Healthcare Education Loan Repayment: A Growing Solution to Hawai’i’s Medical Needs

The second round of healthcare workers seeking assistance in a new Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program will have an application deadline of July 1.

Gov. Josh Green, a medical doctor, stated that the state of Hawai’i and the Hawai’i/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center has received a “tremendous response to the aggressive and far-reaching loan repayment program that addresses the state’s growing shortage of physicians and other healthcare professionals.”

The Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program, or HELP, helps health professionals who are licensed or certified to care for patients in Hawai’i return their school loan debt. Gov. Green collaborated with the John A. Burns School of Medicine, the Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi, and the state Department of Health to create HELP, as stated in a news release. The state Legislature funded the program, which provides $30 million in student loan debt repayment to licensed health professionals who accept public insurance for at least 30% of their patient care claims.

Marc and Lynne Benioff donated $5 million to Hawaiʻi Island HELP beneficiaries over two years. Among the first 400 applicants, 77 from Hawaiʻi Island will get loan repayment from state money. Marc and Lynne Benioff funded 65 candidates in the first round.

“HELP stands as a beacon of hope and is not just a program; it’s a lifeline for our communities,” Green said in a statement. “By reducing the burden of college debt, we will attract and retain healthcare professionals who are critical to solving our state’s healthcare needs. Together, via HELP, we pave a path to a healthier future for all Hawai’ians.”

HELP aims to reach the biggest number of medical and health professionals in Hawaii to ensure their retention. Healthcare workers in various disciplines can get loan repayments ranging from $12,500 to $50,000 for two years of full-time service in Hawaiʻi. The acceptable amount varies according to the applicant’s profession, location of practice, and student debt.

The HELP program prioritizes primary care and behavioral health experts, as well as those practicing in rural areas (designated by the state as all Neighbor Islands and rural Oʻahu).

To be considered for the next batch, please apply by July 1. Applications and answers to frequently asked questions are available on the AHEC HELP website. Approximately 1,900 health professionals have applied for HELP since the program’s debut in September 2023. Of those, 1,801 were eligible. In December, 492 applicants were given funding as part of the first batch.