§ 254h–1.
(d)
Professional development and training
(1)
In general
The Secretary shall assist Corps members in establishing and maintaining professional relationships and development opportunities, including by—
(A)
establishing appropriate professional relationships between the Corps member involved and the health professions community of the geographic area with respect to which the member is assigned;
(B)
establishing professional development, training, and mentorship linkages between the Corps member involved and the larger health professions community, including through distance learning, direct mentorship, and development and implementation of training modules designed to meet the educational needs of offsite Corps members;
(C)
establishing professional networks among Corps members; or
(D)
engaging in other professional development, mentorship, and training activities for Corps members, at the discretion of the Secretary.
(2)
Assistance in establishing professional relationships
(3)
Supplement not supplant
(e)
Temporary relief from Corps duties
(2)
Assumption of duties of member
(A)
Temporary relief under paragraph (1) may be provided only if the duties of the Corps member involved are assumed by another health professional. With respect to such temporary relief, the duties may be assumed by Corps members or by health professionals who are not Corps members, if the Secretary approves the professionals for such purpose. Any health professional so approved by the Secretary shall, during the period of providing such temporary relief, be deemed to be a Corps member for purposes of
section 233 of this title (including for purposes of the remedy described in such section),
section 254f(f) of this title, and
section 254h(e) of this title.
(B)
In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide for the formation and continued existence of a group of health professionals to provide temporary relief under such paragraph.
(3)
Recruitment from general health professions community
In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—
(A)
encourage health professionals who are not Corps members to enter into arrangements under which the health professionals temporarily assume the duties of Corps members for purposes of paragraph (1); and
(B)
with respect to the entities to which Corps members have been assigned under
section 254f of this title, encourage the entities to facilitate the development of arrangements described in subparagraph (A).
(4)
Limitation
In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary may not, except as provided in paragraph (5), obligate any amounts (other than for incidental expenses) for the purpose of—
(A)
compensating a health professional who is not a Corps member for assuming the duties of a Corps member; or
(B)
paying the costs of a vacation, or other interests that a Corps member may pursue during the period of temporary relief under such paragraph.
(5)
Sole providers of health services
(f)
Determinations regarding effective service
In carrying out subsection (a) and sections 254l(d) and 254l–1(d) of this title, the Secretary shall carry out activities to determine—
(1)
the characteristics of physicians, dentists, and other health professionals who are more likely to remain in practice in health professional shortage areas after the completion of the period of service in the Corps;
(2)
the characteristics of health manpower shortage areas, and of entities seeking assignments of Corps members, that are more likely to retain Corps members after the members have completed the period of service in the Corps; and
(3)
the appropriate conditions for the assignment and utilization in health manpower shortage areas of certified nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants.
([July 1, 1944, ch. 373], title III, § 336, as added [Pub. L. 97–35, title XXVII, § 2706(b)], Aug. 13, 1981, [95 Stat. 907]; amended [Pub. L. 100–177, title II, § 202(d)], Dec. 1, 1987, [101 Stat. 997]; [Pub. L. 101–597, title I, § 107], title IV, § 401(b)[(a)], Nov. 16, 1990, [104 Stat. 3018], 3035; [Pub. L. 107–251, title III, § 307(a)], Oct. 26, 2002, [116 Stat. 1649]; [Pub. L. 110–355, § 3(d)], Oct. 8, 2008, [122 Stat. 3993].)