SB335 Summary

• Establishes the Alabama Physician Initiative to provide tuition scholarships to medical students enrolled in Alabama colleges of medicine who commit to practicing family medicine in rural areas for five years after residency completion.

• Phases in 100 scholarships per year beginning with 25 scholarships in academic year 2017-2018, with the consortium and each college's chief academic officer jointly selecting eligible first-year students.

• Requires scholarship recipients to execute service contracts committing to complete residency training in family medicine in Alabama if possible and practice in designated primary care shortage areas for five years.

• Establishes the Alabama Medical Education Consortium, a 501(c)(3) corporation, to administer the program, manage recruitment and placement, and remain accountable to the Legislature.

• Funds the program through legislative appropriation via the State Department of Public Health, with the consortium required to submit annual reports and funding requests to the Legislature; non-compliance with service contracts requires recipients to repay all scholarship funds plus interest.