The Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) improves the health of people who need it most. We strengthen the health workforce and connect skilled health care providers to communities in need.
What are our priorities?
- ACCESS: Make it easier for people to get health care.
- SUPPLY: Add health care workers to the workforce.
- DISTRIBUTION: Help health care providers work where they’re needed.
- QUALITY: Train health care providers to use techniques proven to help patients.
What programs do we offer?
We offer scholarship, loan, and loan repayment programs. Some programs are for individuals; others for schools.
To which programs can individuals apply?
Individuals can apply to these scholarship and loan repayment programs.
- National Health Service Corps (NHSC)
- Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
- Nurse Corps Scholarship Program
- Faculty Loan Repayment Program
- Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program
To which programs can schools apply?
Schools can apply to these scholarship and loan programs.
- Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS)
- Loans for Disadvantaged Students (LDS)
- Health Professions Student Loans (HPSL)
- Nursing Student Loans (NSL)
- Primary Care Loans (PCL)
How do our programs help communities in need?
Our programs help communities recruit and retain primary health care providers.
- NHSC Builds Healthy Communities: 2020 (PDF - 606 KB)
- The Growth of the Nurse Corps Workforce in Rural and Underserved Communities
How do we train the health workforce?
We train the primary care workforce through our Health Professions Training Grants.
These grants
- invite clinicians to practice in areas with limited access to care, including rural areas;
- increase diversity; and
- encourage health care workers to learn from each other.
Our grant programs help create a modern health workforce. They place skilled health care providers in high-need areas nationwide.
How do our partners help us?
Our strategic partnerships help us make decisions on policy and program planning.
Which communities need our programs the most?
Certain areas, people, or facilities need health care workers. We call these shortage designations. These include Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/Ps).
HPSAs and MUA/Ps help
- focus our resources on the highest need places and people; and
- federal agencies decide who is eligible for federal programs.
Which federal programs use HPSAs and MUA/Ps?
- National Health Service Corps (NHSC)
- Nurse Corps
- Health Center Program
- Rural Health Clinic Program
- Physician HPSA Bonuses
- Exchange Visitor
- Conrad 30 Waiver
How does data inform our work?
Our National Center for Health Workforce Analysis collects and evaluates health workforce data.
They examine issues affecting the U.S. health workforce. Their research helps people who create laws make informed decisions.
How do we promote health care quality?
The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) allows registered health care entities to search for reports. These reports contain medical malpractice payments, adverse actions, and judgments or convictions of health care practitioners, providers, and suppliers.
Providing these reports helps improve health care quality, protects the public, and reduces fraud and abuse in the U.S. health care system.