(a) It is the purpose and intent of this subchapter to establish a program of financial assistance to encourage physicians to locate in and remain in the practice of primary care medicine in communities of the state that have a population of not more than fifteen thousand (15,000) persons. It is the intent of the General Assembly that physicians who locate for a minimum of four (4) years in and carry on a full-time practice of family medicine in a priority medically underserved area as defined by the Division of Health Facilities Services of the Department of Health after July 1, 1999, shall be entitled to receive grants totalling fifty-five thousand dollars ($55,000) to be paid out over four (4) years. The first payment of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) shall be made when a practice is established by the physician in the community and patients are being seen in the office. The second, third, and fourth payments of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) each shall be made after completion of each continuous year of service.
(b) It is further the intent of this subchapter that individuals who were assisted by the Arkansas Rural Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Program or the Community Match Loan and Rural Physician Recruitment Program are also eligible for benefits under this program.