The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHSCC) is the federal uniformed service of the United States Public Health Service (PHS) consisting of commissioned officers as one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The PHS Commissioned Corps fills public health leadership and service roles within federal government agencies and programs. To learn more about being a medical officer in USPHS, review this website.
Civil Service Programs
As a civil servant (public sector employee working for a government department or agency) you may meet the qualifying criteria for a scholarship, loan repayment assistance, or loan forgiveness.
Opportunities exist to serve through the Indian Health Service (IHS), the Centers For Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, the National Health Service Corps, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HRSA), as well as other federal agencies.
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National Health Service Corps: Students to Service (S2S) Program |
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| A program available to current medical students in their final year of medical school. In return for committing to providing primary care health services full-time, for at least three years, at an NHSC-approved site, participants are awarded up to $120,000 for loan repayment. To learn more about this program review the NHSC Students to Service (S2S) Loan Repayment fact sheet. |
Military Programs
Some medical professionals may choose to obtain their medical degree by participating in a military scholarship or loan repayment program. The qualifications and commitment for each program varies, so research your options with the various branches of the military. Here are some resources to review:
- What the Military Can Do for You and Your Student Loans
- Consumer and Federal Financial Aid Resources
- Medicine + The Military
- Opportunities with the Army National Guard
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs highlights various programs on their website. Some of these programs include the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), the Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program (SELRP) and the Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP).
Loan Forgiveness Options
- See FIRST's Public Service Loan Forgiveness fact sheet and the PSLF Infographic for additional information about this federal loan forgiveness program.
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The AAMC’s free, searchable database of state and federal loan repayment and forgiveness programs.
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Federal income-driven repayment (IDR) plans provide loan forgiveness if you have a remaining balance at the end of the repayment term. Review this chart to compare the repayment plans.
- Review the Grants and Fellowships Supplement and the Scholarships Supplement created by the OSR Community and Diversity Committee.
