H.R. 2106: Expanding Medical Education Act

This proposed legislation, known as the Expanding Medical Education Act, aims to create a grant program to support the establishment, improvement, or expansion of schools of medicine and osteopathic medicine specifically in underserved areas across the United States. The bill outlines the following key points:

Grant Program Establishment

The Secretary of Health and Human Services would be authorized to award grants to higher education institutions or their consortiums for:

• Establishing new schools of medicine or osteopathic medicine.
• Improving or expanding existing schools or their branch campuses.

Priority for Grant Recipients

When selecting recipients for these grants, preference will be given to:

• Institutions proposing to establish a school or branch in an area where no other such school exists, or in areas that are considered medically underserved or health professional shortage areas.
• Institutions that serve underrepresented minorities or are recognized as minority-serving institutions.

Use of Funds

Grants can be used for a range of activities, including:

• Recruiting, enrolling, and retaining medical students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Developing and expanding curricula focused on care for rural and underserved populations.
• Planning and constructing facilities for new or existing schools or campuses.
• Accrediting educational programs.
• Hiring diverse faculty and staff.
• Supporting various educational programs and modernizing infrastructure.

Application Process

Institutions wishing to receive grants must submit an application detailing their planned activities aligned with the grant's objectives.

Reporting Requirements

Institutions that receive funding will need to submit annual reports on their activities and outcomes. Additionally, the Secretary must report to Congress every five years on:

• The grants awarded, including the locations and details of the new or improved institutions.
• The number of students enrolled and graduated from these institutions, broken down by various demographic factors.
• The overall impact of the program on the healthcare workforce and access to care in underserved areas.

Definitions

Key terms outlined in the bill include:

• Branch campus: A location of a school offering a significant portion of its educational program independently from the main campus.
• Medically underserved community: A community identified as lacking adequate medical services.
• First generation college student: A student whose parents did not complete a higher education degree.
• Health professional shortage area: An area designated as having insufficient healthcare providers.

Funding Authorization

The bill authorizes the necessary appropriations to carry out the provisions of the grant program.

Relevant Companies

None found