Three Eligibility Lists, and One of Them Is Blank
Program and regulatory figures verified October 9, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Missouri is the only state in this network where one of the eligibility lists is literally unpublished.
★★ Three questions, three deciders
| The mortgage | SLRP | HPLRP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who decides | the lender | DHSS | DHSS |
| Eligible professions | degree-based, varies by lender | ★ "to be determined" | by degree level |
| Location test | none | HPSA | area of defined need |
| Named exclusions | none | ★ hospitalists, EM, inpatient, prisons | not stated in those terms |
You can be an ideal physician-loan borrower and ineligible for both programmes, or the reverse. Treat them as separate questions.
★★ SLRP: the list is currently blank
Where the eligible-professions list should be, the state's page says: "Eligible professions to be determined prior to the upcoming application cycle." It appears twice, in the eligibility criteria and in the award table's own row.
So we cannot tell you who is eligible, because the state has not said. What it has said is who is not: hospitalists, emergency medicine physicians, positions in inpatient facilities and prisons, and anyone with a current NHSC obligation. The exclusions.
★ A list of exclusions without a list of inclusions is an unusual position for a programme to be in, and it is the single best reason to check with DHSS directly rather than trusting any summary, including this one.
HPLRP: eligibility by degree level
HPLRP structures eligibility around degree level rather than naming specialties:
- Licensed health and mental health practitioners at doctorate level, up to $65,000 ★ (amount by degree; eligibility is cycle-specific, the published list names Cardiologist as the only physician specialty)
- Licensed providers at bachelor's or master's: $35,000
- Public health professionals at bachelor's or higher — $20,000
- Licensed providers at associate's: $10,000
★ That structure reaches well beyond physicians, into mental health and public health roles. The table.
Who the mortgage is for
Physicians (MD/DO) and dentists (DDS/DMD) are the core of essentially every physician mortgage programme. Many extend to podiatrists, optometrists, veterinarians, pharmacists, CRNAs, PAs and NPs, and the list differs by lender.
★ We are not publishing a degree list, because it is a lender term that changes and a stale list makes people conclude they do not qualify when they do. Dentists specifically.
Residents and fellows
Trainees are frequently eligible for the loan, the 150-day rule exists largely for people whose income has not started. Terms differ from attendings. The timing rule.
Mike Certo, NMLS #260555. (480) 296-6513.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for the Missouri Student Loan Repayment Program?
The state does not currently say. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' page states that eligible professions are to be determined prior to the upcoming application cycle. It does publish exclusions: hospitalists, emergency medicine physicians, positions in inpatient facilities and prisons, and anyone with a current National Health Service Corps obligation.Who is eligible for the Missouri Health Professional Loan Repayment Program?
Eligibility is structured by degree level rather than by named specialty: licensed health and mental health practitioners at doctorate level up to $65,000, licensed providers at bachelor's or master's level $35,000, public health professionals at bachelor's level or higher $20,000, and licensed providers at associate's level $10,000.Who is eligible for a physician loan in Missouri?
Physicians holding an MD or DO and dentists holding a DDS or DMD are the core of essentially every programme, and many lenders extend to podiatrists, optometrists, veterinarians, pharmacists, CRNAs, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Eligible degrees are a lender term that varies and changes.If I qualify for a physician loan, do I qualify for loan repayment?
No, they are separate questions decided by different parties. A lender decides mortgage eligibility on your degree and contract. The Department of Health and Senior Services decides loan repayment eligibility on profession and practice site, including whether the site sits in a shortage area or an area of defined need.Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about physician mortgage financing, not a loan commitment and not legal, tax or financial advice. The Missouri Student Loan Repayment Program and the Health Professional Loan Repayment Program are administered by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, not by Cornerstone; their terms, award amounts, eligible professions and application cycles are set by DHSS and change. Figures here carry the date we verified them against the programmes' own published pages. Physician-loan program terms, eligible degrees and overlays are set by the lender and change. All loans are subject to borrower, property and program qualification.