(a) A loan recipient shall be forgiven the principal and interest of one year‘s loan for each year the recipient practices as a health care professional providing health care services in the sponsoring community, but only if the loan recipient practices as a health care professional providing health care services in the sponsoring community or in another qualified area under Subsection (b) for a minimum of two years.
(b) If the department finds that a sponsoring community is not in need of the student’s services and that the community is willing to forgive repayment of the principal balance and interest of the student’s loan, the department by rule may provide for the principal balance and interest of the student’s loan to be forgiven if the student provides services in another qualified area in this state.