The cost of an undergraduate and medical, dental, optometry, or pharmacy school education has risen to historic heights with young health professionals are finishing school sometimes owing over $500,000 in educational loans. They find that they cannot survive working in community clinics in disadvantaged neighborhoods where the pay is far lower than what can be found in other practices.
The MED program was created to help idealistic young doctors, dentists, optometrists, and pharmacists who devote their careers to serving in low-income and under-resourced communities. This program provides educational loan repayment assistance grants to medical professionals practicing in community clinics throughout Southern California.
Assistance is based on available funding.
Please consult this page for the latest updates and opportunities.
Current opportunities
Elevating the Safety Net Provider Loan Repayment Program
In response to the physician shortage for low-income communities in Los Angeles, the L.A. Care Health Plan (L.A. Care) created the Elevating the Safety Net Provider Loan Repayment Program.
Uncommon Good is administering this program which offers loan repayment assistance to new primary care doctors and primary care psychiatrists working in public or private practices that serve L.A. Care patients and a majority Medi-Cal population. The program provides up to $5,000 a month in tax-free loan repayment assistance for three to five years.
Only new primary care physicians practicing within L.A. Care’s Medi-Cal network may be eligible for the program.
- For the Request for Applications: Click here
- For Frequently Asked Questions about the program: Click here
- For the Elevating the Safety Net Provider LRAP Application: Click here
*The review process is competitive due to limited funding. Submitting an application does not guarantee an award.*
Awards are prioritized based on several criteria including: Number of Medi-Cal patients being served by applicant, geographic areas, amount of educational debt held, etc.
Update June 26 2023: At this time funding for the most recent award cycle has been committed, but we are still accepting applications to be placed on a waitlist to be reviewed when future funding becomes available. The next award cycle could be available as soon as Fall 2023.
Medicine for the Economically Disadvantaged Loan Repayment Program (MED)
Uncommon Good currently is accepting applications for its MED program from physicians (MD, Dr.MuD, Dr.Med, or DO), dentists (DDS or DMD), optometrists (OD), and pharmacists (Pharm. D.) who are working full-time in a nonprofit clinic in Los Angeles or San Bernardino Counties.
- For the MED Loan Repayment Assistance Application: Click here
Applications for the Elevating the Safety Net Provider Loan Repayment Program and the MED Loan Repayment Assistance can be submitted via email or postal mail.
For Postal Mail:
Uncommon Good
Attn: MED Program Director
211 W. Foothill Blvd.
Claremont, CA 91711
For E-Mail:
esantizo@uncommongood.org
Subject: Applicant’s Name, Physician Loan Repayment Program
