[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1271 Placed on Calendar Senate (PCS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 31
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1271
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 6, 2019
Received; read the first time
March 7, 2019
Read the second time and placed on the calendar
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
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,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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--
(1) increase the awareness, knowledge, and empathy of
future health professionals toward the health conditions common
to veterans;
(2) increase the diversity of the recruitment pool of
future physicians of the Department; and
(3) expand clinical observation opportunities for all
students by encouraging students of all backgrounds to consider
a career in the health professions.
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--
(i) lasts between four and six months; and
(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
(C) ensure that the clinical observation sessions
provided at a medical center have minimal overlap.
(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.
(C) A majority of the observational hours shall be
spent observing a health professional. The other
observational hours shall be spent in a manner that
ensures a robust, well rounded experience that exposes
the students to a variety of aspects of medical care
and health care administration.
(D) Each session shall provide a diverse clinical
observation experience.
(d) Students.--
(1) Selection.--The Secretary shall select to participate
in the pilot program under subsection (a) students who are--
(A) nationals of the United States;
(B) enrolled in an accredited program of study at
an institution of higher education; and
(C) referred by their institution of higher
education following an internal application process.
(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))).
(D) Veterans (as defined in section 101 of title
38, United States Code).
(E) Students who indicate an intention to
specialize in a health professional occupation
identified by the Inspector General of the Department
under section 7412 of title 38, United States Code, as
having a staffing shortage.
(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--
(A) ensuring that no student observer provides any
care to patients while participating as an observer;
and
(B) ensuring the suitability of a student to
participate in the pilot program to ensure that the
student poses no risk to patients;
(3) develop and implement a partnership strategy with
minority-serving institutions to encourage referrals;
(4) create standardized procedures for student observers;
(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;
(7) identify medical centers and specific health
professionals participating in the pilot program; and
(8) notify the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House
of Representatives and the Senate of the medical centers
selected under subsection (c) within 30 days of selection, to
facilitate program awareness.
(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--
(1) the number and demographics of all applicants, those
accepted to participate in the pilot program, and those who
completed the pilot program; and
(2) if participating institutions of higher education
choose to administer satisfaction surveys that assess the
experience of those who completed the pilot program, the
results of any such satisfaction surveys, provided at the
discretion of the institution of higher education.
SEC. 4. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
the requirements of this Act. Such requirements shall be carried out
using amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated.
Passed the House of Representatives March 5, 2019.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.
Calendar No. 31
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1271
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
March 7, 2019
Read the second time and placed on the calendar