(a) Preferences in making awards
(1) In general
Subject to paragraph (2), in making awards of grants or contracts under any of sections 293k and 294 of this title, the Secretary shall give preference to any qualified applicant that—
(A) has a high rate for placing graduates in practice settings having the principal focus of serving residents of medically underserved communities;
(B) during the 2-year period preceding the fiscal year for which such an award is sought, has achieved a significant increase in the rate of placing graduates in such settings; or
(C) utilizes a longitudinal evaluation (as described in section 294n(d)(2) of this title) and reports data from such system to the national workforce database (as established under section 294n(b)(2)(E) of this title).
(2) Limitation regarding peer review
For purposes of paragraph (1), the Secretary may not give an applicant preference if the proposal of the applicant is ranked at or below the 20th percentile of proposals that have been recommended for approval by peer review groups.
(b) "Graduate" defined
For purposes of this section, the term "graduate" means, unless otherwise specified, an individual who has successfully completed all training and residency requirements necessary for full certification in the health profession selected by the individual.
(c) Exceptions for new programs
(1) In general
To permit new programs to compete equitably for funding under this section, those new programs that meet at least 4 of the criteria described in paragraph (3) shall qualify for a funding preference under this section.
(2) Definition
As used in this subsection, the term "new program" means any program that has graduated less than three classes. Upon graduating at least three classes, a program shall have the capability to provide the information necessary to qualify the program for the general funding preferences described in subsection (a).
(3) Criteria
The criteria referred to in paragraph (1) are the following:
(A) The mission statement of the program identifies a specific purpose of the program as being the preparation of health professionals to serve underserved populations.
(B) The curriculum of the program includes content which will help to prepare practitioners to serve underserved populations.
(C) Substantial clinical training experience is required under the program in medically underserved communities.
(D) A minimum of 20 percent of the clinical faculty of the program spend at least 50 percent of their time providing or supervising care in medically underserved communities.
(E) The entire program or a substantial portion of the program is physically located in a medically underserved community.
(F) Student assistance, which is linked to service in medically underserved communities following graduation, is available to the students in the program.
(G) The program provides a placement mechanism for deploying graduates to medically underserved communities.
Prior Provisions
A prior section 295j, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, §799A, as added Nov. 4, 1988, Pub. L. 100–607, title VI, §637(a), 102 Stat. 3149; amended Nov. 18, 1988, Pub. L. 100–690, title II, §2615(g)[(i)], 102 Stat. 4240; Aug. 16, 1989, Pub. L. 101–93, §5(n), 103 Stat. 613, related to grants and contracts to provide health care in rural areas, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 102–408.
Another prior section 295j, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, §799A, as added Nov. 23, 1988, Pub. L. 100–713, title VII, §714, 102 Stat. 4834, relating to grants and contracts to provide health care in rural areas, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 100–607, title VI, §637(b), Nov. 4, 1988, 102 Stat. 3151. Subsequently, section 637(b) of Pub. L. 100–607 was repealed by Pub. L. 101–93, §5(n)(1), Aug. 16, 1989, 103 Stat. 613, and section 5(n)(2) of Pub. L. 101–93 amended this subchapter to read as if the amendment made by section 714 of Pub. L. 100–713 had not been enacted.
A prior section 791 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to section 295h of this title prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 102–408.
Amendments
2010—Subsec. (a)(1)(C). Pub. L. 111–148 added subpar. (C).
1998—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 105–392, §107(b)(1), substituted "sections 293k and 294 of this title" for "sections 293k through 293o of this title, under section 294b of this title, or under section 294d or 294e of this title" in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 105–392, §107(b)(2), struck out "under section 295o(a) of this title" before period at end.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–392, §106(a)(2)(B), redesignated subsec. (c) as (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which required submission of certain information by applicant.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–392, §§106(a)(2)(B)(ii), 107(a), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (b).
1992—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–531, in introductory provisions, inserted references to sections 294d and 294e of this title and substituted reference to section 295o(f)(2) of this title for reference to section 293p(a) of this title.
Effective Date of 1992 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 102–531 effective immediately after enactment of Pub. L. 102–408, see section 313(c) of Pub. L. 102–531, set out as a note under section 292y of this title.
Required Assurances Regarding Bloodborne Diseases
Pub. L. 102–408, title III, §308, Oct. 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 2089, provided that: "With respect to awards of grants or contracts under title VII or VIII of the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 292 et seq., 296 et seq.], the Secretary of Health and Human Services may make such an award for the provision of traineeships only if the applicant for the award provides assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that all trainees will, as appropriate, receive instruction in the utilization of universal precautions and infection control procedures for the prevention of the transmission of bloodborne diseases."
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