A. The department is authorized to grant a loan to defray the expenses of the osteopathic medical education of a student deemed qualified by the department to receive the osteopathic medical education, upon such terms and conditions as may be imposed by regulations of the department.

B. The department shall only receive, pass upon and allow or disallow those applications for loans made by those students enrolled in or accepted by a New Mexico college of osteopathic medicine or osteopathic physician's assistant program who declare their intent to practice as osteopathic physicians or osteopathic physician's assistants within designated areas of the state.

C. The department shall make a full and careful investigation of the ability, character and qualifications of each applicant and determine the applicant's fitness to become a recipient of a student loan. The investigation of each applicant shall include an investigation of the ability of the applicant and the applicant's parents or guardians to pay the applicant's expenses for an osteopathic medical education. The department shall give preference to qualified applicants who are unable, or whose parents or guardians are unable, to pay the applicant's expenses in obtaining an osteopathic medical education.

D. The department shall arrange for loan recipients to receive assistance in locating, planning and implementing the establishment and maintenance of a practice as an osteopathic physician or osteopathic physician's assistant in a health professional shortage area.

History: 1978 Comp., § 21-22A-4, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 109, § 4; 1991, ch. 262, § 40; 1995, ch. 144, § 6; 2016, ch. 42, § 2.

The 2016 amendment, effective May 18, 2016, changed references to the commission on higher education to the higher education department; in the heading, deleted "commission" and added "department", throughout the section, deleted "commission" and added "department"; in Subsection B, after "accepted by", deleted "colleges" and added "a New Mexico college", and after "physician's assistant", deleted "programs who are bona fide citizens and residents of New Mexico and" and added "program"; in Subsection C, after "applicant and determine", deleted "his" and added "the applicant's", and after "ability of the applicant and", deleted "his" and added "the applicant"; and in Subsection D, after "osteopathic physician's assistant in", deleted "designated underserved areas" and added "a health professional shortage area".

The 1995 amendment, effective July 1, 1995, in Subsection B, deleted "on higher education" following "commission" in the section heading, inserted "or osteopathic physician's assistant programs" in two places and made a stylistic change and, in Subsection D, substituted "a practice as an osteopathic physician or osteopathic physician's assistant" for "an osteopathic medical practice".

The 1991 amendment, effective June 14, 1991, substituted "Commission on higher education" for "Board" in the catchline; substituted "commission" for "board" throughout the section; added Subsection D; and made a minor stylistic change in Subsection A.

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 15A Am. Jur. 2d Colleges and Universities §§ 19 to 22.

14A C.J.S. Colleges and Universities §§ 7, 31, 33.