Primary Care and Psychiatry Shortage Grant Program (Act 128)

Geographic Scope: Wisconsin only

Focus Areas:

• Primary care physician recruitment and retention in medically underserved areas
• Psychiatry (including Child Psychiatry) recruitment and retention in medically underserved areas
• Addresses Wisconsin's need to add 100 new physicians per year to avoid a 2,000-physician shortfall by 2030

Program Goals:

• Increase the number of primary care physicians practicing in rural and medically underserved areas
• Retain Wisconsin-grown primary care physicians on a career-long basis
• Transform financial landscape by reducing the $3.5 million career "income gap" between primary care and subspecialty careers
• Provide significant debt relief opportunities

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be Wisconsin resident prior to entering a Wisconsin medical school (currently MCW or UWSMPH)
• Must have graduated from a Wisconsin medical school
• Must have completed a medical residency training program with primary care or psychiatry emphasis in Wisconsin
• Eligible GME programs include: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and General Surgery (geographically located anywhere in state)
• Must sign up for program prior to accepting employment offer in designated health shortage area
• May enroll (but not receive payments) while still in eligible GME training program
• Must begin practicing primary care medicine or psychiatry within a medically underserved area after GME completion

Qualifying Practice Types:

• Primary Care: Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, General Surgery
• Psychiatry: Psychiatry and Child Psychiatry
• Practice must be in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA), Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/MUP), or Governor's Designation of Shortage Areas for Rural Health Clinics

Program Parameters:

• Limited to 12 primary care physicians and 12 psychiatrists (24 physicians overall) receiving annual grant payments over a three-year period
• Annual grant payments made directly to participants (unrestricted—not required for loan repayment)
• Grants assistance is exempt from Wisconsin income tax
• Prioritizes assistance based on order of applications received and shortage area's HPSA score
• No repayment penalty for leaving program early; payments based on previously completed service
• Eligibility lost if participant leaves shortage area or begins practicing non-qualifying subspecialty

Program Start Date: Began providing assistance to participants completing GME training programs in calendar years 2014 and beyond

Administration: Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB)

Funding: One-time $2 million appropriation ($1 million for primary care physicians, $1 million for psychiatrists)

Application Process

Specific application procedures not detailed in provided content. Contact information needed from Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) for application submission details.

Key Steps:

1. Establish Wisconsin residency prior to medical school enrollment
2. Enroll in eligible Wisconsin medical school (MCW or UWSMPH)
3. Complete eligible GME program (Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, or General Surgery)
4. Sign up for program prior to accepting employment in health shortage area
5. Begin practice in qualifying medically underserved area
6. Receive annual grant payments

Required Criteria for Consideration:

• Completion of qualifying Wisconsin medical education
• Completion of qualifying Wisconsin GME training
• Commitment to practice in health shortage area
• Priority given by application order and shortage area HPSA score