[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 158 (Monday, November 10, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S12494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

  Mr. President, I am pleased that the authority for the Health 
Professional Scholarship Program has been extended for one year. 
Aspiring health professionals have a strong interest in the scholarship 
program, and it has proven to be an effective recruitment tool for the 
VA in the past. Staffing analyses done within the VA have identified a 
need to increase the levels of nurse practitioners and physician 
assistants to adjust to the shift from inpatient to outpatient care, 
and this program is well suited to assist individuals in these career 
paths. We will continue to evaluate this program and look for other 
opportunities that will increase both recruitment and retention of 
health professionals in the VA.

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