39.465 Scholarship program.
(1) Definitions. In this section:
(a) “Actual practice total” is the total number of months that a student upon graduation practices in a health shortage area in this state. For purposes of this paragraph, a fraction of a month is counted as one month.
(c) “Repayment liability percentage” means the percentage that results from dividing the difference between a student's required practice total and the student's actual practice total by the student's required practice total.
(d) “Required practice total” means the total number of months a student upon graduation is required under sub. (3) to practice in a health shortage area in this state.
(2) Scholarships. In consultation with the department of health services, the board shall establish a program for awarding an annual scholarship, including a stipend, for each year of a student's enrollment but not exceeding 4 years. The board shall pay the scholarships from the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (dg).
(3) Eligibility; agreements.
(a) A student is not eligible for a scholarship under the program established under sub. (2) unless he or she is a resident of the state and enters into an agreement with board in which he or she agrees upon graduation to practice in a health shortage area in this state for a period equal to 18 months multiplied by the number of annual scholarships the board awards to the student under the program.
(b) An agreement under par. (a) shall specify that if a student fails to practice in a health shortage area in this state for the period required under par. (a), he or she is liable to the state for an amount equal to the total dollar amount of annual scholarships awarded to the student multiplied by the student's repayment liability percentage.
(4) Geographic diversity. The board shall make every effort to ensure that students who are awarded scholarships under the program established under sub. (2) practice upon graduation in geographically diverse health shortage areas in this state.
History: 2019 a. 9.