GBHCW Loan Repayment Recipient Stories

The Georgia Board of Healthcare Workforce (GBHCW) is committed to supporting healthcare professionals across Georgia. Through various loan repayment programs, we assist physicians, dentists, physician assistants (PAs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and nurse faculty to reduce the financial burden of educational debt, allowing them to focus on providing quality care. These programs are designed to have a positive impact on communities in Georgia. 

One such beneficiary is Justin Roberts, a dedicated Physician Assistant practicing in Tift County.  Justin shared his experience with the PA Loan Repayment Program (PALRP), saying:

“My name is Justin Roberts, and I have been practicing as a Physician Assistant (PA) for the past four years in the intensive care unit at Tift Regional Medical Center in Tifton, Ga. I attended PA school at Emory University, graduating in 2019. I cannot express enough how grateful I am to have been a recipient this past year of loan repayment through the PALRP program. Like many others, I graduated from PA school with a substantial amount of student debt, which became a major source of financial stress as I entered the workforce at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In today’s economic climate, every bit helps, and this support was instrumental in helping me work toward paying down my student debt. The Georgia Board of Healthcare Workforce’s commitment to financial assistance for providers in rural areas is a crucial factor in attracting clinicians to regions that are too often medically underserved.”

Mary Havens a Nurse Practitioner treating the community of Thomas shared:

“I am a full-time Nurse Practitioner as well as a single mom, and the loan forgiveness from the state of Georgia was a blessing for me and my family. I love what I do and the people I’m able to help in our community, and it feels great to be recognized and eligible for loan reimbursement. I’m so grateful for the support, and the process was easy!”

Catherine Fowler, one of the 22 initial nurse faculty recipients awarded expressed how GBHCW’s loan repayment program has impacted her:

“The loan support provided by GBHCW is life-changing and has helped renew my passion for educating our future nurses and building the workforce in Georgia. Many nurses working as faculty leave higher education to return to better-paying clinical jobs. Loan repayment amounts can strain a monthly budget, and the GBHCW grant can be a significant help. Thank you to Georgia and GBHCW leadership!”

Dr. Nathan Buck, a dentist serving Tattnall County, has benefited from the Dentists for Rural Areas Assistance (DRAA) program. Dr. Buck shared:

“I am privileged to have received loan repayment through the DRAA program for the past three years. The program has been instrumental in helping me reduce the burden of student loan debt while serving in a rural community. Programs like these are vital to ensure we continue to bring quality doctors into underserved regions of our state. I’m incredibly grateful to the GBHCW for their dedication to this cause.”

Dr. Macy Tabb, a physician treating Decatur County and recipient of the Physician for Rural Areas (PRAA), shared:

“I was born in Bainbridge, Georgia in our community-owned hospital. My mother worked there as a nurse and even my son was born there earlier this year. My life-long dream to work for them as a family medicine physician has come true in part thanks to the PRAA program.

Thanks to the availability of the PRAA program, the decision to practice medicine in my rural hometown in Southwest Georgia was an easy one. I am immensely grateful having been chosen as a recipient and having the burden of educational debt much lighter on my shoulders.”

Through these loan repayment programs, GBHCW is committed to strengthening healthcare professional access across Georgia and ensuring that dedicated healthcare professionals receive the support they deserve. We encourage all eligible healthcare providers to explore our loan repayment options.