§ 16302 — Education Loan Repayment Program: Health Professions Officers Serving In Selected Reserve With Wartime Critical Medical Skill Shortages

(a) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense and subject to the other provisions of this section, the Secretary concerned may repay— (1) a loan made, insured, or guaranteed under part B of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.); (2) any loan made under part D of such title (the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, 20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.); or (3) a loan made under part E of such title (20 U.S.C. 1087aa et seq.) after October 1, 1975; (4) a health professions education loan made or insured under part A of title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 292 et seq.) or under part B of title VIII of such Act (42 U.S.C. 297 et seq.); and (5) a loan made, insured, or guaranteed through a recognized financial or educational institution if that loan was used to finance education regarding a basic professional qualifying degree (as determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense) or graduate education in a health profession that the Secretary of Defense determines to be critically needed in order to meet identified wartime combat medical skill shortages. (b) The Secretary concerned may repay loans described in subsection (a) only in the case of a person who— (1) performs satisfactory service as an officer in the Selected Reserve of an armed force; and (2) possesses professional qualifications, or is enrolled in a program of education leading to professional qualifications, in a health profession that the Secretary of Defense has determined to be needed critically in order to meet identified wartime combat medical skill shortages. (1) The amount of any repayment of a loan made under this section on behalf of any person shall be determined on the basis of each complete year of service that is described in subsection (b)(1) and performed by the person after the date on which the loan was made. (2) The annual maximum amount of a loan that may be repaid under this section shall be the same as the maximum amount in effect for the same year under subsection (e)(2) of section 2173 of this title for the education loan repayment program under such section. (d) The authority provided in this section shall apply only in the case of a person first appointed as a commissioned officer on or before December 31, 2025.