SANTA FE — The New Mexico Higher Education Department is awarding student debt relief payments to more than 400 health professionals through the Health Professional Loan Repayment Program.
A total of 1,213 health care professionals in New Mexico are currently receiving student debt relief through the program, including 401 new awardees this year.
The debt relief, totaling $24.4 million, is granted to these awardees on the condition that they conduct their work in high-need communities across the state for a minimum of three years.
The program supports a variety of high-need health care fields. This year, 56 allied health practitioners, 102 mental health professionals, 128 nurses, 104 medical doctors and 11 dental professionals made up the recipients.
“The Health Professional Loan Repayment Program is one of the most impactful investments we’ve made in New Mexico’s future,” said Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez. “What started in 2019 has grown into something that is changing lives for thousands of health care professionals by expanding access to care in every corner of the state and ensuring New Mexicans can more easily access providers when they need care.”
The Health Professional Loan Repayment Program has grown by 3,500 percent since its inception in 2019.
The Health Professional Loan Repayment Program covers more than 25 eligible health occupations and licenses in allied health, dental, medical and mental health fields. Included are medical doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and advanced practice nurses, mental health counselors, licensed clinical social workers, speech language pathologists and occupational therapists.
A full list of eligible professions is available at hed.nm.gov. Applications open for the program March 15 each year.