Governor Janet Mills today announced funding of $4 million for two initiatives aimed at attracting and retaining health care professionals in Maine.  The first initiative, offered through the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), provides student loan repayment assistance up to $75,000 for health care professionals in medicine, dentistry, and behavioral health and up to $40,000 for nursing educators.  To be eligible for the assistance, recipients must be currently working in Maine or commit to working in Maine for at least three years.

The second part of the initiative boosts funding for a FAME scholarship given to students in the Tufts University School of Medicine Maine Medical Center Track Program and the University of New England’s Osteopathic Medicine program.  “A strong, high-quality health care system is essential to the health of Maine people and the health of our economy.  Health care provides meaningful, important work, and, as the pandemic has shown up, it’s work that’s more crucial than ever before. But for too many people, the cost of the education puts health care professions out of reach.” Said Governor Mills.  “These scholarships and loan relief programs will bring ore Maine people–especially young people– into the health care workforce and enable them to live and practice in communities across our state.

Dr. Andy Mueller, CEO of MaineHealth, added that “The COVID-19 pandemic has put tremendous pressure on every aspect of our health care system and has exacerbated a longstanding workforce crisis in Maine.  The Doctors for Maine’s Future scholarship program and the student loan repayment programs represent strategic and collaborative investments in debt relief for our future health care workforce that exemplify our vision of ‘Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America.”