It is the purpose and intent of this subchapter to establish a program of financial assistance to encourage physicians to locate in and remain in the practice of primary care medicine in communities of the state that have a population of not more than fifteen thousand (15,000) persons. It is the intent of the General Assembly that physicians who locate for a minimum of four (4) years in and carry on a full-time practice of family medicine in a priority medically underserved area as defined by the Division of Health Facilities Services of the Department of Health after July 1, 1999, shall be entitled to receive grants totalling fifty-five thousand dollars ($55,000) to be paid out over four (4) years. The first payment of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) shall be made when a practice is established by the physician in the community and patients are being seen in the office. The second, third, and fourth payments of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) each shall be made after completion of each continuous year of service.