{"id":183209,"date":"2023-09-09T09:30:07","date_gmt":"2023-09-09T19:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=183209"},"modified":"2023-09-08T15:57:00","modified_gmt":"2023-09-09T01:57:00","slug":"jabsom-loan-repayment-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/09\/jabsom-loan-repayment-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Loan repayment plan addresses Hawai\u02bbi\u2019s healthcare industry shortage"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\"doctor<\/p>\n

An aggressive and far-reaching loan repayment program to address the growing shortages of physicians and other healthcare professionals was unveiled by the University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at M\u0101noa\u02bbs John A. Burns School of Medicine<\/a> (JABSOM<\/abbr>) Hawaiʻi<\/span>\/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center (AHEC<\/abbr>) and the State of Hawaiʻi<\/span>. <\/p>\n

The Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program (HELP<\/abbr>) provides an unprecedented $30 million in educational loan debt repayment to certain health professionals licensed or otherwise certified to practice in and provide care to patients in Hawaiʻi<\/span>. The state expects HELP<\/abbr> to improve recruitment and retention of providers serving vulnerable populations, and those in medically underserved areas of Hawaiʻi<\/span>, while lessening the burden of large educational debt.<\/p>\n

“These shortages were most evident during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but continue today,” said JABSOM<\/abbr> Interim Dean Lee Buenconsejo-Lum. “HELP<\/abbr> expands loan repayment eligibility to so many working hard to keep the people of Hawaiʻi<\/span> healthy. We hope that reducing their debt burden will help keep these professionals working here, and will also encourage our JABSOM<\/abbr> graduates and others with Hawaiʻi<\/span> ties to return home to practice.”<\/p>\n

HELP<\/abbr>ing more healthcare professionals<\/h2>\n

HELP<\/abbr> builds off the decade-old federally-funded Hawaiʻi<\/span> State Loan Repayment Program by reaching a larger group of healthcare professionals. In exchange for two years of full-time or half-time service in Hawaiʻi<\/span>, a wide range of healthcare professionals<\/a> will qualify for loan repayments starting at $12,500 and capped at $50,000. <\/p>\n

The eligible amount varies depending on their profession, location of their practice, and educational indebtedness. All must provide care to or work for organizations that provide care to at least 30% of patients who are publicly insured. <\/p>\n