Sunday, Feb 20 2011 7:29PM
Colorado medical care workers who volunteer to serve rural areas for two years are eligible to receive a grant toward their student loan payments.
In an effort to attract more healthcare professionals to rural communities, Colorado has offered student loan repayment funding to a select few in exchange for two years of work in underserved areas, reported the Denver Post.
The money is distributed through the Colorado Health Service Corps, a community development program that awards grants three times a year to healthcare workers such as nurses, dentists, doctors, therapists and dental hygienists. According to the newspaper, four health professionals have been awarded $126,500 for student loan repayments that will be split between them.
The four winners consist of a nurse practitioner, a doctor, a social worker and a hygienist, reported the paper. They are the third group to receive the award for practicing in areas where they are needed most.
Colorado isn't the only state facing healthcare shortages in rural communities. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports outlying areas all over the country lack local medical care facilities, even though almost one in three adults in those areas is in poor to fair health.