Physician Student Loan Repayment Program at Baptist Health Paducah

What is the Physician Student Loan Repayment Program?

The goal of the PSLRP is to encourage primary care physicians to practice in rural west Kentucky. The program provides loan repayment for medical school expenses to qualified physicians who agree to practice in at least one of the non-metropolitan Kentucky Delta Region counties: Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Hopkins, Livingston, Lyon, Marshall, McCracken, McLean, Muhlenberg, Todd, Trigg, Union, and Webster. Additional consideration will be given to applicants who choose to practice in one of the coal severance counties of Hopkins, Muhlenberg, Union or Webster Counties.

Am I required to practice in an underserved area?

The program requires successful applicants to practice in one of the counties listed above. However, applicants who choose a practice site that is within a designated Health Professions Shortage Area will be given additional consideration. To determine if your practice site falls within a HPSA, please go to http://hpsafind.hrsa.gov/.

Who is eligible to apply for the Loan Repayment Program?

Primary consideration will be given allopathic (MD) and Osteopathic (DO) physicians who are board certified or eligible for board certification in the following specialties: family medicine, general pediatrics, general internal medicine and OB/GYN. However, consideration will be given to other specialties based upon local community need and availability of qualified applicants.

What is required of applicant's practice site?

The applicant's practice site must accept Medicaid and Medicare patients and is encouraged to serve all patients regardless of their ability to pay. The applicant's practice site also must assure that the applicant will work full time, defined as a minimum of 40 hours per week and that no more than eight hours per week will be devoted to administrative duties.

Is there a matching requirement?

The Loan Repayment Program does not require the practice site or local community to match the funds provided by the program. However, additional consideration will be given applicants whose practice site or community agree to match the Program's funding.

What are the terms of the Loan Repayment Program?

The Loan Repayment Program will pay selected applicants' lenders up to $20,000 per year for loans that supported medical school expenses for each 12 months of continuous practice at an eligible site in west Kentucky. The contract may be renewed each year up to two more times after the initial 12 months period. The total Loan Repayment Program contract may not exceed 36 months (three years).

How are payments made?

Payments are made directly to the holders of the loan(s) in the amounts requested by the participant up to the maximum amount stated in the Loan Repayment Program contract. Participants must submit invoices to the Baptist Health to initiate payments.

When are payments made?

A single payment will be made upon the completion of each 12 month contract time period.

What happens if I decide I no longer wish to practice at my chosen practice site?

A physician who leaves his/her practice site for another site outside of the Delta region prior to the end of the 12 month LRP contract will forfeit any loan repayment for the contract period. Consideration will be given to a change in practice site location within the Delta region.

What reporting requirements are required by the physician or practice site?

The practice site must report every six months of the Loan Repayment Contract: number of patients and patient visits by payer type (private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, self pay full fee, no payment, and other). The practice site must provide these data by the practice site and by the participating physician.

What forms must be completed as part of the application process?

The complete application packet consists of the following:

Application
Practice Site Description
Loan information
W9 (two copies, signed)
Baptist Health Vendor Information Form

Download the application packet.

In addition to the application packet, the applicant must submit:

current resume or CV
a copy of the applicant's Kentucky medical license
background and narrative (as specified in the application packet)
a statement for each lender showing the loan balance, account number and lender's address
a letter from the applicant authorizing the lenders to release financial information to the Baptist Health
a copy of the practice site's sliding fee scale, policy and waiting room/lobby sign, if applicable;
the applicant's job description
a copy of the applicant's employment contract

What is the deadline for applying for the Loan Repayment Program?

Applications for the Loan Repayment Program must be received by the PSLRP on or before the close of business of April 1 each year. In the event April 1 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the deadline for the PSLRP to receive the application will be close of business on the Monday following the weekend. Physicians must apply before their 12th month of practice. No retroactive applications will be considered.

When are applicants notified?

Applicants will be notified of the decision by the PSLRP by May 1.

I am currently participating in another loan repayment program, am I eligible for PSLRP?

If an applicant, 1) meets all residency and practice requirements of the PSLRP and 2) has an outstanding loan balance that remains the responsibility of the applicant and will not be reimbursed by any other loan repayment program, then the applicant is eligible to be considered for PSLRP.

Can I apply to the PSLRP and other loan repayment programs at the same time?

How do I submit an application?

A complete application should be mailed to the address shown below. Faxed or emailed applications will not be accepted.