I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 3257

To provide for a study to determine the extent to which health professions

schools provide adequate education to students on women’s health conditions.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OCTOBER 12, 1993

Mrs. LOWEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To provide for a study to determine the extent to which

health professions schools provide adequate education to

students on women’s health conditions.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Equity in Health Pro5 fessions Education Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. STUDY REGARDING CURRICULA OF HEALTH PRO7 FESSIONS SCHOOLS AND WOMEN’S HEALTH

8 CONDITIONS.

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and

10 Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the
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1 Health Resources and Services Administration, shall con2 duct a study for the purpose of determining the extent

3 to which health professions schools provide adequate edu4 cation to students on women’s health conditions. The Sec5 retary shall give priority in the study to schools of medi6 cine and osteopathic medicine.

7 (b) CONSULTATIONS.—The Secretary shall carry out

8 subsection (a) in consultation with the Director of the Of9 fice of Research on Women’s Health and the Director of

10 the Office of Women’s Health.

11 (c) CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF STUDY.—In conducting

12 the study under subsection (a), the Secretary—

13 (1) shall assess the content of the educational

14 programs of health professions schools with respect

15 to women’s health conditions, including the content

16 of programs providing clinical training; and

17 (2) shall, if the Secretary determines that the

18 extent of education on such conditions is inadequate,

19 determine the extent to which such inadequacy is af20 fecting the health of women.

21 (d) COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF PUBLIC

22 AND PRIVATE ENTITIES.—In carrying out subsection (a),

23 the Secretary shall consider the comments and rec24 ommendations of public and private entities regarding the

25 study under such subsection, including representatives of
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1 health professions schools and representatives of organiza2 tions concerned with women’s health conditions.

3 (e) REPORT.—Not later than April 1, 1995, the Sec4 retary shall complete the study required in subsection (a)

5 and submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

6 and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of

7 Representatives, and to the Committee on Labor and

8 Human Resources and the Committee on Appropriations

9 of the Senate, a report describing the findings made as

10 a result of the study and containing any recommendations

11 of the Secretary regarding such findings, including rec12 ommendations regarding the accreditation of health pro13 fessions schools and the licensure of health professionals.

14 (f) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section:

15 (1) The term ‘‘health professions schools’’

16 means—

17 (A) the schools and programs defined in

18 section 799(1) of the Public Health Service Act

19 (other than schools of veterinary medicine); and

20 (B) schools of nursing, as defined in sec21 tion 853 of such Act.

22 (2) The term ‘‘Office of Research on Women’s

23 Health’’ means the Office of Research on Women’s

24 Health established within the Office of the Director

25 of the National Institutes of Health.
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1 (3) The term ‘‘Office of Women’s Health’’

2 means the Office of Women’s Health established

3 within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for

4 Health.

5 (4) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary

6 of Health and Human Services.

7 (5) The term ‘‘women’s health conditions’’ has

8 the meaning given such term in section 486 of the

9 Public Health Service Act.

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