRP applicants must be health or allied 
health 
professionals who:
…	are U.S. citizens;
…	are committed to practice at an IHS or other Indian health 
program 
priority site, demonstrated by enclosing a signed contract to serve 
at such 
a site;
…	are free to begin service on or before September 30 in a full-
time 
clinical practice for two continuous years in an approved IHS or 
other 
Indian health program priority site; and
…	meet the definition given in Section 4(n) of the Indian Health 
Care 
Improvement Act (IHCIA), Public Law (P.L.) 94-437, as amended, 
that:
Health Profession means family medicine, internal medicine, 
pediatrics, 
geriatric medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, podiatric medicine, 
nursing, 
public health nursing, dentistry, psychiatry, osteopathy, optometry, 
pharmacy, psychology, public health, social work, marriage and 
family 
therapy, chiropractic medicine, environmental health and 
engineering and 
allied health professions.


3. Faculty Loan Repayment - disabled persons (no details found)


Sample States with Chiropractic Loan Repayment Provisions

Missouri Health Professional Student Loan Repayment Program
Currently the Medical School Loan Repayment Program is established 
for 
medical and chiropractic students. The Department of Health agrees 
to pay a 
portion of a student's school loans in exchange for his or her 
agreement to 
practice in a community in need of health care services. This act 
adds 
dental students to this program and changes the name to Health 
Professional 
Student Loan Repayment Program. This act also allows participants 
to 
practice in a Primary Care or Dental Health Care Professional 
Shortage Area. 
The Department may pay up to the maximum amounts allowed under 
federal loan 
repayment programs. (Sections 191.600 - 191.615).


Texas Outstanding Rural Scholar Recognition Program
- A forgiveness loan program that assists rural communities in 
"growing 
their own" healthcare professionals. Matches community funds with 
state 
funds to support a health professional student of the community's 
choice.
ELIGIBILITY:
Community:
…	Any nonprofit organization in a non-metropolitan Texas county 
such as a 
local hospital, rural health clinic, or community organization.
Student:
…	Residents of Texas; includes students in medicine, dentistry, 
optometry, 
pharmacy, chiropractic, psychology, nursing, and the allied health 
professions.
BENEFITS:
…	Tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, 
transportation, and 
personal expenses based on calculations by the student's financial 
aid 
officer (residency for medical school is not covered under ORS 
program).
…	50% of the student's forgiveness loan is contributed by the 
sponsoring 
rural community
…	50 % is contributed by the Center for Rural Health Initiatives.
OBLIGATION:
…	For each year the student receives a loan through the program, 
the student 
provides a year of health care service in the sponsoring rural 
community.