Tuition payment program for medical students; Tulane University School of Medicine; eligibility; applications; definition

A. The Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission, hereinafter referred to as "the commission", shall provide for and administer a tuition payment program for students who meet all of the following eligibility criteria: (1) Are bona fide citizens and residents of the state of Louisiana. (2) Desire to become doctors of medicine. (3) Are acceptable for enrollment at the Tulane University School of Medicine. (4) Agree to practice the profession in a rural or medically disadvantaged area in Louisiana as determined as provided in R.S. 17:3041.10(A)(4) for at least five consecutive years after completion of their medical education and upon becoming licensed, practicing physicians. B. The purpose of the program shall be to bring about an adequate supply of doctors of medicine who will engage in the general practice of medicine in the rural or medically disadvantaged areas of the state by inducing a sufficient number of the graduates from the Tulane University School of Medicine to remain in or relocate to rural or medically disadvantaged areas of Louisiana to practice their profession, thus affording adequate medical care to the people of Louisiana in the areas where there is a shortage of medical doctors. C. The commission, in collaboration with the Tulane University School of Medicine, shall accept and review applications for such tuition payment program and shall determine the recipients of the tuition payments; however, the number of recipients shall not exceed five in any one year. D. For the purposes of the program, "tuition" shall mean full tuition and room and board costs in an amount to be determined by the commission to equal the amounts paid for students participating in the tuition payment program as provided in R.S. 17:3041.10 through 3041.15.