RI H7503

Establishes the Medical Primary Care Scholarship Program, administered by the director of the Department of Health in consultation with the commissioner of postsecondary education, to address Rhode Island's primary care provider shortage

Authorizes up to 5 new medical school scholarships, 5 new nurse practitioner scholarships, and 5 new physician assistant scholarships per academic year, with medical school awards capped at $70,000/year (for 4 years) and nurse practitioner/physician assistant awards capped at $47,000/year (for 2 years)

Requires recipients to work full-time (or part-time at 24 hours/week on a prorated basis) providing primary care in Rhode Island for 2 years for each year of scholarship received; scholarship debt is forgiven incrementally as the work obligation is fulfilled

Appropriates $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2026-2027, consisting of a $500,000 transfer from the Wavemaker Fellowships Program and $500,000 from the general treasury, deposited into a restricted receipt account over a minimum of 4 years

Recipients who fail to complete their education or fulfill the work obligation must repay all or prorated scholarship funds with interest, enforceable by the attorney general, with recovered funds redeposited into the scholarship program account