Legislation was introduced to create a tuition reimbursement program for psychiatrists serving underserved areas of the state. The legislation, introduced by Senate Health Committee Chair Joseph Vitale (D-Woodbridge) and Sen. Richard Codey (D-Livingston), could cover up to 100 percent of medical school student loans for program participants. Physicians participating in the psychiatry tuition reimbursement program would be ineligible to participate in the existing Primary Care Loan Redemption Program. 

New Jersey continues to have one of the highest numbers nationally of physicians nearing retirement. In addition, New Jersey lags behind its Mid-Atlantic neighbors in the proportion of the physician population under 40. In order to bolster New Jersey’s physician workforce pipeline, NJHA has long supported programs such as the Primary Care Practitioner Loan Redemption program and encouraged its expansion to include additional geographic areas of service. 

A tuition reimbursement program specific to psychiatry would augment current loan redemption efforts given the increased focus statewide on behavioral health care delivery.

NJHA looks forward to working with the sponsors on this important initiative as it works its way through the legislative process.