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<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="24-1704" title_number="24" title_name="Miscellaneous Provisions" subtitle_number="17" subtitle_name="Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Physicians and Physician Assistants">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Eligible field of employment” means employment by an organization, institution, association, society, or corporation that is exempt from taxation under § 501(c)(3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Eligible field of employment” includes employment by the State or any local government in the State.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Physician” includes a part–time physician.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>“Physician assistant” includes a part–time physician assistant.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Department shall assist in the repayment with the funds transferred to the Department by the Comptroller under § 14–207(d) of the Health Occupations Article of the amount of education loans owed by a physician or physician assistant who:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <level label="1">
          <text>Practices primary care in an eligible field of employment in a geographic area of the State that has been federally designated; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Is a medical resident specializing in primary care who agrees to practice for at least 2 years as a primary care physician in an eligible field of employment in a geographic area of the State that has been federally designated; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Meets any other requirements established by the Department.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Department may establish prorated loan repayment assistance for a part–time physician or part–time physician assistant participating in the Program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Any unspent portions of the money that is transferred to the Department for use under this subtitle from the Board of Physicians Fund may not be transferred to or revert to the General Fund of the State, but shall remain in the Fund maintained by the Department to administer the Program.</text>
  </level>
</section>
