To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a program to assist military medics and corpsmen in making transitions to civilian physician assistant jobs.

Summary: Veteran Medic Corpsmen Physician Assistant Demonstration Program Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a program to examine methods of enabling individuals with military medical or health professional work experience to build on such skills by entering into the physician assistant workforce. Outlines study requirements. Requires: (1) the Secretary to award grants to institutions of higher education with accredited physician assistant programs to carry out demonstration projects under the program; and (2) such institutions to give priority to individuals who serve or have served in the Armed Forces as a paramedic or other similar medical support position.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veteran Medic Corpsmen Physician 
Assistant Demonstration Program Act of 2010''.

SEC. 2. PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT MILITARY PATHWAYS PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of appropriations 
provided for such purpose, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 
collaboration with the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Defense, 
and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish a 
program in accordance with this section to examine methods of enabling 
eligible individuals to build on medical skills gained through military 
jobs by entering into the physician assistant workforce to meet the 
demand for physician assistants.
    (b) Study.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall 
conduct a study that includes examination of the following:
            (1) Whether the demonstration projects carried out under 
        subsection (c) are effective in improving the ability of 
        eligible individuals to become licensed physician assistants, 
        and what modifications to the demonstration projects are 
        necessary to meet that goal.
            (2) Ways of bringing the demonstration projects carried out 
        under subsection (c) to the attention of eligible individuals, 
        including through information provided to eligible individuals 
        by--
                    (A) the Department of Defense transition program 
                known as the Transition Assistance Program, carried out 
                under section 1144 of title 10, United States Code; and
                    (B) the Department of Labor veterans transition 
                program carried out under chapter 41 of title 38, 
                United States Code.
            (3) Whether eligible individuals participating in a 
        demonstration project carried out under subsection (c) are 
        receiving the educational support services they need in order 
        to complete their physician assistant education and obtain 
        certification, and what further steps the Secretary should take 
        in order to ensure that those eligible individuals have access 
        to such support services.
            (4) Whether the program established under this section 
        could serve as a model for new programs to assist eligible 
        individuals in obtaining certification in other health care 
        fields.
    (c) Grants for Demonstration Projects.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants, on a 
        competitive basis, to eligible entities to carry out 
        demonstration programs in accordance with this subsection.
            (2) Use of funds.--
                    (A) In general.--An eligible entity receiving a 
                grant under this subsection shall use funds from such 
                grant to establish a demonstration program that enables 
                eligible individuals to receive academic credit from an 
                accredited physician assistant program based on the 
                military credentials and medical skills experience of 
                the eligible individual.
                    (B) Priority admission.--In admitting eligible 
                individuals into a demonstration program carried out 
                with funds received under this subsection, an eligible 
                entity shall give priority to eligible individuals who 
                serve or have served as a paramedic or other similar 
                medical support position in the Armed Forces.
                    (C) Examination eligibility requirement.--An 
                eligible entity shall ensure that an eligible 
                individual participating in a demonstration program 
                carried out with funds received under this section is 
                eligible to take the Physician Assistant National 
                Certifying Exam administered by the National Commission 
                on Certification of Physician Assistants upon 
                completion of the program.
            (3) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this subsection, an eligible entity shall submit an application 
        to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing 
        such information as the Secretary may require, including--
                    (A) information demonstrating--
                            (i) the capability of the eligible entity 
                        to work with eligible individuals;
                            (ii) a history of effective collaboration 
                        between the eligible entity and--
                                    (I) health care employers; and
                                    (II) State medical licensing 
                                boards, as appropriate; and
                    (B) an assurance that the eligible entity will 
                participate in any evaluations by the Secretary of the 
                demonstration program carried out with funds received 
                under this subsection, including participating in 
                reporting as required by the Secretary.
            (4) Selection criteria.--The Secretary shall establish 
        selection criteria for eligible entities consistent with this 
        subsection, and shall ensure that the criteria give priority to 
        eligible entities showing the ability to sustain a 
        demonstration program developed under this subsection after the 
        expiration of the grant period.
    (d) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical 
assistance to eligible entities receiving grants under this subsection.
    (e) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, and each year thereafter, the Secretary 
        shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress and 
        Federal agencies a report on the findings and outcomes of the 
        program carried out under this section.
            (2) Contents.--The Secretary shall include in each report 
        submitted under this subsection--
                    (A) the results of the study conducted under 
                subsection (b); and
                    (B) information pertaining to each eligible entity 
                receiving a grant under subsection (c) regarding the 
                number of eligible individuals referred to, accepted 
                into, and graduating from, the demonstration program 
                carried out by the eligible entity.
            (3) Distribution.--The Secretary shall distribute a report 
        submitted under this subsection to veterans' service 
        organizations and State medical licencing boards.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Eligible individual.--The term ``eligible individual'' 
        means an individual with medical or health professional 
        experience gained while serving in the Armed Forces who--
                    (A) has received a certificate, associate degree, 
                baccalaureate degree, master's degree, or post-
                baccalaureate training in a science relating to health 
                care;
                    (B) has participated in the delivery of health care 
                services or related medical services, including 
                participation in military training relating to the 
                identification, evaluation, treatment, and prevention 
                of disease and disorders; and
                    (C) does not have--
                            (i) a degree of doctor of medicine;
                            (ii) a degree of doctor of osteopathy; or
                            (iii) a degree of doctor of dentistry.
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an 
        institution of higher education with a physician assistant 
        program that is accredited by the Accreditation Review 
        Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016.