L.A. Care Invests in Loan Repayment for Physicians Serving in the Safety Net

Working to Ensure a Stable Workforce for Our Members

The documented workforce shortage is felt deeply in safety net medical practices where physician salaries can be lower than in other settings and patient needs are numerous and complex. Fortunately, many community-minded physicians choose to work in the safety net, and L.A. Care is making it easier for them to do so.  

As part of its Elevating the Safety Net workforce initiative, L.A. Care offers medical school loan repayment grants to physicians who are practicing in safety net medical facilities. Physicians can receive loan repayments of up to $5,000 per month for up to three years, as long as they remain practicing in the safety net. The program is administered by Uncommon Good, a local nonprofit.

Since 2018, L.A. Care has awarded nearly $34 million in loan repayment grants in support of 188 physicians.

“Nearly 90 percent of medical school graduates have some student loan debt, and the average amount owed is more than $241,000. That has contributed to the shortage of primary care physicians in underserved communities,” said Sameer Amin, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of L.A. Care. "L.A. Care is committed to ensuring its members, many of whom are low-income people of color, have access to high-quality physicians.”