§295. Research on certain health professions issues
(a) Educational indebtedness
(1) In general
Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may make grants to and enter into contracts with public and nonprofit private entities for the purpose of conducting research on the extent to which the debt incurred by medical students for attendance at educational institutions has had a detrimental effect on the decisions made by the students on entering primary care specialities.
(2) Evaluation of rate of increase
In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide for a determination of the reasons underlying the rate of increase occurring since January 1, 1981, in tuition and fees for attending health professions schools. The Secretary shall ensure that the determination includes the justifications of such schools for such rate.
(b) Effect of programs for minority and disadvantaged individuals
(1) In general
The Secretary may make grants to and enter into contracts with public and nonprofit private entities for the purpose of conducting research on the effects that federally-funded educational programs or policies for minority or disadvantaged individuals have on-
(A) the number of such individuals attending health professions school;
(B) the number of such individuals completing the programs of education involved; and
(C) the decisions made by such individuals on which of the health professions specialities to enter.
(2) Separate specifications for certain categories of schools
The Secretary may provide a grant or contract under paragraph (1) only if the applicant involved agrees that in conducting research under such paragraph the applicant will make findings specific to the following categories of health professions schools:
(A) Health professions schools of historically black 1 colleges and universities.
(B) Other health professions schools attended by a substantial number of minority individuals.
(C) Health professions schools generally.
(c) Extent of investigations and disciplinary actions by State licensing authorities
The Secretary may make grants to and enter into contracts with public and nonprofit private entities for the purpose of conducting research on the effectiveness of the States in protecting the public health through-
(1) identifying health care providers with respect to whom investigations of professional qualifications are warranted;
(2) conducting such investigations; and
(3) taking disciplinary actions against health care providers determined through such investigations to have engaged in conduct inconsistent with protecting the public health.
(d) Primary health care
(1) In general
The Secretary may make grants to and enter into contracts with public and nonprofit private entities for the purpose of conducting research-
(A) to determine the extent to which Federal programs and related financial incentives influence the percentage of medical school graduates selecting a primary care career;
(B) to determine the extent to which Federal programs and related financial incentives adequately support the training of mid-level primary care providers relative to other health professions education receiving Federal assistance;
(C) to assess the impact that direct and indirect payments for graduate medical education (including the appropriateness of payments for independent, ambulatory training sites) have on increasing the percentage of physicians graduating from medical school who enter primary care careers;
(D) to assess the impact of medical school admission policies on specialty selection and recommend ways admission policies can better facilitate and promote the selection of primary care as a medical career;
(E) to assess the impact that Federal funding for biomedical research influences the design of medical school curriculum and the availability of primary care educational opportunities;
(F) to assess the impact of medical school curriculum, including the availability of clinical training in ambulatory care settings, influences the percentage of physicians selecting primary care residencies and selecting primary care as a medical career; and
(G) to assess the extent to which current physician payment policies under resource based relative value scale are sufficient to encourage physicians graduating from medical school to enter and remain in primary care careers.
(2) Definitions
For purposes of this subsection:
(A) The term "primary care careers", with respect to medicine, means family practice, general internal medicine and general pediatrics.
(B) The term "mid-level primary care health professions" means physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurse midwives.
(e) Authorization of appropriations
For the purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $4,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1993 through 1995.
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, §781, as added Oct. 13, 1992,
Prior Provisions
A prior section 295, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, §761, as added Dec. 25, 1970,
Another prior section 295, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, §761, as added Oct. 31, 1963,
A prior section 781 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to section 295g–1 of this title prior to the general revision of this subchapter by