The purpose of the Allied Health Student Loan for Service Act is to meet the emergency currently existing resulting from the shortage of allied health professionals in underserved areas of the state by increasing the number of practitioners in rural areas through a program of loans for allied health students. Each applicant shall declare his intent to practice his allied health profession within one of the areas of the state designated as an underserved area by the commission [department].
NMS § 21-22C-2