(a) Primary Care Practitioner Scholarship Program shall be known as the Primary Care Service Corps.

(b) Primary care practitioner shall mean a midwife, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant who is licensed, registered or certified by the appropriate governing agency to practice in New York State and who provides or arranges for coordinated primary care services.

(c) Underserved area shall mean an area, site or facility designated pursuant to section 47-3.1 of this Subpart.

(d) Primary care practitioner program shall mean a full- or part-time graduate, undergraduate or certificate course of study, approved or registered by the regents or a program registered by the Education Department or determined by the Education Department to be equivalent, and which an individual is required to complete in order to become licensed, registered, or certified as a primary care practitioner.

(e) Academic year shall mean the period between July 1st and June 30th of the following year.

(f) Full-time enrollment shall mean matriculation as a student taking at least 12 credits or their equivalent, except that in the final semester of study the student must take sufficient credits or their equivalent in order to complete training, but not fewer than six credits.

(g) Part-time enrollment shall mean matriculation as a student taking at least six credits but fewer than 12 or their equivalent per semester, except if the student is enrolled full-time and in the final semester.

(h) Recipient shall mean an individual who has signed a service agreement to receive a scholarship award under the Primary Care Service Corps program in return for a service obligation.

(i) Service agreement shall mean the written agreement prepared by the Department of Health to be signed by a recipient, prior to issuance of an award, specifying the terms of the award and the service obligation required.

(j) Scholarship award shall mean the sum of the Primary Care Service Corps funds paid to, or on behalf of, a recipient under this Subpart during one academic year. An award shall not exceed the cost of attendance which shall mean tuition, required fees, books, transportation, and room and board; nor shall it exceed $15,000 for full-time study or $7,500 for part-time study; nor shall any combination exceed $15,000 annually.

(k) Effective date shall mean the beginning date of the first semester for which the recipient has received a Primary Care Service Corps scholarship.

(l) Service obligation shall mean the period of time a recipient is required to provide primary care in an underserved area designated pursuant to section 47-3.1 of this Subpart.

(m) Alternative service shall mean work in a health facility in an underserved area as a paraprofessional or in a profession other than the one for which the award was given in fulfillment of the service obligation.

(n) Reporting date shall mean the date upon which a recipient is required to begin employment in fulfillment of the service obligation.

(o) Rescission shall mean the withdrawal, cancellation or revocation of an award in accordance with the provisions of section 47-6.5 of this Subpart, after the signing of the service agreement.

(p) Waiver shall mean full or partial release granted by the Commissioner of Health of the service obligation and/or any financial obligation for repayment of scholarship award monies incurred or owed by a recipient.

(q) Deferral shall mean a delay or temporary suspension granted by the commissioner of an award payment and/or a service obligation and/or any financial obligation for repayment of award monies incurred by a recipient, with no resulting reduction in service obligation or financial obligation.

(r) Default shall occur if a recipient has not received a waiver or deferral from the commissioner and the recipient fails to complete the program of study, the recipient is not available to fulfill his/her service obligation on the reporting date, the recipient fails to complete his/her service obligation within the time prescribed by the Commissioner of Health, or a scholarship award is rescinded pursuant to section 47-6.5(a) of this Subpart, after dispersal of scholarship monies to, or on behalf of, the recipient.

(s) President shall mean the president of the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation.