(a) The Secretary may, upon approving an application for the assignment of personnel and after entering into an agreement with an applicant under §23.7, assign National Health Service Corps personnel to provide health services in or to a health manpower shortage area.

(b) In assigning National Health Service Corps personnel to serve in a health manpower shortage area, the Secretary will seek to assign personnel who have those characteristics which will increase the probability of their remaining to serve in the health manpower shortage area upon completion of the period of assignment. In addition, the Secretary will apply a weighted-value system in which the first factor listed below is assigned the greatest weight and the second, and third factors are assigned lesser weights in descending order:

(1) The need of the health manpower shortage area as determined by criteria established under section 332(b) of the Act.

(2) The willingness of individuals, government agencies, or health entities within the health manpower shortage area to cooperate with the National Health Service Corps in providing effective health services.

(3) The comments of health professional societies serving the health manpower shortage area.

[45 FR 12790, Feb. 27, 1980, as amended at 51 FR 31948, Sept. 8, 1986]