Program Profile

A First Look at the VA MISSION Act Veteran Health Administration Medical School Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs

Fed Pract. 2022 March;39(3):110-113 | 10.12788/fp.0238

References

1. VA Policy Memorandum #2. Policy in Association of Veterans’ Hospitals with Medical Schools. US Department of Veterans Affairs. January 20, 1946. Accessed February 17, 2022. https://www.va.gov/oaa/Archive/PolicyMemo2.pdf 2. Gilman SC, Chang BK, Zeiss RA, Dougherty MB, Marks WJ, Ludke DA, Cox M. “The academic mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs.” In: Praeger Handbook of Veterans’ Health: History, Challenges, Issues, and Developments. Praeger; 2012:53-82.

3. Office of Inspector General, Veterans Health Administration OIG Determination of VHA Occupational Staffing Shortages FY2020. US Department of Veterans Affairs. Published September 23, 2020. Accessed February 17, 2022. https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-20-01249-259.pdf

4. Hussey PS, Ringel J, et al. Resources and capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide timely and accessible care to veterans. Rand Health Q. 2015;5(4). Accessed February 17, 2022. https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR1100/RR1165z2/RAND_RR1165z2.pdf

5. Lynch A, Best T, Gutierrez SC, Daily JA. What Should I Do With My Student Loans? A Proposed Strategy for Educational Debt Management. J Grad Med Educ. 2018;10(1):11-15. doi:10.4300/JGME-D-17-00279.1

6. The Uniformed Services Health Professions Revitalization Act of 1972, PL 92-426. US Government Publishing Office. Published 1972. Accessed February 17, 2022. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-86/pdf/STATUTE-86-Pg713.pdf

7. Armed Forces Health Professions Financial Assistance Programs, 10 USC § 105 (2006).

8. ‘‘VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018’’. H.R. 5674. 115th Congress; Report No. 115-671, Part 1. May 3, 2018. Accessed February 17, 2022. https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/hr5674/BILLS-115hr5674rh.pdf

Program Results

Health Professions Scholarship

For academic years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022, 126 HPSP applications from both allopathic and osteopathic schools were submitted and 51 scholarships were awarded (Table 3). Assuming an average residency length of 4 years, VHA estimates that these awards will yield 204 service-year equivalents by 2029.

Veterans Healing Veterans

In the VHV program, scholarship recipients came from 5 Teague-Cranston schools; 2 at University of South Carolina, 2 at East Tennessee State University, 2 at Wright State University, 1 at Texas A&M College of Medicine, 1 at Marshall University; and 3 HBCUs; 2 at Howard University, 1 at Morehouse School of Medicine and 1 at Meharry Medical College. The Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science did not nominate any students for the scholarship. Assuming all recipients complete postgraduate training, the VHV scholarship program will provide an additional 12 veteran physicians to serve at VA for at least 4 years each (48 service years).

Specialty Education Loan Repayment

Fourteen applicants have been approved, including 5 in psychiatry, 4 in family medicine, 3 in internal medicine, 1 in emergency medicine, and 1 in geriatrics. The mean loan repayment is anticipated to be $110,000 and equating to 38.5 VA service years or a mean of 2.3 years of service obligation per individual for the first cohort. The program has no termination date, and with continued funding, VA anticipates granting 100 loan repayments annually.

Education Debt Reduction

Since 2018, 1,546 VA physicians have received EDRP awards. Due to the increased reimbursement provided through the MISSION Act, average physician award amounts have increased from $96,090 in 2018 to $142,557 in 2019 and $148,302 in 2020.

Conclusions

The VA physician scholarship and loan repayment programs outlined in the MISSION Act build on the success of existing federal scholarship programs by providing opportunities for physician trainees to alleviate educational debt and explore a VA health professions career.

Looking ahead, VA must focus on measuring the success of the MISSION scholarship and loan repayment programs by tracking rates of acceptance and student graduation, residency and fellowship completion, and placement in VA medical facilities—both for the service obligation and future employment. Ultimately, the total impact on VA staffing, especially at rural and underresourced sites, will determine the success of the MISSION programs.