Rural Spotlight

June 30, 2023

Faculty Loan Repayment Program Application Deadline Extended

The Faculty Loan Repayment Program application deadline has been EXTENDED until Thursday, July 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Check out the trending questions received by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) in last week’s Q & A session to help you finish your application.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the Faculty Loan Repayment Program and the Nurse Faculty Loan Program?
- The Faculty Loan Repayment Program is a loan repayment program for individuals serving as faculty members (including nurse faculty) at a health professions school. The Nurse Faculty Loan Program is a grant program for nursing schools that offer scholarships to nursing students who intend to serve as nurse faculty.
How do I prove a disadvantaged background?
- You must submit official documentation indicating that you come from an economically or environmentally disadvantaged background. You are encouraged to submit the Faculty Loan Repayment Program’s Disadvantaged Background Form (available in the online application), signed by a school official from a school you previously attended, as the official document.
If my university denies matching, will I still be eligible?
- Yes. For institutions that are unable to provide matching loan repayments, applicants must provide an official letter from the employer requesting a full or partial waiver explaining the undue financial hardship.
If my employer only issues one-year contracts, am I eligible?
- You must be employed by your site for two years; if your contract does not show two years, we will accept documentation from your employer on official letterhead stating their intent to employ you for a minimum of two years.
Can I work at a for-profit health professions school?
- Employing schools of nursing and physician assistant programs are eligible if they are accredited public, private non-profit, or private for-profit. Employing schools for all other eligible health disciplines must be accredited non-profit to be eligible.
Can I make changes to my application after it is submitted?
- No, you cannot make changes to your application once you have submitted it. Please check your application and documents prior to submission.

Before you apply:

Read the 2023 Faculty Loan Repayment Application and Program Guidance (PDF – 482 KB). It has the information you need to complete your application.
Check out the Application Checklist to help you submit your application by the deadline

Start Your Application:

If you do not have one, create a Bureau of Health Workforce Customer Service Portal account.
If you have a BHW Customer Service Portal account, select Appling for the Faculty Loan Repayment Program and log in.

For more information and resources, please review the Faculty Loan Repayment Program webpage.

Finish Your Application

June 28, 2023

2023 NOSORH Awards – Call for Nominations!

The NOSORH Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2023 NOSORH Awards! These awards are a special way to recognize and celebrate the hard work and leadership of individuals and organizations dedicated to rural health.

Selections will be made by the NOSORH Awards Committee solely on the basis of the narrative submitted in the nomination form. Self-nominators will not be considered. NOSORH staff are not eligible for award nominations. There are no limits to the number of nominations submitted.

The online nomination process is simple and only takes about 15 minutes! There are no limits to the number of nominations submitted.

Award Categories:

Spirit of Rural Award – NOSORH Staff will select and present this award to a State Office of Rural Health or Individual who has demonstrated significant contributions to NOSORH and the SORH community through engagement in activities, services, and volunteerism.

SORH Innovation Award – (NOSORH Membership Required) This award honors a State Office of Rural Health that has demonstrated creative and engaging community outreach, programs, and activities to advance rural health.

NOSORH Advocate Award – This award recognizes a State Office of Rural Health or individual who has demonstrated exemplary collaboration with stakeholders or partners to raise awareness of State Offices of Rural Health, NOSORH, and/or rural communities

Collaboration Award – This award is presented to an individual or organization that demonstrates leadership in recognizing and promoting National Rural Health Day and the Power of Rural throughout the year.

Nominations will be accepted until Monday, July 31, at 5:00 pm ET.

Click Here to Learn More & Submit a Nomination

June 28, 2023

HIV Community Engagement Forum

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services invites you to attend the upcoming quarterly Community Engagement Forum focused on Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) in Missouri. These virtual sessions are designed for YOU! The Bureau of HIV, STD, and Hepatitis wants to hear your thoughts on how to end the HIV epidemic in Missouri and how best to serve people living with HIV. Registration is open and can be accessed by clicking the event time.

Community members are welcome to attend these events and provide their personal experiences for the purposes of planning future events.

September 12, 2023, noon

September 12, 2023, 6 p.m.

June 27, 2023

NRHA Rural Hospital CMO Certification Program

Physician leaders can make an incredible contribution to the success of a rural hospital. NRHA is proud to announce the launch of the Rural Hospital CMO Certification Program. This program is for rural hospital CMOs, created by rural hospital CMOs. With the input of those with first-hand rural CMO experience, this program is pragmatic, efficient, and designed to make an impact.

How can we help you in supporting the rural hospital CMOs in your state? I welcome the opportunity to have a conversation and discuss.

NRHA’s Rural Hospital CMO Certification Program kicks off on July 19th. To learn more, visit https://www.crhleadership.com/rh-cmo

Questions? Please hit reply and I will get you answers.

Thank you!

Bill Auxier, Ph.D.

Executive Director

NRHA Certification Programs

June 27, 2023

The Flex Monitoring Team (FMT) is pleased to release two new products exploring the financial impact of COVID-19 on Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). The first brief, The Impact of COVID-19 Funding on Profitability of Critical Access Hospitals, focuses on the impact of the Public Health Emergency funding (PHE funding) on CAHs. Here, the FMT estimates what profitability would have been if PHE funding had not been provided to CAHs.

In the second brief, The Impact of COVID-19 on CAH Financial Indicators, the FMT describes the impact of COVID-19, including federal relief funding, on CAH financial indicators, which are reported regularly in the Critical Access Hospital Measurement and Performance Assessment System (CAHMPAS).

June 27, 2023

Pediatric Specialty LRP
Virtual Q&A Session
Wednesday, June 28, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET

The Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program offers a great opportunity to reduce student loan debt for eligible pediatric specialists. You’re invited to join our upcoming Q&A session this week, where you can learn more about eligibility requirements and how to prepare your application.

The application is open now through July 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

June 23,2023

Primary Care Training and Enhancement-Language and Disability Access (PCTE-LDA) (HRSA-23-123)

Top 5 FAQs

Q1: If an applicant intends to apply for both focus areas (LEP and IDD), will the trainees need to be trained in both focus areas?

A: No. Trainees do not have to be trained in both tracks. However, if the trainee elects to do so, they are required to complete the clinical rotation in each focus area.

The required clinical rotation for the LEP and the physical/IDD track is:

- Two months for physician assistant students and medical residents
- Two weeks for medical students

Q2: Do trainees have to participate for two consecutive months/weeks or can the rotation be spread throughout their period of training?

A: No. The clinical rotation may be spread throughout their training.

Q3: Can I apply for more than one training level, such as physician assistant students, medical students, and primary care residency programs, or should I submit a separate application for each?

A: Yes. You may submit an application that includes one or more eligible training programs from the same applicant organization. You must submit the accreditation documentation for all training programs included in your application.

Q4: If I submit one application for each focus area, will approval only be granted for one of the focus areas?

A: Multiple applications from an institution are allowable. However, only one application from an organization with the same Unique Entity Identifier will be funded.

Q5: Are medical students required to do a two-month clinical rotation?

A: No. Medical students are required to do a two-week clinical rotation for the Language Assistance for Individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) focus area or a two-week clinical rotation for Care for Individuals with Physical Disabilities and/or Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) focus area. If medical students train in both focus areas, they are required to complete a two-week clinical rotation in each focus area.