Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 195 - GEORGIA BOARD FOR HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE › Chapter 195-11 - SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM › Rule 195-11-.13 - Service Obligation and Board Approval of Practice Location

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(1) The initial
			 scholarship award and each subsequent annual renewal of the scholarship award
			 requires a one year service obligation upon completion of the recipient's
			 graduate medical education. The scholarship recipient is required to practice
			 medicine on a fulltime basis (at least 40 hours per week) in a practice
			 location approved by the Board in an area of this state which is rural or
			 underserved by primary care physicians as determined by the Board, in a
			 regional area of this state composed of rural counties where an unmet need for
			 certain primary care and other critical need specialty physicians exists as
			 determined by the Board and approved by the commissioners of Community Health
			 and Public Health, or in a medical facility operated by or under the
			 jurisdiction of the Department of Public Health, the Department of Behavioral
			 Health and Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Corrections, or the
			 Department of Juvenile Justice. For the primary care specialties of family
			 medicine, general internal medicine, and general pediatrics, rural and
			 underserved area is defined as a rural county in Georgia of 50,000 population
			 or less according to the United States decennial census of 2010 or any future
			 such census or an area of this state which is rural and underserved by primary
			 care physicians as determined by the Board. For scholarship recipients
			 receiving awards prior to July 1, 2014, practice locations for
			 Obstetrics/Gynecology and other critical need specialties include regional
			 areas composed of counties located in rural Georgia where an unmet need for
			 physicians exists as determined by the Board and approved by the commissioners
			 of Community Health and Public Health.
(2) The scholarship recipient must begin
			 practice in a location approved by the Board within 90 days of completion of
			 graduate medical education.
(3)
			 Counties eligible as practice locations shall be determined on the basis of the
			 county population published in the official census of the United States for the
			 decade in which the recipient's initial scholarship award contract was signed.
			 Regional areas shall be determined by the Board, and approved by the
			 Commissioners of Community Health and Public Health, on the basis of where an
			 unmet need for Obstetrics/Gynecology and other critical need specialties
			 exist.
(4) Payment of the service
			 obligation of the scholarship contract is calculated on the basis of one year
			 (12 calendar months) of service for the initial scholarship contract, and one
			 year of service for each renewal scholarship contract. Credit toward meeting
			 the service obligation is calculated on a daily basis from the date the
			 recipient begins practice in a Board approved practice location.
(5) Leave of absence for more than 7 weeks
			 (35 workdays) per year from the medical practice for medical, personal, formal
			 education, or other reasons is not credited toward meeting the service
			 obligation of the contract. Vacation, holidays, and time for continuing medical
			 education shall not be construed to be "leave of absence" unless it extends
			 past the 7 week period.
(6) Board
			 approval in writing is required for all practice locations the recipient
			 selects to meet the service obligation of the scholarship contract.
(7) Recipients may change practice locations
			 with written approval of the Board.
(8) The recipient must submit an annual
			 report in order to receive credit toward meeting the service obligation of the
			 scholarship contract. The annual report shall include the following
			 information:
(a) Current mailing address,
			 email address and phone number.
(b)
			 Documentation of full-time practice acceptable to the Board, such as a letter
			 from a partner or owner of the medical practice or medical facility if the
			 recipient is employed, or a sample of the recipient's office
			 schedule.
(c) Other information the
			 recipient may wish to provide to the Board on the practice or on other aspects
			 of the scholarship program.