PCP Scholarship FAQs

No, this award will only be funded effective the semester you are accepted into the program. Alumni cannot be awarded this scholarship. 

Regions within every Arizona county have received at least one of three federal designations: a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), a Medically Underserved Area (MUA), or a Medically Underserved Population (MUP). These shortage areas are determined and managed by the Bureau of Health Professions within the Health Resources and Services Administration, and identify geographic areas (or specific populations within those areas) that lack adequate healthcare resources. Broadly, those resources available in a given area are evaluated based on physician supply relative to population size—although numerous other factors are also considered.

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, HPSAs* can apply to geographic areas, population groups, or facilities in which there are unmet healthcare needs. Native American Tribes are automatically designated as population HSPAs.

MUA-Ps** are federal designations that apply to areas, population groups, or facilities that have a need for medical services on the basis of demographic data that shows that the area/population has either too few primary care providers, high infant mortality, high poverty and/or high elderly population.

*For more information on HPSAs, please visit: https://bhw.hrsa.gov/shortage-designation/hpsas.

**For more information on MUA-Ps, please visit: https://www.azdhs.gov/prevention/health-systems-development/shortage-designation/index.php#muap.

The scholarship will be awarded in conjunction with any other offered financial aid for the respective Academic Year (AY) and disbursed to the student Bursar's account for the applicable fall and/or spring semesters. If a student has accepted other financial aid in excess of the PCP scholarship, and the total aid disbursed exceeds charges, a refund will generate based on the selected Bursar's refund options. The PCP Scholarship in combination of other aid cannot be offered in excess of the cost of attendance and will not generate a supplemental refund. When a student has been awarded to the cost of attendance, the PCP Scholarship will replace the loans first.

Yes, however, since funds are limited there is a maximum number of scholars that can be covered per class, so if at any time all spots have been filled it is possible that additional applications will not be accepted. 

By accepting this scholarship, you will be required to maintain continuous enrollment as a full-time medical student in the University, and maintain satisfactory academic progress. These standards are described in the University catalog. If you cease to be enrolled as a medical student at the University of Arizona, your scholarship will convert to a personal, interest-bearing loan and you will be required to reimburse the University for the total scholarship amount received.

Funding is only awarded based on the standard amount of time to complete the program, 4 years, and is allotted based on what year a student is selected to receive the scholarship.  Additional semesters will not be funded.

• Incoming medical students - application is now open with a priority deadline of Monday, March 18th, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. 

Applicants must be admitted and enrolled as a full-time medical student at the College of Medicine – Tucson. You must also have completed and submitted your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and, to the greatest extent practicable, sought and accepted all other non-loan aid for which you qualify, such as American Medical Association scholarships, Indian Health Service scholarships, the American Medical Women’s Association Medical Education scholarship, and other private scholarships. That said, this is a need-blind scholarship program intended to bolster the primary care resources in Arizona’s underserved rural and underserved communities.