Board of Medical Scholarship Awards

The Board of Medical Scholarship Awards (BMSA) was created as an incentive to increase the supply of primary care physicians (family practice, internal medicine, and pediatrics) and encourage their practice in the state’s rural medically underserved communities. Educational loans are awarded for students enrolled in medical schools in the State of Alabama. In exchange for repaying the loan, scholarship recipients’ agree to return to a pre-approved medically, underserved community to practice primary care medicine.

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Any Alabama resident enrolled in any of the state’s medical schools with preference given to those demonstrating an economic need. Following medical school and completion of a primary care residency program, an award recipient must be willing to practice medicine in a community designated as medically underserved.

For more information or to apply for this loan please contact:
Kelly Parker, Executive Director
Board of Medical Scholarship Awards
P.O. Box 115
Montgomery, Alabama 36101
Email Kelly Parker
Phone: (334) 353-4800
Fax: (334) 353-4877

A loan is repaid through a recipient’s service obligation involving in the full time practice of primary care medicine in a pre-approved medically underserved community. The population size of the community determines the service obligation time needed to pay off the loan.

Practice for a period equal to one year of practice for each year the individual received a loan in a community of less than 5,000 population
Practice for a period equal to one and one-fourth years of practice for each year the individual received a loan in a community of more than 5,000 population and less than 15,000
Practice for a period equal to one and one-half years of practice for each year the individual received a loan in a community of more than 15,000 but less than 50,000 population.

Any recipient, who fails for any reason to continue his or her medical education may at the discretion of the board, be required to repay all loan amounts immediately with simple interest of eight percent annually from the date of his or her departure from medical school.

Each loan recipient enters into a contractual agreement with the Board of Medical Scholarship Awards whereby the recipient agrees to practice primary care in a medically underserved community.

For default or termination of a loan for one scholastic year, a penalty equal to 20% of the total principal amount of the loan.
For default or termination of a loan for two scholastic years, a penalty equal to 30% of the total principal amount of the loan.
For default or termination of a loan for three scholastic years, a penalty equal to 40% of the total principal amount of the loan.
For default or termination of a loan for four scholastic years, a penalty equal to 50% of the total principal amount of the loan.
If default or termination occurs after the fourth year but prior to the completion of a residency training program accredited by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education in a generalists specialty as determined by the Board, a penalty equal to 100% of the total principal amount of the loan.
If default or termination occurs after completion of a residency training program but prior to completion of the repayment obligation as set forth above, a penalty equal to 200% of the total principal amount of the loan.

The failure of a loan recipient to perform his or her contractual agreement with the Board of Medical Scholarship Awards or to pay the amount he or she is liable for under this program shall constitute a ground for the revocation of his or her license to practice medicine. The proceedings to have a physician’s license revoked shall be commenced upon written complaint of the Board of Medical Scholarship Awards to the State Board of Medical Examiners. The proceedings shall be in accordance with Sections 34-24-310 to 34-24-381, inclusive, for the imposition of disciplinary sanctions on a license to practice medicine in this state.