(a) “Academic year” means a period of time, usually eight or nine months, during which a full-time college or university student would normally be expected to complete the equivalent of two semesters or three quarters of instruction.

(b) “Associate degree nursing program” means an education program with a two or three year curriculum, which includes nursing theory and clinical coursework that leads to an associate degree of nursing. Graduates of associate degree programs are eligible to take the state board examination to become registered nurses in California.

(c) “Contract” means a written agreement between the Office and a recipient of a scholarship that obligates the recipient, in exchange for scholarship(s), to practice their nursing profession for a specified period of time after graduation in a medically underserved area in California.

(d) “Cultural and linguistic skills and abilities” means possessing cultural and linguistic competence. Cultural and linguistic competency means the ability to understand and respond effectively to the cultural and linguistic needs brought by patients to health care encounters.

(e) “Direct patient care” means the provision of health care services directly to individuals being treated for, or suspected of having, physical or mental illness. Direct patient care includes preventative care. The first line supervision of direct patient care shall be considered “direct patient care.”

(f) “Director” means the Director of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.

(g) “Economic need” means having an income of two hundred (200) percent or less of federal poverty index based on family size.

(h) “Federal poverty index” means the federal poverty threshold updated annually by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.

(i) “Foundation” means the Health Professions Education Foundation.

(j) “Full-time student” means a student who is enrolled in a semester, trimester, or quarter program of not less than twelve (12) credit hours or units or their equivalent, and can reasonably expect to graduate, if the student progresses in good standing, in the recognized number of academic years it takes a full-time student to graduate.

(k) “Medically underserved area” means any of the following:

(l) “Office” means the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.

(m) “Part-time student” means a student who is enrolled in a semester, trimester, or quarter program of not less than six (6) credit hours or units or their equivalent.

(n) “Registered nurse” means a person licensed to practice nursing under the Nursing Practice Act (Business and Professions Code section 2700 et seq.) and who is authorized to place the letters “R.N.” after their name.

(o) “Registered Nurse Education Fund” means the fund established pursuant to section 128400 of the Health and Safety Code.

(p) “Reside” refers to one's place of residence as described in section 244 of the Government Code.

(q) “Scholarship” means financial assistance provided to an eligible individual who agrees, in return for the assistance, to practice their nursing profession for a specified period of time in a medically underserved area in California.

(r) “Service obligation” means the contractual obligation agreed to by a recipient of a scholarship where the recipient agrees to practice their profession for a specified period of time in a medically underserved area in California.