(4) Any student completing an entire residency at any primary health care residency program in the State is forgiven 50% of the original outstanding indebtedness for each year of practice in a designated health professional shortage area, as a physician practicing in an underserved specialty or as a physician providing services to an underserved group or 25% of the original outstanding indebtedness for each year of primary health care practice in the State.

SUMMARY

This bill expands the loan forgiveness aspect of the Health Professions Loan Program to include ophthalmologists and optometrists practicing in health professional shortage areas, practicing in underserved specialty areas or providing services to a designated underserved group as determined by the Commissioner of Human Services. Currently dentists and physicians practicing general or family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology qualify for loan forgiveness under the program.