261.19 - OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIAN RECRUITMENT PROGRAM.
261.19 OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIAN RECRUITMENT PROGRAM.
1. A physician recruitment program is established, to be
administered by the college student aid commission, for Des Moines
university -- osteopathic medical center. The program shall consist
of a forgivable loan program and a tuition scholarship program for
students and a loan repayment program for physicians. The commission
shall regularly adjust the physician service requirement under each
aspect of the program to provide, to the extent possible, an equal
financial benefit for each period of service required.
2. a. Notwithstanding the administration provisions of
subsection 1, the forgivable loan program established pursuant to
subsection 1 shall be administered by the commission in conjunction
with Des Moines university -- osteopathic medical center. Des Moines
university -- osteopathic medical center shall match on an equal
basis state aid appropriated for purposes of the forgivable loan
program.
b. Des Moines university -- osteopathic medical center shall
provide recommendations to the commission for students who meet the
eligibility requirements of the forgivable loan program. A
forgivable loan may be awarded to a resident of Iowa who is enrolled
at Des Moines university -- osteopathic medical center if the student
agrees to practice in this state for a period of time to be
determined by the commission at the time the loan is awarded.
Forgivable loans to eligible students shall not become due until
after the student completes a residency program. Interest on the
loans shall begin to accrue the day following the student's
graduation date. If the student completes the period of practice
established by the commission and agreed to by the student, the loan
amount shall be forgiven. The loan amount shall not be forgiven if
the osteopathic physician fails to complete the required time period
of practice in this state or fails to satisfactorily continue in the
university's program of medical education.
3. A student enrolled at Des Moines university -- osteopathic
medical center shall be eligible for a tuition scholarship for the
student's study at the university. The scholarship shall be for an
amount not to exceed the annual tuition at the university. A student
who receives a tuition scholarship shall not be eligible for the loan
repayment program provided for by this section. A student who
receives a tuition scholarship shall agree to practice in an eligible
rural community in this state for a period of time to be determined
by the commission at the time the scholarship is awarded. The
student shall repay the scholarship to the commission if the student
fails to practice in a medically underserved rural community in this
state for the required period of time.
4. A physician shall be eligible for the physician loan repayment
program if the physician agrees to practice in an eligible rural
community in this state. Des Moines university -- osteopathic
medical center shall recruit and place physicians in rural
communities which have agreed to provide additional funds for the
physician's loan repayment. The contract for the loan repayment
shall stipulate the time period the physician shall practice in an
eligible rural community in this state. In addition, the contract
shall stipulate that the physician repay any funds paid on the
physician's loan by the commission if the physician fails to practice
in an eligible rural community in this state for the required period
of time. For purposes of this subsection, "eligible rural
community" means a medically underserved rural community which
agrees to match state funds provided on at least a dollar-for-dollar
basis for the loan repayment of a physician who practices in the
community.
5. The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to
administer this section. Section History: Early Form
[C77, 79, 81, § 261.19] Section History: Recent Form
87 Acts, ch 115, § 38; 89 Acts, ch 319, § 46; 90 Acts, ch 1253, §
122; 90 Acts, ch 1272, § 51; 97 Acts, ch 134, §1; 2000 Acts, ch 1058,
§30; 2000 Acts, ch 1095, §12; 2000 Acts, ch 1223, §27; 2004 Acts, ch
1175, §91; 2009 Acts, ch 177, §26