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.

• have a degree in medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, or health profession consistent with Section 4(n); and have completed an approved graduate training program in medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, or other health profession in a State, and have a llicense to practice medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, or, if applicable, other health profession in a State, except that the Secretary may waive the requirement of graduate training for good cause shown.

For more information, see the Loan Repayment Program home page.

To obtain an application or request additional information, write or call the Loan Repayment Program at: