Texas Primary Care Office FAQs

There are a few possibilities:   

• The site may not be located in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).  The name and physical address of the site is needed to verify whether or not it’s located in a HPSA. 

• The site does not meet all of the NHSC Site Requirements 

• The site owner/administrator may not have submitted a NHSC site application.  

• The site approval expired and has not been recertified by the site owner/administrator. 

Contact us to determine site eligibility or to get more information on the site approval or recertification process. 

The site owner/administrator needs to contact TPCO to determine site eligibility and get information on the site approval process and required forms.  

Information on the NHSC Site application process is on the TPCOs  National Health Service Corps Site Information page and HRSAs Become a NHSC Site page. Note: Clinicians employed by the site can have no role in the site approval process. 

Sliding Fee Scales are required to cover up to 200% of the current Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) which are updated annually, at the end of January. Make sure you use the current FPG for your SFS when you apply. Information on SFSs can be found in Appendix C of the Site Reference Guide. 

The State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) in Texas is administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordination Board (THECB) and matches the Loan Repayment Program for Mental Health Providers (LRPMHP).  See the LRPMHP page for more information. 

If you will be going into a Primary Care specialty (Family Practice, Family Practice with OB, General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, Ob/Gyn, Pediatrics, or Psychiatry), and commit to working in a high needs underserved area, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) has a Scholarship Program you may be eligible for.  NHSC also has the Student to Service Loan Repayment Program for students in their last year of medical school that provides funds to repay student loans during residency.  Additionally there are Student Loan Repayment Programs you may be eligible for if you work in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) after residency.  If you will be attending medical school in Texas, you may also find additional financial aid at http://www.hhloans.com/. 

If you will be going into General or Pediatric Dentistry, and commit to working in a high needs underserved area, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) has a Scholarship Program you may be eligible for.  Additionally there are Student Loan Repayment Programs you may be eligible for if you work in a Dental Health Professional Shortage Area (DHPSA) after training.  If you will be attending dental school in Texas, you may also find additional financial aid at http://www.hhloans.com/.  

If you will be going into a Primary Care specialty, and commit to working in a high needs underserved area, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) has a Scholarship Program you may be eligible for.  Additionally there are Student Loan Repayment Programs you may be eligible for if you work in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) after training.  If you will be attending PA school in Texas, you may also find additional financial aid at http://www.hhloans.com/.  

If you are studying to be an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (NP), going into a Primary Care specialty (Family Practice, Family Practice with OB, General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, Ob/Gyn, Pediatrics, or Psychiatry), or a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), and commit to working in a high needs underserved area, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) has a Scholarship Program you may be eligible for.   

The Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) Nurse Corps Scholarship Program includes NPs if you will commit to working at a Critical Shortage Facility located in a high needs Primary Care of Mental HPSA.   

There are also Student Loan Repayment Programs NPs or CNMs may be eligible for if you work in a HPSA after training. 

If you are studying to be Registered Nurse (RN), the Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) offers the  Nurse Corps Scholarship Program that you may qualify for if you will commit to working at a Critical Shortage Facility located in a high needs Primary Care of Mental HPSA.   

Additionally Nurse Corps has a Loan Repayment Program that RNs may be eligible for if you work at a Critical Shortage Facility located in a high needs Primary Care of Mental HPSA. 

If you will be attending a nursing school in Texas, you may also find additional financial aid at http://www.hhloans.com/.  

To request that the Texas Primary Care Office (TPCO) verify the status of an intended practice, or an intent to provide services in a health professional shortage or medically underserved area, or a rural area, contact us with: 

• Either a complete physical address if the practice location is already known 

• Or a statement that you intend to work in an underserved area if you do not yet have a practice location  

If the status inquiry does not come directly from the physician, then the request must include signed authorization from the physician submitted as an attachment (not in the body of the email).  We’ll respond to your request and forward the information to TMB within 3 business days. 

Yes! To request a presentation or training for your organization, contact us.