Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
*TNL064* 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
State of Arkansas 1
94th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2023 HOUSE BILL 1545 3
4
By: Representative L. Johnson 5
6
For An Act To Be Entitled 7
AN ACT CONCERNING RU RAL MEDICAL PRACTICE STUDENT 8
LOANS AND SCHOLARSHI PS; TO REDEFINE "MED ICALLY 9
UNDERSERVED" FOR PUR POSES OF THE ARKANSA S RURAL 10
MEDICAL PRACTICE STU DENT LOAN AND SCHOLA RSHIP 11
PROGRAM; AND FOR OTH ER PURPOSES. 12
13
14
Subtitle 15
CONCERNING RURAL MEDICAL PRACTICE STUDENT 16
LOANS AND SCHOLARSHIPS. 17
18
19
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 20
21
SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 6 -81-701 is amended to read as follows: 22
6-81-701. Definitions. 23
As used in this subchapter: 24
(1) “Medically underserved population” means an area in Arkansas 25
that the Arkansas Rural Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board 26
determines has unmet needs for medical services due to factors, including 27
without limitation: 28
(A) The ratio of primary care physicians to population; 29
(B) The infant mortality rate; 30
(C) The percentage of: 31
(i) Population with incomes below the federal 32
poverty level, as it existed on January 1, 2017; 33
(ii) Resident individuals sixty (60) years of age 34
and older; and 35
(iii) Physicians sixty (60) years of age and older; 36 HB1545
2 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
(D) Accessibility within the area to primary care 1
medicine; and 2
(E) Other relevant criteria the board may deem necessary 3
for a determination of unmet needs for medical service s the same as defined 4
in 42 U.S.C. § 254b, as in effect on January 1, 2024 ; and 5
(2) “Primary care medicine” means health care provided in one 6
(1) of the following areas of practice: 7
(A) Family medicine; 8
(B) General internal medicine; 9
(C) General internal medicine and pediatrics; 10
(D) General pediatrics; 11
(E) General obstetrics and gynecology; 12
(F) General surgery; 13
(G) Emergency medicine; and 14
(H) Geriatrics; and 15
(3) “Qualified rural community” means an area: 16
(A) With a population below twenty thousand (20,000) 17
according to the most recent federal census; 18
(B) That is at least twenty (20) miles from a city or town 19
with a population of more than twenty thousand (20,000) according to the most 20
recent federal census; and 21
(C) That is reasonably determined by the board to be 22
medically underserved . 23
24
SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 6 -81-702(a)(1), concerning the 25
establishment of the Arkansas Rural Medical Practice Student Loan and 26
Scholarship Board, is amended to read as follo ws: 27
(a)(1) There is established the Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved 28
Population Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board that shall 29
consist of eight (8) members appointed by the Governor for three -year terms. 30
31
SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 6-81-702(b), concerning the duties of the 32
Arkansas Rural Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board, is 33
amended to read as follows: 34
(b) The board shall: 35
(1) Promulgate reasonable rules necessary to execute the 36 HB1545
3 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
provisions of this subchapter, including rules addressing the requirements 1
and in conformance with the requirements of the Arkansas Administrative 2
Procedure Act, § 25-15-201 et seq., and other appropriate state laws in 3
promulgating and placing rules into effect: 4
(A) For a health pro fessions shortage area; 5
(B) To For a community with a medically underserved 6
population to become a qualified rural community eligible to participate in 7
the Rural Arkansas Medically Underserved Population Medical Practice Student 8
Loan and Scholarship Pr ogram or the Community Match Rural Physician 9
Recruitment Program; and 10
(C) For a procedure to resolve disputes arising out of or 11
relating to a rural medically underserved population practice or community 12
match loan or income incentive contract; 13
(2) Prescribe forms for and regulate the submission of loan 14
applications; 15
(3) Determine eligibility of applicants; 16
(4) Allow or disallow loan or income incentive applications; 17
(5) Contract, increase, decrease, terminate, and otherwise 18
regulate all loan and income incentive disbursements for these purposes, 19
receipts for their repayment, and convert loans to scholarships or grants, as 20
applicable; 21
(6) Manage, operate, and control all funds and property 22
appropriated or otherwise contributed for this purp ose; 23
(7) Accept gifts, grants, bequests, or devises and apply them as 24
a part of this program the Arkansas Medically Underserved Population Medical 25
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Program ; 26
(8) Sue and be sued as the board; and 27
(9) Accept moneys from federal programs that may be used for 28
furtherance of the purposes of this subchapter. 29
30
SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 6 -81-702(d), concerning the administration 31
of the Arkansas Rural Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Program, 32
is amended to read as follows: 33
(d) The board shall administer the Rural Arkansas Medically 34
Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Program 35
and the Community Match Rural Physician Recruitment Program. 36 HB1545
4 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
1
SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 6 -81-703(a), concerning loan applications 2
for students accepted for admission to or enrolled in good standing in the 3
College of Medicine of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, is 4
amended to read as follows: 5
(a)(1) Any student accepted for admissio n to or enrolled in good 6
standing in the College of Medicine of the University of Arkansas for Medical 7
Sciences in studies leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine who is a bona 8
fide resident of Arkansas may apply for a loan under this subchapter on for ms 9
prescribed by the Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical 10
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board. 11
(2) An individual who is not already contracted to practice in a 12
qualified rural area as required under this subchapter is eligible for a loan 13
under this subchapter if he or she otherwise meets the requirements for a 14
loan. 15
16
SECTION 6. Arkansas Code §§ 6 -81-704 - 6-81-708 are amended to read as 17
follows: 18
6-81-704. Medical students — Investigation after application. 19
When a rural medically underserved population medical practice loan 20
application is filed with the Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population 21
Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board, the board shall examine 22
the application, investigate the ability, char acter, and qualifications of 23
the applicant, and investigate the financial standing of the applicant or his 24
or her parents to determine whether the applicant is in need of a loan to 25
advance his or her medical education. 26
27
6-81-705. Medical students — Purpose of loan. 28
Rural Medically underserved population medical practice loans provided 29
for in this subchapter shall be made for the sole purpose of paying the 30
applicant's tuition, maintenance, and educational expenses and the necessary 31
living expenses of his o r her dependents while the applicant is enrolled in a 32
program of medical education as described in this subchapter. 33
34
6-81-706. Medical students — Eligibility for initial and renewal 35
loans. 36 HB1545
5 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
(a) The Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical 1
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board may make rural medical practice 2
loans to the applicant, each rural medical practice loan being expressly made 3
subject to the provisions of § 6 -81-708(c) and § 6-81-710, if it finds that: 4
(1) The applicant is a bona fide resident of Arkansas; 5
(2) The applicant has been accepted for admission to or is 6
enrolled in good standing in the College of Medicine of the University of 7
Arkansas for Medical Sciences in studies leading to the degree of Doctor of 8
Medicine; 9
(3) The applicant is enrolled in a medically underserved and 10
rural practice curriculum; 11
(4) The applicant needs financial assistance to complete his or 12
her medical studies; 13
(5) The applicant desires to practice medicine in an eligible 14
qualified rural a community with a medically underserved population ; and 15
(6) The applicant is a person of good moral character and one 16
who has the talent and capacity to profit by medical studies. 17
(b) Subject to the availability of funds, an initial rural medically 18
underserved population medical practice loan for one (1) academic year shall 19
be renewable annually for the number of years required to complete studies 20
leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree or for additional amounts, not to 21
exceed the maximum amounts specified in § 6-81-707, but all subsequent rural 22
medically underserved population medical practice loans shall be granted only 23
upon application by the recipient and a finding by the board that: 24
(1) The applicant has completed successfully the medical studies 25
of the preceding academic year and remains in good standing as an enrolled 26
student in the college; 27
(2) The applicant is enrolled or participating in a medically 28
underserved and rural practice curriculum; 29
(3) The applicant continues to be a re sident of Arkansas; and 30
(4) The applicant's financial situation continues to warrant 31
financial assistance made under the conditions of this section. 32
33
6-81-707. Maximum amount of loans. 34
(a) The maximum amount of each rural medically underserved popul ation 35
practice loan for medical students shall not exceed sixteen thousand five 36 HB1545
6 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
hundred dollars ($16,500) per academic year or those costs that are 1
reasonable and necessary for the student's attendance as determined by the 2
Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan 3
and Scholarship Board. 4
(b)(1) The maximum amount of each community match income incentive 5
shall not exceed eighty thousand dollars ($80,000) or as the board otherwise 6
shall determine payable under § 6 -81-716. 7
(2) The board shall provide one -half (½) of the community match 8
income incentive, and the qualified rural community with a medically 9
underserved population shall provide the other one -half (½) of the income 10
incentive. 11
(3) However, if the board does n ot have sufficient funds to 12
match the community's portion of the income incentive, nothing precludes a 13
qualified rural community with a medically underserved population from 14
providing the total income incentive amount. 15
16
6-81-708. Loan contracts — Rural Medically Underserved Population 17
Medical Practice Loans — Obligations and conditions. 18
(a) The Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical 19
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board shall enter into a loan contract 20
with the applicant to whom a rural medically underserved population medical 21
practice loan is made. 22
(b) The contract shall be approved by the Attorney General and shall 23
be signed by the Chair of the Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population 24
Medical Practice Student Loan and Sch olarship Board, countersigned by the 25
Secretary of the Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical 26
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board, and signed by the applicant. 27
(c) Each applicant to whom a rural medically underserved population 28
medical practice loan or loans is granted by the Arkansas Rural Medically 29
Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board 30
shall execute a written loan contract that incorporates the following 31
obligations and conditions: 32
(1)(A) The recipient of a rural medically underserved population 33
medical practice loan or loans shall bindingly contract that he or she shall 34
practice primary care medicine full time in a qualified rural community with 35
a medically underserved population upon completion of: 36 HB1545
7 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
(i) His or her medical internship of one (1) year 1
undertaken immediately following the earning of the degree of Doctor of 2
Medicine; 3
(ii) Four (4) additional years of medical training 4
beyond the internship if the training has been app roved in advance by the 5
Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan 6
and Scholarship Board and includes practice experience in a rural community 7
with a medically underserved population ; or 8
(iii) At the request of the recipient of a rural 9
medically underserved population medical practice loan, the Arkansas Rural 10
Medically Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan and 11
Scholarship Board may approve the recipient's request to practic e in more 12
than one (1) qualified rural community with a medically underserved 13
population to meet his or her obligation to practice full time if the 14
Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan 15
and Scholarship Board determin es, based upon guidelines established by the 16
Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan 17
and Scholarship Board, that the physician need in the rural communities with 18
a medically underserved population cannot sustain a full -time medical 19
practice or that other compelling circumstances exist. 20
(B) The recipient of a rural medically underserved 21
population medical practice loan or loans shall bindingly contract that for 22
each year's loan he or she shall practice medicine in ac cordance with 23
subdivision (c)(1)(A) of this section for a whole year. 24
(C) For each continuous whole year of medical practice, in 25
accordance with subdivision (c)(1)(A) of this section, subject to reasonable 26
leave periods, including without limitation va cation, sick leave, continuing 27
medical education, jury duty, funerals, holidays, or military service, the 28
Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan 29
and Scholarship Board shall cancel, by converting to a scholarship grant , the 30
full amount of one (1) year's loan plus accrued interest; 31
(2)(A) The recipient of a rural medically underserved population 32
medical practice loan or loans shall bindingly contract that not engaging in 33
the practice of medicine in accordance with the loan contract and with this 34
subchapter may result in suspension of his or her license to practice 35
medicine in this state. 36 HB1545
8 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
(B) For any contract entered into after August 1, 2007, 1
the recipient's medical license may not be suspended unless the recipient 's 2
contract contained a specific term that loss of license was a consequence of 3
breach and the recipient signed a written acknowledgment of understanding 4
that the suspension of license was explained to him or her orally as a 5
potential consequence of breach of the contractual provisions. 6
(C) The suspension may be for a period of years equivalent 7
to the number of years that the recipient is obligated to practice medicine 8
in a rural area community with a medically underserved population but has not 9
so practiced and until the loan with interest together with any civil money 10
penalties, as reduced by each full year of medical practice according to the 11
terms of the loan contract, is paid in full; 12
(3) Any communication from the University of Arkansas College of 13
Medicine with any state medical licensing board shall include a notation that 14
the recipient of a rural medically underserved population medical practice 15
loan has a contract with the State of Arkansas to practice medicine in a 16
rural community with a medically underserved population and that breach of 17
that contract may result in suspension of the recipient's Arkansas medical 18
license; 19
(4)(A) In the event that any rural medically underserved 20
population medical practice loan recipient under this subchapter does not 21
engage in the practice of medicine in accordance with the terms of this 22
section and of his or her loan contract in order to have the loan contract 23
recognized as a scholarship, the recipient shall remain obligated to repay 24
the loan or loans receiv ed, together with interest at the maximum rate 25
allowed by Arkansas law or the federal discount rate plus five percent (5%) 26
per annum, whichever is the lesser, the interest to accrue from the date each 27
payment of funds was received by the recipient. 28
(B) Neither interest nor the obligation to repay the 29
principal sums accrued shall accrue during any one (1) period of time that 30
the recipient involuntarily serves on active duty in the United States Armed 31
Forces. 32
(C) Repayment of principal with interest s hall be due and 33
payable in full at the earliest to occur of the following events: 34
(i) Failure to remain enrolled in a medically 35
underserved and rural practice curriculum; 36 HB1545
9 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
(ii) Failure to remain in enrollment status 1
continuously to completion of t he degree of Doctor of Medicine for any reason 2
other than temporary personal illness; 3
(iii) Failure to complete internship; 4
(iv)(a) Failure to engage in the full -time practice 5
of medicine while residing in a qualified rural community with a medically 6
underserved population in Arkansas as defined in § 6 -81-701. 7
(b) However, the Arkansas Rural Medically 8
Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board 9
may waive the residency requirement on a case -by-case basis; and 10
(v) Failure to establish a practice as described 11
under subdivision (c)(4)(C)(iv)(a) of this section within six (6) months 12
following either internship or four (4) additional years of medical education 13
that includes practice experience in a rural community with a medically 14
underserved population ; 15
(5) If an alternate on the waiting list for acceptance to the 16
University of Arkansas College of Medicine enters into a rural medically 17
underserved population medical practice program contract conditioned only 18
upon the applicant's being accepted for admission to the college and 19
otherwise meets the requirements of § 6 -81-706 and if the applicant is moved 20
to the top of the waiting list under § 6 -81-718, the alternate's contract 21
shall contain an additional term that breach of the contract may result in 22
civil money penalties in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the loan 23
amount; and 24
(6) This subsection shall not prohibit the Arkansas Rural 25
Medically Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan and 26
Scholarship Board from considering and entering into a negotiated settlement 27
with the rural medically underserved population medical practice loan 28
recipient involving the license suspension, the amount of the civil money 29
penalty, and the terms of repayment of the loan. 30
(d) The Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical 31
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board may amend agreements entered into 32
with any loan recipient at any time prior to full performance of the 33
recipient's contractual obligations. 34
(e)(1) A rural medically underserved population medical practice loan 35
recipient may apply to the Dean of the College of Medicine of the University 36 HB1545
10 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
of Arkansas for Medical Sciences for a waiver of the contractual provisions 1
set forth in subdivision (c)(2) of this section. 2
(2)(A) If the dean as Chair of the Arkansa s Rural Medically 3
Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board 4
determines that exigent circumstances warrant a waiver, the loan recipient 5
shall be notified in writing. 6
(B) The dean shall immediately notify the Arkansas Sta te 7
Medical Board of such determination. 8
9
SECTION 7. Arkansas Code § 6 -81-710 is amended to read as follows: 10
6-81-710. Funding of loans. 11
(a)(1) All payments for rural medically underserved population 12
practice loans and community match loans under this subchapter shall be made 13
on requisitions signed by the Chair of the Arkansas Rural Medically 14
Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board 15
drawn against the funds held for th e purpose of this subchapter. 16
(2) These funds, consisting of state appropriations so 17
designated, revolving amounts received from repayment of loans and interest, 18
and all funds and property and income therefrom received by the Arkansas 19
Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan and 20
Scholarship Board under its authority to accept and apply gifts, bequests, 21
and devises shall be held in trust and disbursed by the fiscal officers of 22
the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences for the aforesaid purposes 23
described by this subchapter . 24
(b) Funds collected as a result of a recipient's breach of a 25
rural medically underserved population practice loan contract or community 26
match loan contract shall be held in trust for the use of the A rkansas Rural 27
Medically Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan and 28
Scholarship Program and the Community Match Rural Physician Recruitment 29
Program, or as otherwise deemed appropriate by the Arkansas Rural Medical 30
Practice Student Loan and Sch olarship Board board in its discretion, and 31
disbursed by the fiscal officer of the University of Arkansas for Medical 32
Sciences under this subchapter. 33
34
SECTION 8. Arkansas Code § 6 -81-711(a), concerning the annual report 35
provided by the Arkansas Rural Med ical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship 36 HB1545
11 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
Board, is amended to read as follows: 1
(a) The Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical 2
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board shall make an annual report to 3
the Governor concerning the activi ties of the board and shall file a copy of 4
its report with the Legislative Council. 5
6
SECTION 9. Arkansas Code § 6 -81-714(a) and (b), concerning dispute 7
resolutions under the Arkansas Rural Medical Practice Student Loans and 8
Scholarships Program, is amend ed to read as follows: 9
(a) Any applicant for a loan or income incentive issued by the 10
Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan 11
and Scholarship Board, any person who has been granted a loan or has been 12
granted income incentives by the board, or any party to a rural medically 13
underserved population medical practice or community match loan or income 14
incentive may appeal any decision or action by the board relating to the 15
application for a loan or income incentive or relat ing to a loan or income 16
incentive granted by the board under the dispute resolution procedure 17
established under this subchapter. 18
(b)(1) The board, under § 6 -81-702(b)(1), shall promulgate rules 19
establishing a procedure that may be used by a loan or incom e incentive 20
recipient, the board, or a qualified rural community with a medically 21
underserved population to resolve any dispute arising out of or relating to a 22
rural medically underserved population practice or community match loan or 23
income incentive cont ract, including the validity or interpretation of a 24
contract term, contract enforcement or defenses, the occurrence of an event 25
of default or breach, loan repayment, the assessment or imposition of 26
contract damages or civil money penalties, or other relate d disputes. 27
(2) The rules may provide for alternative dispute resolution, 28
such as mediation, as appropriate. 29
(3) The dispute resolution procedure established by the board 30
shall be followed before the initiation of any litigation related to a rural 31
medically underserved population practice or community match loan or income 32
incentive contract. 33
34
SECTION 10. Arkansas Code § 6 -81-715 is amended to read as follows: 35
6-81-715. Medical school graduates — Community match contract — Eligibility. 36 HB1545
12 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
(a)(1) The Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical 1
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board shall administer the Community 2
Match Rural Physician Recruitment Program. 3
(2)(A) Interested rural communities with medically underserved 4
populations may apply to the Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population 5
Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board to participate in the 6
program as a qualified rural community Community Match Rural Physician 7
Recruitment Program. 8
(B) The Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population 9
Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board shall approve a 10
designated representative or representatives of the qualified rural selected 11
community with a medically underserved population to assist the Arkansas 12
Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan and 13
Scholarship Board in matters relating to any community match contracts 14
entered into by the Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical 15
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Boar d and the qualified rural community 16
with a medically underserved population . 17
(b) The Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical 18
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board, in conjunction with a qualified 19
rural community with a medically und erserved population, may grant community 20
match income incentives to applicants, each incentive being expressly made 21
subject to § 6-81-716, if it finds that: 22
(1) The applicant is a graduate of: 23
(A) The University of Arkansas College of Medicine or an y 24
accredited medical school in the United States; or 25
(B) A foreign medical school if the applicant: 26
(i) Was a resident of Arkansas and citizen of the 27
United States prior to enrollment in the foreign medical school; and 28
(ii) Has been licensed by the Arkansas State Medical 29
Board; 30
(2) The applicant satisfies one (1) of the following criteria: 31
(A) He or she is enrolled in a residency or other training 32
program in an area of primary care medicine; or 33
(B) No more than two (2) years before the date of the 34
application, he or she completed a residency or other training program in an 35
area of primary care medicine; 36 HB1545
13 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
(3) The applicant desires to practice medicine in the qualified 1
rural community with a medically underserved population ; and 2
(4) The designated representative or representatives of the 3
qualified rural community with a medically underserved population approve the 4
applicant. 5
6
SECTION 11. Arkansas Code § 6 -81-716(a), concerning community match 7
contracts, is amended to read as follows: 8
(a)(1) The Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical 9
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board and a qualified rural community 10
with a medically underserved population shall enter a joint community match 11
contract with the applican t. 12
(2) The form of the community match contract shall be approved 13
by the Attorney General and shall be signed by the Chair of the Arkansas 14
Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical Practice Student Loan and 15
Scholarship Board, the Secretary of the A rkansas Rural Medically Underserved 16
Population Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board, the 17
designated representative or representatives of the qualified rural community 18
with a medically underserved population , and the applicant. 19
20
SECTION 12. Arkansas Code §§ 6-81-718 - 6-81-720 are amended to read 21
as follows: 22
6-81-718. Medical school alternates — Rural Medically underserved 23
population medical practice loans. 24
(a)(1) If an alternate on the waiting list for acceptance to the 25
College of Medicine of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences 26
demonstrates a willingness to enter into a rural medically underserved 27
population medical practice loan contract and meets the requirements of § 6 -28
81-706, the applicant shall be moved to the top of the waiting list upon 29
entering into a rural medically underserved population medical practice loan 30
contract. 31
(2) The priority on the waiting list for those alternates who 32
enter into a rural medically underserved population medical practice loan 33
contract shall be determined by the date and time such alternate enters into 34
the rural medical practice loan contract. 35
(b) The college shall meet the requirements set forth at § 6-64-406 36 HB1545
14 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
for allocation of enrollment positions for medical students among 1
congressional districts before accepting for admission an alternate who has 2
entered into a rural medically underserved population medical practice loan 3
contract with the Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical 4
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Boar d. 5
6
6-81-719. Tracking loan contract compliance. 7
The College of Medicine of the University of Arkansas for Medical 8
Sciences shall track graduates who were recipients of rural medically 9
underserved population medical practice loans for the length of thei r 10
contractual obligations and shall report to the Legislative Council by 11
October 1 of each even -numbered year regarding the compliance of those 12
graduates with the terms of their contracts. 13
14
6-81-720. Rural Arkansas Medically Underserved Population Medical 15
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Program administrator. 16
(a) There is established a Rural an Arkansas Medically Underserved 17
Population Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Program 18
administrator. 19
(b) The administrator shall: 20
(1) Be employed by the University of Arkansas for Medical 21
Sciences; 22
(2) Serve as liaison between loan recipients and rural 23
communities with medically underserved populations by: 24
(A) Working with the communities to identify their unique 25
needs, to develop profiles of their ideal candidates, and to prepare for 26
recruitment visits; and 27
(B) Assisting medical students and residents to identify 28
medically underserved and other rural communities that suit their personal 29
and medical practice needs and to meet th eir contractual obligations; 30
(3) Collect and monitor program data, including demographic data 31
of participants and communities, service completion rates, retention rates 32
beyond service completion, satisfaction of obligated physicians and 33
communities, and other information; 34
(4) Prepare annual program evaluations and present the 35
evaluations to the Arkansas Rural Medically Underserved Population Medical 36 HB1545
15 3/2/2023 2:37:34 PM TNL064
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board; 1
(5) Assist with preparation and submission of program r eports; 2
(6) Attend board meetings in a nonvoting capacity; and 3
(7) Perform other functions assigned by the board. 4
5
SECTION 13. Arkansas Code § 6 -81-722 is repealed. 6
6-81-722. Sunset clause. 7
(a) Loan recipients enrolled in the Community Match Rural Physician 8
Recruitment Program on or before the day before April 4, 2007, shall not have 9
their loan contracts impaired by the amendments to the community match 10
program. 11
(b)(1) Subject to the availability of funds, the loan for the academic 12
year shall be renewable annually for the number of years required to complete 13
studies leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree or for additional amounts 14
not to exceed sixteen thousand five hundred dollars ($16,500). 15
(2) However, all subsequent loans shall be gra nted only upon 16
application by the recipient and a finding by the Arkansas Rural Medical 17
Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board that the applicant: 18
(A) Has completed successfully the medical studies of the 19
preceding academic year and remains in goo d standing as an enrolled student 20
in the college; 21
(B) Is enrolled or participating in a medically 22
underserved and rural practice curriculum; and 23
(C) Continues to be a resident of Arkansas. 24
(c) This section expires on August 31, 2014. 25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36