Medical school scholarships.

Existing law establishes the Medically Underserved Account for Physicians within the Health Professions Education Fund that is managed by the Health Professions Education Foundation and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. Under existing law, the primary purpose of the account is to fund the Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program, which provides for the repayment of prescribed educational loans, not to exceed $105,000 per individual, obtained by a physician and surgeon who practices in a medically underserved area of the state. This bill would establish within the Health Professions Education Foundation the Steven M. Thompson Medical School Scholarship Program (STMSSP) , managed by the foundation and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development to promote the education of medical doctors and doctors of osteopathy, as specified. This bill would provide up to $105,000 per recipient in scholarships to selected participants who agree in writing prior to completing an accredited medical or osteopathic school based in the United States to serve in an eligible setting. This bill would establish the Steven M. Thompson Medical School Scholarship Account within the Health Professions Education Fund, which would consist of private moneys donated to the STMSSP. This bill would provide that no General Fund moneys shall be used to implement these provisions and that the STMSSP be implemented only to the extent that the account contains sufficient funds as determined by the foundation.