§293c. Centers of excellence

(a) In general

The Secretary shall make grants to health professions schools described in subsection (c) of this section for the purpose of assisting the schools in supporting programs of excellence in health professions education for minority individuals.

(b) Required use of funds

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

(1) to establish, strengthen, or expand programs to enhance the academic performance of minority students attending the school;

(2) to establish, strengthen, or expand programs to increase the number and quality of minority applicants to the school;

(3) to improve the capacity of such school to train, recruit, and retain minority faculty;

(4) with respect to minority health issues, to carry out activities to improve the information resources and curricula of the school and clinical education at the school; and

(5) to facilitate faculty and student research on health issues particularly affecting minority groups.

(c) Centers of excellence

(1) In general

(A) The health professions schools referred to in subsection (a) of this section are such schools that meet each of the conditions specified in subparagraph (B), and that-

(i) meet each of the conditions specified in paragraph (2)(A);

(ii) meet each of the conditions specified in paragraph (3);

(iii) meet each of the conditions specified in paragraph (4); or

(iv) meet each of the conditions specified in paragraph (5).

(B) The conditions specified in this subparagraph are that a health professions school-

(i) has a significant number of minority individuals enrolled in the school, including individuals accepted for enrollment in the school;

(ii) has been effective in assisting minority students of the school to complete the program of education and receive the degree involved;

(iii) has been effective in recruiting minority individuals to attend the school, including providing scholarships and other financial assistance to such individuals and encouraging minority students of secondary educational institutions to attend the health professions school; and

(iv) has made significant recruitment efforts to increase the number of minority individuals serving in faculty or administrative positions at the school.

(C) In the case of any criteria established by the Secretary for purposes of determining whether schools meet the conditions described in subparagraph (B), this section may not, with respect to racial and ethnic minorities, be construed to authorize, require, or prohibit the use of such criteria in any program other than the program established in this section.

(2) Centers of excellence at certain historically Black colleges and universities

(A) The conditions specified in this subparagraph are that a health professions school-

(i) is a school described in section 295p(1) of this title; and

(ii) received a contract under section 295g–8b of this title for fiscal year 1987, as such section was in effect for such fiscal year.

(B) In addition to the purposes described in subsection (b) of this section, a grant under subsection (a) of this section to a health professions school meeting the conditions described in subparagraph (A) may be expended-

(i) to develop a plan to achieve institutional improvements, including financial independence, to enable the school to support programs of excellence in health professions education for minority individuals; and

(ii) to provide improved access to the library and informational resources of the school.

(3) Hispanic centers of excellence

The conditions specified in this paragraph are that-

(A) with respect to Hispanic individuals, each of clauses (i) through (iv) of paragraph (1)(B) applies to the health professions school involved; and

(B) the health professions school agree, as a condition of receiving a grant under subsection (a) of this section, that the school will, in carrying out the duties described in subsection (b) of this section, give priority to carrying out the duties with respect to Hispanic individuals.

(4) Native American centers of excellence

Subject to subsection (e) of this section, the conditions specified in this paragraph are that-

(A) with respect to Native Americans, each of clauses (i) through (iv) of paragraph (1)(B) applies to the health professions school involved;

(B) the health professions school agree, as a condition of receiving a grant under subsection (a) of this section, that the school will, in carrying out the duties described in subsection (b) of this section, give priority to carrying out the duties with respect to Native Americans; and

(C) the health professions school agree, as a condition of receiving a grant under subsection (a) of this section, that-

(i) the school will establish an arrangement with 1 or more public or nonprofit private institutions of higher education whose enrollment of students has traditionally included a significant number of Native Americans, the purpose of which arrangement will be to carry out a program-

(I) to identify Native American students of the institution who are interested in a career in the health profession or professions involved; and

(II) to facilitate the educational preparation of such students to enter the health professions school; and

(ii) the health professions school will make efforts to recruit Native American students, including students who have participated in the undergraduate program carried out under arrangements established by the school pursuant to clause (i) and will assist Native American students regarding the completion of the educational requirements for a degree from the health professions school.

(5) Other centers of excellence

The conditions specified in this paragraph are that a health professions school has an enrollment of underrepresented minorities above the national average for such enrollments of health professions schools.

(d) Designation as Center of Excellence

(1) In general

Any health professions school receiving a grant under subsection (a) of this section and meeting the conditions described in paragraph (2) or (5) of subsection (c) of this section shall, for purposes of this section, be designated by the Secretary as a Center of Excellence in Minority Health Professions Education.

(2) Hispanic centers of excellence

Any health professions school receiving a grant under subsection (a) of this section and meeting the conditions described in subsection (c)(3) of this section shall, for purposes of this section, be designated by the Secretary as a Hispanic Center of Excellence in Health Professions Education.

(3) Native American centers of excellence

Any health professions school receiving a grant under subsection (a) of this section and meeting the conditions described in subsection (c)(4) of this section shall, for purposes of this section, be designated by the Secretary as a Native American Center of Excellence in Health Professions Education. Any consortium receiving such a grant pursuant to subsection (e) of this section shall, for purposes of this section, be so designated.

(e) Authority regarding Native American Centers of Excellence

(1) Authority for collectively meeting relevant requirements

With respect to meeting the conditions specified in subsection (c)(4) of this section, the Secretary may make a grant under subsection (a) of this section to any school of medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or pharmacy that has in accordance with paragraph (2) formed a consortium of schools that meets such conditions (without regard to whether the schools of the consortium individually meet such conditions).

(2) Requirements regarding consortium

A consortium of schools has been formed in accordance with this paragraph if-

(A) the consortium consists of a school seeking a grant pursuant to paragraph (1) and 1 or more schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, allied health, or public health;

(B) the schools of the consortium have entered into an agreement for the allocation of such grant among the schools;

(C) each of the schools agrees to expend the grant in accordance with this section; and

(D) each of the schools of the consortium-

(i) is part of the same institution of higher education as the school seeking the grant; or

(ii) is located not farther than 50 miles from the school seeking the grant.

(f) Duration and amount of grant

(1) Duration

The period during which payments are made under a grant under subsection (a) of this section may not exceed 3 years. Such payments shall be subject to annual approval by the Secretary and to the availability of appropriations for the fiscal year involved to make the payments.

(2) Amount

A grant under subsection (a) of this section for a fiscal year may not be made in an amount that is less than $500,000.

(g) Maintenance of effort

(1) In general

With respect to activities for which a grant under subsection (a) of this section is authorized to be expended, the Secretary may not make such a grant to a health professions school for any fiscal year unless the school agrees to maintain expenditures of non-Federal amounts for such activities at a level that is not less than the level of such expenditures maintained by the school for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the school receives such a grant.

(2) Use of Federal funds

With respect to any Federal amounts received by a health professions school and available for carrying out activities for which a grant under subsection (a) of this section is authorized to be expended, the Secretary may not make such a grant to the school for any fiscal year unless the school agrees that the school will, before expending the grant, expend the Federal amounts obtained from sources other than the grant.

(h) Definitions

For purposes of this section:

(1)(A) The term "health professions school" means, except as provided in subparagraph (B), a school of medicine, a school of osteopathic medicine, a school of dentistry, or a school of pharmacy.

(B) The definition established in subparagraph (A) shall not apply to the use of the term "health professions school" for purposes of subsection (c)(2) of this section.

(2) The term "program of excellence" means any program carried out by a health professions school with a grant made under subsection (a) of this section, if the program is for purposes for which the school involved is authorized in subsection (b) or (c) of this section to expend the grant.

(3) The term "Native Americans" means American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Aleuts, and Native Hawaiians.

(i) Funding

(1) Authorization of appropriations

For the purpose of making grants under subsection (a) of this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 1993.

(2) Allocations by Secretary

(A) Of the amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall make available $12,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) of this section to health professions schools that are eligible for such grants pursuant to meeting the conditions described in paragraph (2)(A) of subsection (c) of this section.

(B) Of the amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year and available after compliance with subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall make available 60 percent for grants under subsection (a) of this section to health professions schools that are eligible for such grants pursuant to meeting the conditions described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (c) of this section (including meeting conditions pursuant to subsection (e) of this section).

(C) Of the amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year and available after compliance with subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall make available 40 percent for grants under subsection (a) of this section to health professions schools that are eligible for such grants pursuant to meeting the conditions described in paragraph (5) of subsection (c) of this section.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, §739, as added Oct. 13, 1992, Pub. L. 102–408, title I, §102, 106 Stat. 2027 .)

References in Text

Section 295g–8b of this title, referred to in subsec. (c)(2)(A)(ii), was omitted in the general revision of this subchapter by Pub. L. 102–408, title I, §102, Oct. 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 1994 .

Prior Provisions

A prior section 293c, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, §723, as added Sept. 24, 1963, Pub. L. 88–129, §2(b), 77 Stat. 168 ; amended Aug. 16, 1968, Pub. L. 90–490, title I, §103(a)(1), (2), 82 Stat. 773 ; Nov. 18, 1971, Pub. L. 92–157,title I, §102(c)(5), (f)(2)(C), (j)(1), (5), 85 Stat. 432, 435–437; Oct. 12, 1976, Pub. L. 94–484, title III, §305, 90 Stat. 2255 ; Aug. 13, 1981, Pub. L. 97–35, title XXVII, §2723(f), 95 Stat. 916 ; Oct. 22, 1985, Pub. L. 99–129, title II, §207(a), 99 Stat. 527 , related to recovery by United States of grant moneys where facility was no longer owned by a public or nonprofit agency or where it ceased to be used for teaching or training purposes, prior to the general revision of this subchapter by Pub. L. 102–408.

A prior section 739 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to section 294l of this title prior to the general revision of this subchapter by Pub. L. 102–408.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 287a–2 of this title.