(b) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.—An individual is eligible 
to participate in the pilot program if the individual— 
(1) has medical or military health experience 
gained while serving as a member of the Armed 
Forces; 
(2) has received a certificate, associate degree, 
baccalaureate 
degree, 
master’s 
degree, 
or 
postbaccalaureate training in a science relating to 
health care; 
(3) is not eligible to participate in educational 
assistance under chapter 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, or 35 of 
title 38, United States Code, or chapter 1606 or 1607 
of title 10, United States Code; 
(4) 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 diseases and disorders; and 
(5) does not have a degree of doctor of medicine, 
doctor of osteopathy, or doctor of dentistry. 
(c) DURATION.—The pilot program shall be carried 
out during the five-year period beginning on the date that 
is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) SELECTION.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall select not 
less than 250 eligible individuals under subsection (b) 
to participate in the pilot program. 
(2) PRIORITY FOR SELECTION.—In selecting in-
dividuals to participate in the pilot program under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give priority to the 
following individuals: 
(A) Individuals who participated in the In-
termediate Care Technician Pilot Program of the 
Department that was carried out by the Sec-
retary between January 2011 and February 
2015. 
(B) Individuals who agree to be employed 
as a physician assistant for the Veterans Health 
Administration at a medical facility of the De-
partment located in a community that— 
(i) is designated as a medically under-
served 
population 
under 
section 
330(b)(3)(A) of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(b)(3)(A)); and 
(ii) is in a State with a per capita 
population of veterans of more than 9 per-
cent according to the National Center for 
Veterans Analysis and Statistics and the 
United States Census Bureau. 
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(e) EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pilot pro-
gram, the Secretary shall provide educational assist-
ance to individuals participating in the pilot pro-
gram, including through the use of scholarships, to 
cover the costs to such individuals of obtaining a mas-
ter’s degree in physician assistant studies or a simi-
lar master’s degree. 
(2) USE OF EXISTING PROGRAMS.—In providing 
educational assistance under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary shall use the Department of Veterans Affairs 
Health Professionals Educational Assistance Program 
under chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code, and 
such other educational assistance programs of the De-
partment as the Secretary considers appropriate. 
(3) USE
OF
SCHOLARSHIPS.—The Secretary 
shall provide not less than 35 scholarships under the 
pilot program to individuals participating in the 
pilot program during each year in which the pilot 
program is carried out. 
(f) PERIOD OF OBLIGATED SERVICE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter into 
an agreement with each individual participating in 
the pilot program in which such individual agrees to 
be employed as a physician assistant for the Veterans 
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Health Administration for a period of obligated serv-
ice specified in paragraph (2). 
(2) PERIOD SPECIFIED.—With respect to each 
individual participating in the pilot program, the pe-
riod of obligated service specified in this paragraph 
for the individual is— 
(A) if the individual is participating in the 
pilot program through a program described in 
subsection (e)(2) that specifies a period of obli-
gated service, the period specified with respect to 
such program; or 
(B) if the individual is participating in the 
pilot program other than through a program de-
scribed in such subsection, or if such program 
does not specify a period of obligated service, a 
period of three years or such other period as the 
Secretary considers appropriate for purposes of 
the pilot program. 
(g) BREACH.— 
(1) LIABILITY.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), an individual who participates in the pilot 
program and fails to satisfy the period of obligated 
service under subsection (f) shall be liable to the 
United States, in lieu of such obligated service, for the 
amount that has been paid or is payable to or on be-
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half of the individual under the pilot program, re-
duced by the proportion that the number of days 
served for completion of the period of obligated service 
bears to the total number of days in the period of ob-
ligated service of such individual. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—If an individual is partici-
pating in the pilot program through a program de-
scribed in subsection (e)(2) that specifies a period of 
obligated service, the liability of the individual for 
failing to satisfy the period of obligated service under 
subsection (f) shall be determined as specified with re-
spect to such program. 
(h) MENTORS.—The Secretary shall ensure that a phy-
sician assistant mentor or mentors are available for indi-
viduals participating in the pilot program at each facility 
of the Veterans Health Administration at which a partici-
pant in the pilot program is employed. 
(i) PARTNERSHIPS.—In carrying out the pilot pro-
gram, the Secretary shall seek to partner with the following: 
(1) Not less than 15 institutions of higher edu-
cation that— 
(A) offer a master’s degree program in phy-
sician assistant studies or a similar area of 
study that is accredited by the Accreditation Re-
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view Commission on Education for the Physi-
cian Assistant; and 
(B) agree— 
(i) to guarantee seats in such master’s 
degree program for individuals partici-
pating in the pilot program who meet the 
entrance requirements for such master’s de-
gree program; and 
(ii) to provide individuals partici-
pating in the pilot program with informa-
tion on admissions criteria and the admis-
sions process. 
(2) Other institutions of higher education that 
offer programs in physician assistant studies or other 
similar areas of studies that are accredited by the Ac-
creditation Review Commission on Education for the 
Physician Assistant. 
(3) The Transition Assistance Program of the 
Department of Defense. 
(4) The Veterans’ Employment and Training 
Service of the Department of Labor. 
(5) Programs carried out under chapter 41 of 
title 38, United States Code, for the purpose of mar-
keting and advertising the pilot program to veterans 
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