Option I: Traditional SHARP

SHARP-I is our traditional option, now in its 6th year.  It offers loan repayment for primary care clinicians working in federal HRSA health profession shortage areas (HPSAs), largely with underserved population. To date, 108 clinicians have received this support-for-service benefit under 2-year contracts, working in a range of primary care medical, behavioral health and dental occupations. Settings include community health centers, tribal health clinics, critical access hospitals, prisons and community mental health centers, amongst others.  SHARP-I is jointly funded by at least 50% from non-federal sources (State-GF, and Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, employer matches), and up to 50% from federal HRSA.

Alaska receives its federal HRSA-SLRP support via submission of competitive proposals, in response to federal posting of Requests-for-Proposals (RFP).  

National Health Service Corps State Loan Repayment FAQs

Learn more about the State Loan Repayment Program from the NHSC SLRP FAQs.

HPSA Finder

It is possible to find health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) in Alaska by using the HPSA by State and County locator. This allows prospective SHARP-I clinicians to find out which areas of the state are eligible for SHARP-I placement.

Clinician Eligibility

The following are SHARP-eligible clinician occupations.  Each participant must have full Alaskan licensure to practice his or her healthcare occupation at the effective date of SHARP service.

Medical Occupations

Tier-1:
  • (a) Primary Care Physician - allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) (family clinician, internist, pediatrician, obstetrician and gynecologist, geriatricians, and general psychiatrist), and
  • (b) Pharmacist.
Tier-2: 
  • (a) Nurse clinician (NPs),
  • (b) Physician assistant, (PAs);
  • (c) Registered nurse (RN), and
  • (d) Certified nurse midwife (CNM).

Dental Occupations

Tier-1:
  • Dentist (DDS or DMD), both General Practice, and Pediatric
Tier-2:
  • Registered clinical dental hygienist (RDH)

Behavioral Health Occupations

Tier-1:
  • Psychiatrist (MD or DO)
Tier-2: 
  • (a) Health service psychologist, clinical or counseling (Ph.D. or PsyD),
  • (b) Clinical social worker (LCSW),
  • (c) Psychiatric nurse specialist (PNS);
  • (d) Licensed professional counselor (LPC), and
  • (e) Marriage & family therapist (MFT).

Amount of Awards

Tier-1: 
  • $35,000 per year; Very Hard-to-Fill $47,000 per year. 
Tier-2:
  • $20,000 per year; Very Hard-to-Fill $27,000 per year.

Payments of up to one calendar-quarter of the annual award are made following the end of each three months of service.

We recommend that all interested parties check the SHARP homepage periodically for news on all program updates.