The Recruitment Assistance Program (RAP) provides qualifying physicians, dentists, physician assistants, certified nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, or certified registered nurse anesthetists incentive payment in return for three continuous years of practice in an eligible rural community. Requests for participation in this recruitment program are reviewed on a first-come-first-served basis. A community or facility representative should contact the Office of Rural Health to request an assessment to determine eligibility.
South Dakota Workforce Initiatives
South Dakota Recruitment Assistance Program (RAP)
South Dakota Rural Healthcare Facility Recruitment Assistance Program (RHFRAP)
The Rural Healthcare Facility Recruitment Assistance Program provides a $10,000 payment to eligible health professionals who complete a three-year, full-time service commitment. The health professional must enter into a three-way contract between the employing facility and the state. Eligible facilities must be located in a community with a population of 10,000 or less. Applications must be submitted by employing facility with a limit of 3 participants per employing facility.
3RNet (Rural Recruitment Retention) Program
The SD Office of Rural Health administers 3RNet which matches health care professionals with rural and underserved areas. Health care professionals register on 3RNet and the office receives those registrations and distributes the candidates’ registrations to the health care facilities across the state. Health care facilities can also post job openings on this website, which allows healthcare professionals to see the available jobs.
NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) supports registered nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and nurse faculty with loan repayment options up to 85% of their unpaid nursing education debt in exchange for working three (3) years at a critical shortage facility (a health care site located in a Health Professional Shortage Area or HPSA). Visit the SD DOH website to find Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in South Dakota.
University of South Dakota FARM Program
The USD Frontier and Rural Medicine (FARM) program is a unique opportunity for a select group of medical students to receive nine months of their clinical training in rural communities. Through the FARM program, students will see the benefits of a rural lifestyle, experience the rewards and challenges of practicing in a rural community and become comfortable doing so. FARM students work with Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) to complete special projects throughout the program.
South Dakota State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)
South Dakota’s State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) is for primary care providers, mental health providers, and dental health providers practicing in rural and urban Health Professional Shortage Areas in South Dakota. The purpose of South Dakota’s State Loan Repayment Program (SD SLRP) is to improve access to primary care by assisting underserved communities with recruitment and retention of primary care providers.
