Union Calendar No. 670
115th CONGRESS 2d Session |
[Report No. 115–867]
To establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a pilot program instituting a clinical observation program for pre-med students preparing to attend medical school.
June 6, 2017
Ms. Kaptur (for herself, Mr. Jones, and Mr. Ryan of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
July 24, 2018
Additional sponsor: Mr. Kilmer
July 24, 2018
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 6, 2017]
To establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a pilot program instituting a clinical observation program for pre-med students preparing to attend medical school.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Veterans-Specific Education for Tomorrow’s Health Professionals Act” or the “Vet HP Act”.
SEC. 2. Sense of Congress regarding Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program for clinical observation by undergraduate students.
It is the sense of Congress that the pilot program described in section 3(a) should be designed to—
SEC. 3. Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program for clinical observation by undergraduate students.
(a) Establishment.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a pilot program for a one-year period, beginning not later than August 15, 2021, to provide certain students described in subsection (d) a clinical observation experience at medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(b) Medical center selection.—The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program under this section at not fewer than five medical centers of the Department. In selecting such medical centers, the Secretary shall ensure regional diversity among such selected medical centers.
(c) Clinical observation sessions.—
(1) FREQUENCY AND DURATION.—In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary shall—
(A) provide at least one and not more than three clinical observation sessions at each medical center selected during each calendar year;
(B) ensure that each clinical observation session—
(ii) to the extent practicable, begins and ends concurrently with one or more academic terms of an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)); and
(2) SESSIONS.—The Secretary shall ensure that the pilot program consists of clinical observation sessions as follows:
(A) Each session shall allow for not fewer than five students nor greater than 15 students to participate in the session.
(B) Each session shall consist of not fewer than 20 observational hours nor greater than 40 observational hours.
(d) Students.—
(1) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall select to participate in the pilot program under subsection (a) students who are—
(2) PRIORITY.—In making such selection, the Secretary shall give priority to each of the following five categories of students:
(A) Students who, at the time of the completion of their secondary education, resided in a health professional shortage area (as defined in section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e)).
(B) First generation college students (as defined in section 402A(h)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a))).
(C) Students who have been referred by minority-serving institutions (as defined in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a))).
(3) ASSIGNMENT TO MEDICAL CENTERS.—The Secretary shall assign students selected under paragraph (1) to medical centers selected under subsection (b) without regard for whether such medical centers have staffing shortages in any health professional occupation pursuant to section 7412 of title 38, United States Code.
(e) Other matters.—In carrying out the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall—
(1) establish a formal status to facilitate the access to medical centers of the Department by student observers participating in the pilot program;
(2) establish standardized legal, privacy, and ethical requirements for the student observers, including with respect to—
(3) develop and implement a partnership strategy with minority-serving institutions to encourage referrals;
(5) create an online information page about the pilot program on the internet website of the Department;
(6) publish on the online information page created under paragraph (5) the locations of such centers, and other information on the pilot program, not later than 180 days before the date on which applications are required to be submitted by potential student observers;
(f) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the completion of the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the results of the pilot program, including—
Union Calendar No. 670 | |||||
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[Report No. 115–867] | |||||
A BILL | |||||
To establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a pilot program instituting a clinical observation program for pre-med students preparing to attend medical school. | |||||
July 24, 2018 | |||||
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed |