As used in the Osteopathic Medical Student Loan for Service Act:
A. "department" means the higher education department;
B. "health professional shortage area" means an area in the state of New Mexico designated as having a shortage of primary care medical care, dental or mental health providers by the health resources and services administration of the United States department of health and human services;
C. "loan" means a grant of funds to defray the costs incidental to an osteopathic medical education, under a contract between the department and an osteopathic medical student, requiring either repayment with interest or repayment in services;
D. "osteopathic medical education" means the education required to be an osteopathic physician or osteopathic physician's assistant; and
E. "student" means a person enrolled in a school of osteopathic medicine or an osteopathic physician's assistant program in New Mexico.