§293a. Scholarships generally; certain other purposes

(a) Establishment of program

(1) In general

Subject to subsection (e) of this section, the Secretary may make grants to health professions schools for the purpose of assisting such schools in providing scholarships to individuals described in paragraph (2).

(2) Eligible individuals

The individuals referred to in paragraph (1) are individuals who-

(A) are from disadvantaged backgrounds; and

(B) are enrolled (or accepted for enrollment) as full-time students in such schools.

(3) Health professions schools

For purposes of this section, the term "health professions schools" means schools of medicine, nursing (as schools of nursing are defined in section 298b of this title), osteopathic medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, podiatric medicine, optometry, veterinary medicine, public health, or allied health, or schools offering graduate programs in clinical psychology.

(b) Minimum qualifications of grantees

The Secretary may not make a grant under subsection (a) of this section unless the health professions school-

(1) is carrying out a program for recruiting and retaining students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities; and

(2) is carrying out a program for recruiting and retaining minority faculty.

(c) Preferences in providing scholarships

The Secretary may not make a grant under subsection (a) of this section unless the health professions school involved agrees that, in providing scholarships pursuant to the grant, the school will give preference to students-

(1) who are from disadvantaged backgrounds; and

(2) for whom the costs of attending the school would constitute a severe financial hardship.

(d) Use of scholarship

A scholarship provided pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for attendance at a health professions school-

(1) may be expended only for tuition expenses, other reasonable educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses incurred in such attendance; and

(2) may not, for any year of such attendance for which the scholarship is provided, provide an amount exceeding the total amount required for the year for the expenses specified in paragraph (1).

(e) Provisions regarding purposes other than scholarships

(1) Authority regarding assistance for undergraduates

With respect to undergraduates who have demonstrated a commitment to pursuing a career in the health professions, a health professions school may expend not more than 25 percent of a grant under subsection (a) of this section for the purpose of providing financial assistance to such undergraduates in order to facilitate the completion of the educational requirements for such careers.

(2) Required activities of school

The Secretary may not make a grant under subsection (a) of this section unless the health professions school involved agrees-

(A) to ensure that adequate instruction regarding minority health issues is provided for in the curricula of the school;

(B) with respect to health clinics providing services to a significant number of individuals who are from disadvantaged backgrounds, including members of minority groups, to enter into arrangements with 1 or more such clinics for the purpose of providing students of the school with experience in providing clinical services to such individuals;

(C) with respect to public or nonprofit secondary educational institutions and undergraduate institutions of higher education, to enter into arrangements with 1 or more such institutions for the purpose of carrying out programs regarding the educational preparation of disadvantaged students, including minority students, to enter the health professions and regarding the recruitment of such students into the health professions;

(D) to establish a mentor program for assisting disadvantaged students, including minority students, regarding the completion of the educational requirements for degrees from the school;

(E) to be carrying out the activities specified in subparagraphs (A) through (D) by not later than 1 year after the date on which a grant under subsection (a) of this section is first made to the school; and

(F) to continue carrying out such activities, and the activities specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) of this section, throughout the period during which the school is receiving a grant under subsection (a) of this section.

(3) Restrictions on use of grant

The Secretary may not make a grant under subsection (a) of this section for a fiscal year unless the health professions school involved agrees that the grant will not be expended to carry out the activities specified in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (b) of this section, or in any of subparagraphs (A) through (D) of paragraph (2) of this subsection.

(f) Requirement of application

The Secretary may not make a grant under subsection (a) of this section unless an application for the grant is submitted to the Secretary and the application is in such form, is made in such manner, and contains such agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out this section.

(g) "School of nursing" defined

For purposes of this section, the term "school of nursing" has the meaning given such term in section 298b of this title.

(h) Funding

(1) Authorization of appropriations

For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 1993.

(2) Allocations by Secretary

In making grants under subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary-

(A) shall, of the amounts appropriated under paragraph (1), make available 30 percent for such grants to schools of nursing; and

(B) shall give special consideration to health professions schools that have enrollments of underrepresented minorities above the national average for health professions schools.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, §737, as added Oct. 13, 1992, Pub. L. 102–408, title I, §102, 106 Stat. 2023 .)

Prior Provisions

A prior section 293a, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, §721, as added Sept. 24, 1963, Pub. L. 88–129, §2(b), 77 Stat. 165 ; amended Sept. 4, 1964, Pub. L. 88–581, §3(b), 78 Stat. 919 ; Oct. 22, 1965, Pub. L. 89–290, §§3(b), (c), 5(a), 79 Stat. 1056–1058 ; Nov. 2, 1966, Pub. L. 89–709, §2(b), 80 Stat. 1103 ; Aug. 16, 1968, Pub. L. 90–490, title I, §§103(a)(3), 105(a), (b), 82 Stat. 774 ; Nov. 18, 1971, Pub. L. 92–157, title I, §§102(e), (f)(1), (2)(A), (g), (h), (j)(2), (3), (7)(A), 108(b)(1), 85 Stat. 434–437 , 461; Oct. 12, 1976, Pub. L. 94–484, title III, §§301, 303, 308(a), 90 Stat. 2253 , 2254, 2256; Aug. 1, 1977, Pub. L. 95–83, title III, §307(b), 91 Stat. 389 ; Oct. 17, 1979, Pub. L. 96–88, title III, §301(a)(1), title V, §507, 93 Stat. 677 , 692; Aug. 13, 1981, Pub. L. 97–35, title XXVII, §§2723(c), (d), 2724(a), 95 Stat. 916 ; Nov. 4, 1988, Pub. L. 100–607, title VI, §§628(4), 629(b)(2), 102 Stat. 3145 , 3146; Aug. 16, 1989, Pub. L. 101–93, §5(o)(1), 103 Stat. 614 , related to applications and eligibility for grants for construction of teaching facilities for medical, dental, and other health personnel, prior to the general revision of this subchapter by Pub. L. 102–408.

A prior section 737 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to section 294j of this title prior to the general revision of this subchapter by Pub. L. 102–408.