Louisiana Revised Statutes Tit. 46, § 1101. Parish hospitals and hospital service districts; medical scholarship program; establishment, administration, funding

A. The board of commissioners of each parish hospital or hospital service district, hereinafter referred to as the board or the board of commissioners, or, in the absence of a hospital district, the parish governing authority is authorized to establish and administer a medical scholarship program for the purpose of increasing the educational opportunities available to medical students who will practice family medicine in areas where physician care is limited or unavailable. Each board or, in its absence, each parish governing authority, which establishes such a program, may award medical scholarships to residents or former residents of the hospital service district or parish, as the case may be, who otherwise qualify, who are admitted or engaged in the study of medicine at an accredited school of medicine located in the United States, or who are engaged in internship or residency programs within the United States, and who contract to practice family medicine in the district or parish, as provided in this Chapter. Each scholarship shall be awarded for the purpose of defraying the costs of tuition and other related expenses and costs for attendance at medical school, or for internship or residency. The board or, in its absence, the parish governing authority may, at any time and in its discretion, determine not to grant a scholarship under the program.

B. Any program established under the provisions of this Chapter shall be wholly funded by monies generated by the respective boards or, in their absence, the parish governing authority, through their facilities, and upon the initiation of such a program, the program shall become a part of the annual hospital or parish budget.

C. For the purpose of this Chapter, the term “family medicine” means primary care medicine, obstetrics, gynecology, general surgery, pediatrics, internal medicine, emergency medicine, or community and family medicine.