The medical student loan program is established to increase the physician workforce in rural underserved areas in Washington state. The program must be funded exclusively with private funding for the purpose of providing medical student loans. State funding may be used for the administration of the program. The office shall administer the program and has the following powers and duties:
(1) To design and implement a low interest medical student loan program with the following elements:
(a) A low interest rate, comparable to or more favorable than the federal direct loan program, with interest charges that begin to accrue once the participant finishes his or her medical residency program;
(b) An annual loan limit not to exceed forty thousand dollars and no more than the participant's estimated cost of attendance as determined by his or her medical program;
(c) Loan repayments that do not commence until:
(i) Six months after the participant completes his or her medical residency program; or
(ii) Six months after a participant leaves his or her doctor of medicine program, doctor of osteopathic medicine program, or medical residency program before completing; and
(d) An interest rate of at least twelve percent plus capitalized interest that was deferred during the participant's doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathic medicine program, and residency program, if the participant does not work as a physician in a rural underserved area in Washington for three years following completion of his or her medical residency program;
(2) To establish an application, selection, and notification process for awarding medical student loans to eligible students;
(3) To define the terms of repayment, including applicable interest rates, fees, and deferments;
(4) To collect and manage repayments on the medical student loans;
(5) To solicit and accept grants and donations from nonstate public and private sources for the program;
(6) To exercise discretion to revise repayment obligations in certain cases, such as economic hardship or disability;
(7) To publicize the program; and
(8) To adopt necessary rules.
[ 2018 c 209 § 2.]