New Mexico Register / Volume XXIX, Issue 23 / December 11, 2018

This is an amendment to 5.7.2 NMAC, Sections 6 and 7 effective 12/11/2018. Non-substantive grammar corrections to ‘and/or’ and ‘he/she’ were made throughout the part to conform to correct legislative styles.

5.7.2.6 OBJECTIVE [AND PURPOSE]: The objective and purpose of the New Mexico Health Professions Student Loan-for-Service Acts are to increase the number of health professionals in areas of the state which have experienced shortages of health practitioners, by making educational loans to students seeking certification/licensure in an eligible health profession. The acts require, as a condition of each loan, that the student declare their intent to practice as a health professional within one of the areas of the state designated by the health profession advisory committee, of the New Mexico higher education department, as a health professional shortage area.

[7/15/1998, 5.7.2.6 NMAC - Rn, 5 NMAC 7.2.6, 6/29/2001; A, 5/30/2008; A, 12/11/2018]

5.7.2.7 DEFINITIONS:

A. “Department” means the New Mexico higher education department.

B. “Committee” means the health professions advisory committee of the department.

C. “Designated shortage area” means an area in New Mexico determined by the committee as not being adequately served by eligible health professionals.

D. “Eligible health profession” means:

(1) for the Allied Health Student Loan-for-Service Act, dental hygienist, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, pharmacy, nutrition, respiratory care, laboratory technology, radiologic technology, mental health services, emergency medical services, or a licensed or certified health profession as defined by the department;

(2) for the Medical Student Loan-for-Service Act: physicians and physician assistants, including osteopathic physicians and osteopathic physician assistants.

(3) for the Nursing Student Loan-for-Service Act: nurses; and,

(4) for the Osteopathic Medical Student Loan-for-Service Act: osteopathic [medical doctors] physicians and osteopathic physician assistants.

E. “Eligible institution” means:

(1) for the Allied Health Student Loan-for-Service Act: an accredited public postsecondary educational institution which provides an eligible allied health program; preference in awarding Allied Health Student Loan-for-Service Act funds shall be to students accepted for enrollment at a New Mexico public postsecondary educational institution;

(2) for the Medical Student Loan-for-Service Act: an accredited [public] school of medicine in the United States; preference in awarding Medical Student Loan-for-Service Act funds shall be to students accepted for enrollment at [the UNM school of medicine] an accredited New Mexico medical school;

(3) for the Nursing Student Loan-for-Service Act: an accredited New Mexico public post-secondary educational institution which provides a program of nursing; and,

(4) for the Osteopathic Medical Student Loan-for-Service Act: an accredited [public] program of osteopathic education in the United States.

F. “Extenuating circumstances” means circumstances not within the control of the recipient.

G. “Loan” means a grant of funds to defray the costs incidental to an eligible health profession education, under a contract between the department and a student, requiring repayment with services or repayment of principal and interest and any fees.

H. “Student” means a student who is a resident of New Mexico and is enrolled at least half-time in, or has been accepted by an accredited program for one of the eligible health professions, and will be enrolled at least half-time.

I. “Service” means full-time, on-site practice in an eligible health profession; unless otherwise provided for by the committee;

[7/15/1998, 5.7.2.7 NMAC - Rn, 5 NMAC 7.2.7, 6/29/2001; A, 5/30/2008; A, 12/11/2018]