42 U.S.C. § 239l–2 — Students; selection; obligation

(a) Student selection. (1) In general: The Surgeon General sets the rules for picking medical, dental, physician assistant, pharmacy, behavioral/mental health, public health, and nursing students for the Track, considering the Commission's recommendations. (2) Priority: Those admissions rules must give priority to applicants from rural communities and underrepresented minorities. (b) Contract and service obligation. (1) Contract: Once admitted, a student signs a written contract with the Surgeon General containing (A) an agreement where — (i) the Surgeon General provides tuition (or tuition remission) and a stipend each school year, for up to 4 school years chosen by the student, while enrolled at an affiliated institution; and (ii) the student agrees to (I) accept that tuition and stipend, (II) stay enrolled until finishing the program, (III) keep an acceptable academic standing set by the Surgeon General, (IV) if pursuing a degree in medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, public health, nursing, physician assistant work, pharmacy, or behavioral/mental health, complete a residency or internship in a specialty the Surgeon General approves, and (V) serve a period of "obligated service" in the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service — 2 years for every school year of enrollment — reduced as described in paragraph (3); (B) a statement that both the government's funding obligation and the student's matching obligation only apply if Congress has actually appropriated the money; (C) a statement of the damages owed to the United States if the student breaks the contract; and (D) any other terms about the Secretary's and student's rights and duties, as long as they don't conflict with this part. (2) Tuition and student stipend. (A) Tuition remission rates: Based on Commission recommendations, the Surgeon General sets federal tuition remission rates paid to affiliated institutions for educating Track students. Participating institutions must agree to accept that set rate as full payment. (B) Stipend: Based on Commission recommendations, the Surgeon General sets and updates the stipend rates paid to students. (3) Reductions in obligated service: The service period in (1)(A)(ii)(V) is cut (A) by 3 months for each year a student does a high-needs specialty residency (as the Commission determines), up to 12 months total; and (B) by 3 months per year of full-time practice, after residency, at a federal medical facility in a health professional shortage area, up to 12 months total. (c) Second years of service (years three and four): Training should prioritize clinical rotations at federal medical facilities in health professional shortage areas, balancing hospital and community-based experience, within interdisciplinary teams. (d) Training for dentists, physician assistants, pharmacists, behavioral/mental health professionals, public health professionals, and nurses: The Surgeon General must set up comparable service obligations, tuition support, and stipends for these students as for medical students, and must give priority to institutions that train these students together, sharing at least a core curriculum. (e) Elite Federal disaster teams: The Surgeon General, with the Secretary, the CDC Director, and other relevant agencies, must set criteria to appoint highly qualified Track faculty, students, and graduates to elite federal disaster-preparedness teams that train for and respond to public health emergencies, natural disasters, bioterrorism, and other emergencies. (f) Student dropped from the Track: A student dropped from an affiliated school — for misconduct, poor grades, or any other reason, under Surgeon General rules — owes the United States for all the tuition and stipend support already given.