US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 295j

Preferences and required information in certain programs

(a)

Preferences in making awards

(1)

In general

Subject to paragraph (2), in making awards of grants or contracts under any of sections 293k and 294 of this title, the Secretary shall give preference to any qualified applicant that—
(A)
has a high rate for placing graduates in practice settings having the principal focus of serving residents of medically underserved communities;
(B)
during the 2-year period preceding the fiscal year for which such an award is sought, has achieved a significant increase in the rate of placing graduates in such settings; or
(C)
section 294n(d)(2) of this titlesection 294n(b)(2)(E) of this title utilizes a longitudinal evaluation (as described in ) and reports data from such system to the national workforce database (as established under ).
(2)

Limitation regarding peer review

For purposes of paragraph (1), the Secretary may not give an applicant preference if the proposal of the applicant is ranked at or below the 20th percentile of proposals that have been recommended for approval by peer review groups.

(b)

“Graduate” defined

For purposes of this section, the term “graduate” means, unless otherwise specified, an individual who has successfully completed all training and residency requirements necessary for full certification in the health profession selected by the individual.

(c)

Exceptions for new programs

(1)

In general

To permit new programs to compete equitably for funding under this section, those new programs that meet at least 4 of the criteria described in paragraph (3) shall qualify for a funding preference under this section.

(2)

Definition

As used in this subsection, the term “new program” means any program that has graduated less than three classes. Upon graduating at least three classes, a program shall have the capability to provide the information necessary to qualify the program for the general funding preferences described in subsection (a).

(3)

Criteria

The criteria referred to in paragraph (1) are the following:
(A)
The mission statement of the program identifies a specific purpose of the program as being the preparation of health professionals to serve underserved populations.
(B)
The curriculum of the program includes content which will help to prepare practitioners to serve underserved populations.
(C)
Substantial clinical training experience is required under the program in medically underserved communities.
(D)
A minimum of 20 percent of the clinical faculty of the program spend at least 50 percent of their time providing or supervising care in medically underserved communities.
(E)
The entire program or a substantial portion of the program is physically located in a medically underserved community.
(F)
Student assistance, which is linked to service in medically underserved communities following graduation, is available to the students in the program.
(G)
The program provides a placement mechanism for deploying graduates to medically underserved communities.

July 1, 1944, ch. 373Pub. L. 102–408, title I, § 102106 Stat. 2058Pub. L. 102–531, title III, § 313(a)(5)106 Stat. 3507Pub. L. 105–392, title I112 Stat. 3557Pub. L. 111–148, title V, § 5103(c)124 Stat. 605(, title VII, § 791, as added , , ; amended , , ; , §§ 106(a)(2)(B), 107, , , 3560; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, § 799APub. L. 100–607, title VI, § 637(a)102 Stat. 3149Pub. L. 100–690, title II, § 2615(g)[(i)]102 Stat. 4240Pub. L. 101–93, § 5(n)103 Stat. 613Pub. L. 102–408A prior section 295j, , as added , , ; amended , , ; , , , related to grants and contracts to provide health care in rural areas, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by .

act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, § 799APub. L. 100–713, title VII, § 714102 Stat. 4834Pub. L. 100–607, title VI, § 637(b)102 Stat. 3151section 637(b) of Pub. L. 100–607Pub. L. 101–93, § 5(n)(1)103 Stat. 613section 5(n)(2) of Pub. L. 101–93section 714 of Pub. L. 100–713Another prior section 295j, , as added , , , relating to grants and contracts to provide health care in rural areas, prior to repeal by , , . Subsequently, was repealed by , , , and amended this subchapter to read as if the amendment made by had not been enacted.

section 295h of this titlePub. L. 102–408A prior section 791 of act , was classified to prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by .

Amendments

Pub. L. 111–1482010—Subsec. (a)(1)(C). added subpar. (C).

Pub. L. 105–392, § 107(b)(1)osection 294b of this title1998—Subsec. (a)(1). , substituted “sections 293k and 294 of this title” for “sections 293k through 293 of this title, under , or under section 294d or 294e of this title” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 105–392, § 107(b)(2)oSubsec. (a)(2). , struck out “under section 295(a) of this title” before period at end.

Pub. L. 105–392, § 106(a)(2)(B)Subsec. (b). , redesignated subsec. (c) as (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which required submission of certain information by applicant.

Pub. L. 105–392Subsec. (c). , §§ 106(a)(2)(B)(ii), 107(a), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (b).

Pub. L. 102–531osection 293p(a) of this title1992—Subsec. (b). , in introductory provisions, inserted references to sections 294d and 294e of this title and substituted reference to section 295(f)(2) of this title for reference to .

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1992 Amendment

Pub. L. 102–531Pub. L. 102–408section 313(c) of Pub. L. 102–531section 292y of this titleAmendment by effective immediately after enactment of , see , set out as a note under .

Required Assurances Regarding Bloodborne Diseases

Pub. L. 102–408, title III, § 308106 Stat. 2089

42 U.S.C. 292“With respect to awards of grants or contracts under title VII or VIII of the Public Health Service Act [ et seq., 296 et seq.], the Secretary of Health and Human Services may make such an award for the provision of traineeships only if the applicant for the award provides assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that all trainees will, as appropriate, receive instruction in the utilization of universal precautions and infection control procedures for the prevention of the transmission of bloodborne diseases.”
, , , provided that: