South Carolina Department of Aging (SCDOA) accepting applications for Geriatric Loan Forgiveness

Geriatric Loan Forgiveness Program accepting applications

Columbia, SC — The Geriatric Loan Forgiveness Program incentivizes physicians in the fields of geriatrics and geriatric psychiatry to practice medicine in South Carolina by helping to repay their medical school debt. Only physicians who have completed fellowships or are in the process of completing fellowships in geriatrics or geriatric psychiatry are eligible to apply.

Successful applicants must meet certain criteria. The application deadline is April 30, 2024. This program is only for geriatric fellows.

In exchange for a commitment to practice geriatric medicine in South Carolina for at least five years, eligible doctors can compete to receive a $35,000 grant to help repay their medical school debt. Physicians who practice geriatrics may have medical school debt above $250,000.

“South Carolina’s senior population is growing exponentially, and we do not have enough geriatricians to meet this influx of seniors,” South Carolina Department on Aging Director Connie Munn said. “The Geriatric Loan Program was created to bring some of our nation’s most elite practitioners of geriatrics to South Carolina by offering to repay a portion of their medical school debt. Our seniors deserve the best!”

Since its inception in 2005, the Geriatric Loan Forgiveness Program has awarded more than 28 physicians over $840,000 to repay their medical school debt. This program is the first of its kind in the nation.

For more information about the Geriatric Loan Forgiveness Program, contact Aging PSA Help at psahelp@aging.sc.gov.

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For more information on the South Carolina Department on Aging visit https://aging.sc.gov/ and https://www.getcaresc.com/

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