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Home Divisions Public Health Population and Community Health Bureau Primary Care & Rural Health Health Services Corps

New Mexico Health Service Corps

The New Mexico Health Service Corps (NMHSC) is a state supported program administered by the Office of Primary Care and Rural Health. It recruits, places and offers financial assistance to designated health professionals in rural and medically underserved areas of New Mexico. The program is divided into two components, the Stipend Program and the Community Practice Site Support Program.

Stipend Program

The NMHSC Stipend Program provides stipends to eligible primary care medical and dental students to support their education. In return, participants must commit to two (2) years of full time direct patient care and 3,200 hours at approved rural, medically underserved clinics in New Mexico upon completion completing their training. Applicants may apply two consecutive years.

Eligibility

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
  • Must be a New Mexico resident
  • Enrolled in or accepted by an accredited or otherwise approved:
    • Medical school residency program
    • School of nursing
    • Physician assistant training program
    • School of Dentistry
    • Dental hygiene program
    • Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic Training Program
    • Be engaged in a residency training program or preceptorship

Application

Only students who are committed to practicing in rural and medically underserved areas of New Mexico should consider applying. The NMHSC Stipend application opens at the beginning of July of each year. Applications to the program does not guarantee funding.

Requirements

Before applying, applicants must review the requirements and expectations outlined in the documents below:

Scoring and Selection Process

The NMHSC Advisory Committee reviews each individual application and determines a score using a matrix in the following areas:

  • Academic Performance
  • Commitment to Working in Rural Communities
  • Self-Recommendation Essay
  • Recommendation Letter
  • Overall Impression

Obligation

Receiving a NMHSC stipend represents a serious commitment to the rural and medically underserved areas of New Mexico. Failure to comply with the terms of NMHSC requirements will result in a penalty equal to three times (3x) the stipend amount received, plus eighteen percent (18%) interest per year.

Practice Site-NMHSC works in partnership with New Mexico Health Resources to assist participants to locate eligible practice sites in New Mexico to fulfill their obligation.

Community Practice Site Support Program

Through the Community Practice Site Support Program (also referred to as the Community Contract Program) the New Mexico Health Service Corps provides recruitment and/or retention support to NMHSC-eligible healthcare providers by awarding community/practice sites grants and mid-level provider grants when funding is available.