Table 1. Change in the Number of Clinicians of Each Discipline in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment and Scholarship Programs during the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funding Period
Clinicians by ProgramMarch 30, 2009*February 28, 2011*Increase in Numbers (%)
Loan Repayment Program
    Primary care total1449 (58.6)4095 (57.0)183
        Physicians774 (31.3)1660 (23.1)114
        Nurse practitioners258 (10.4)1205 (16.8)367
        Physician assistants353 (14.3)1054 (14.7)199
        Nurse midwives64 (2.6)176 (2.4)175
    Dental total341 (13.8)975 (13.6)186
        Dentists310 (12.5)808 (11.2)161
        Dental hygienists31 (1.3)167 (2.3)439
    Mental health total684 (27.6)2117 (29.4)210
        Clinical psychologists329 (13.3)752 (10.5)129
        Clinical social workers177 (7.2)620 (8.6)250
        Licensed professional counselors130 (5.3)636 (8.8)389
        Marriage and family therapists39 (1.6)93 (1.3)138
        Psychiatric nurse specialists9 (0.4)16 (0.2)78
    Loan Repayment Program total2474 (100)7187 (100)191
Scholarship Program
    Primary Care Total479 (88.2)449 (85.4)−6
        Physicians391 (72.0)396 (75.3)1
        Nurse practitioners47 (8.7)28 (5.3)−40
        Physician assistants29 (5.3)17 (3.2)−41
        Nurse midwives12 (2.2)8 (1.5)−33
    Dental total64 (11.8)77 (14.6)20
        Dentists64 (11.8)77 (14.6)20
    Scholarship Program total543 (100)526 (100)−3
Combined/total NHSC workforce (n)30177713156
  • Data from the US Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service's Management Information System Solution.

  • * Data provided as n (% of total in program).