Sponsors (20)
The bill directs new, multi-year federal funding to expand primary-care training at public institutions in high‑need States—improving access in Tribal, rural, and underserved areas and strengthening training partnerships—but eligibility thresholds, a high minimum grant size, modest matching requirements, and a short three‑year authorization risk concentrating benefits among larger institutions and leaving many schools, communities, and long‑term pipelines excluded or uncertain.
Medical students at funded public institutions in targeted high-need States gain scholarships, primary-care-focused training, and community-based clinical experience that increase their preparation and incentives to practice in Tribal, rural, and other underserved communities.
The program is likely to increase the supply of primary care physicians in Tribal, rural, and medically underserved areas of high‑need States, improving access to primary care for residents of those communities.
Funds support faculty development and partnerships with Tribes, FQHCs, rural clinics, and IHS, strengthening local training pipelines and institutional capacity to train and retain clinicians in underserved areas.
Only public institutions in the top quartile of States with projected physician shortages are eligible, excluding many schools and students in other States from participating and limiting geographic reach.
The $1,000,000 minimum award size could concentrate funds at larger institutions and reduce the number of grantees, shrinking geographic distribution of benefits and disadvantaging smaller public colleges and rural programs.
A required non‑Federal match of up to 10% may strain resource‑limited public institutions and Tribal partners, making it harder for some to apply or fully participate.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a HRSA competitive grant program funding public medical schools to expand primary care training and encourage practice in Tribal, rural, and underserved areas, authorizing $75M/year for FY2026–FY2028.
Creates a new competitive HRSA grant program to fund accredited public medical schools so they can expand medical student training focused on primary care and encourage graduates to work in Tribal, rural, and other medically underserved communities. Grants support community-based clinical training, faculty development, partnerships with Tribal entities and community health providers, scholarships, and transition-to-residency activities. Grants run up to five years, must be at least $1 million per grantee per year, may require up to a 10% non‑Federal match, and are targeted to institutions in States projected to be in the top quartile for primary care physician shortages; priority goes to institutions in States with multiple Indian Tribes/Tribal organizations and those with specified community partnerships. The program is authorized at $75 million per year for FY2026–2028.
Introduced September 17, 2025 by Tom Cole · Last progress September 17, 2025