Established in 2005, the Geriatric Physician Loan Forgiveness Program was created to encourage physicians who are completing, or have completed, fellowships in geriatrics and/or geriatric psychiatry to practice in South Carolina by helping them repay their medical school debt. (South Carolina 43-21-200)
- In exchange for the commitment to practice geriatric medicine in South Carolina for at least five years, eligible doctors selected by the Geriatric Physician Loan Forgiveness Advisory Board receive $35,000 to repay their medical school debt.
- The Geriatric Physician Loan Advisory Board is composed of a representative from: the Medical University of South Carolina; the Medical University of the University of South Carolina; the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education; the South Carolina Medical Association and; a physician who has previously received the award.
- The Geriatric Physician Loan Forgiveness Program was the first loan forgiveness program for geriatricians in the nation.
Impact
- Since its inception, the Geriatric Physician Loan Forgiveness Program has awarded $840,000 to 27 geriatric physicians and geriatric psychiatrists who have served more than 10,000 of South Carolina’s seniors.
The Geriatric Physician Loan Forgiveness Program has improved the lives of the approximately 1.1 million seniors who reside in South Carolina by incentivizing our nation’s finest geriatric specialists to practice in the state.
A copy of the application and instructions are available.
For more information about the Geriatric Physician Loan Forgiveness Program, contact Aging PSA Help - psahelp@aging.sc.gov.
Are you an older adult looking for a doctor?
This page has information for doctors and legislators about our agency’s mission and programs. To find medical practitioners for seniors, caregivers, and adults with disabilities, please visit our resource site GetCareSC.com.