As used in this part:

Acceptable level of academic standing means the level at which a full-time student retains eligibility to continue in attendance in school under the school's standards and practices.

Act means the Public Health Service Act, as amended.

Approved graduate training means those programs of graduate training in medicine, osteopathy, dentistry or other health professions which (a) lead to eligibility for board certification or which provide other evidence of completion, and (b) have been approved by the appropriate health professions body as determined by the Secretary.

Full-time student means an individual pursuing a course of study leading to a degree in medicine, osteopathy, dentistry or an equivalent credential for a particular health profession who is enrolled for a sufficient number of credit hours in any academic term to complete the course of study within not more than the number of academic terms normally required at the school. If an individual is enrolled in a school and is pursuing a course of study which is designed to be completed in more than 4 years, the individual will be considered a full-time student for only the last 4 years of the course of study.

Health manpower shortage area means the geographic area, the population group, the public or nonprofit private medical facility, or other public facility which has been determined by the Secretary to have a shortage of health manpower under section 332 of the Act and its implementing regulations (42 CFR part 5).

National of the United States means a citizen of the United States or a person who, though not a citizen of the United States, owes permanent allegiance to the United States.

Public Health and National Health Service Corps Scholarship Training Program, or PH/NHSC Scholarship Training Program, means the program authorized by section 225 of the Act as in effect on September 30, 1977, and repealed on October 1, 1977.

Scholarship Program means the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program authorized by section 751 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 294t).

Scholarship Program participant or participant means an individual whose application to the Scholarship Program has been approved and whose contract has been accepted and signed by the Secretary.

School means a school of medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, or other health profession which (a) provides training leading to a degree of doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, doctor of dentistry, or an equivalent credential for a particular health profession, and (b) which is accredited by a body or bodies recognized for accreditation purposes by the Secretary of Education.

School year means all or part of the 12-month period from July 1 through June 30 during which an applicant is enrolled in a school as a full-time student.

Service means the United States Public Health Service.

Secretary means the Secretary of Health and Human Services and any other officer or employee of the Department of Health and Human Services to whom the authority involved has been delegated.

State means one of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.