(1) “”Eligible professions”” means medical doctors with primary care specialties, doctors of osteopathic medicine with primary care specialties, physician assistants, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, advanced practice registered nurses with primary care specialties, and autonomous advanced practice registered nurses (autonomous APRN).
    (2) “”Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA)”” means a geographic area, an area having a special population, or a facility, as designated by the Federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
    (3) “”Lender”” means any entity involved in making, holding, consolidating, originating, servicing, or guaranteeing any loan to students to finance higher education expenses. This includes lenders who provide private educational loans as well as lenders who provide loans that are made, insured, or guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education.
    (4) “”Primary care specialties”” means as follows:
    (a) Medical doctors and doctors of osteopathic medicine (physicians) practicing in obstetrics, gynecology, general and family practice, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, and psychiatry.
    (b) Autonomous APRNs and advanced practice registered nurses practicing in family medicine, general pediatrics, general internal medicine, or midwifery.
    (5) “”Public health program”” means a county health department, the Children’s Medical Services program, a federally funded community health center, a federally funded migrant health center, any publicly funded health care program, or a nonprofit health care program.
    (a) A publicly funded health care program is an organization or business that is funded by either the federal government or the State of Florida.
    (b) A nonprofit health care program is an organization or business that is registered as a nonprofit with the Florida Department of State.
    (6) “”Qualified loan”” means a federal and/or private student loan with a US-based lender that has a verified balance remaining which loan proceeds were used to pay educational expenses.
    (7) “”State fiscal year”” means the period of time from July 1 of one calendar year to June 30 of the next calendar year.
    (8) “”Underserved location”” means one of the following in Florida:
    (a) A public health program,
    (b) A correctional facility,
    (c) A HPSA as designated by HRSA in a primary care discipline,
    (d) A rural area as identified by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy,
    (e) A rural hospital as defined in Section 395.602(2)(b) F.S.,
    (f) A state hospital, or
    (g) Other state institutions that employ medical personnel.
    (9) This rule will be reviewed and repealed, modified, or renewed through the rulemaking process five years from the effective date.
Rulemaking Authority 1009.65 FS. Law Implemented Florida Statutes § 1009.65. History-New 4-20-23.