medical schools send about half of the needed num-
ber of graduates into primary care medicine. 
(2) According to the Association of American 
Medical Colleges, the overall shortage of physicians 
in the United States is expected to grow to nearly 
160,000 by 2025. 
(3) Medical schools in the United States train 
only approximately 20,000 new physicians every 
year. 
(4) The Department of Health and Human 
Services estimates that the United States needs at 
least 16,000 more primary care physicians. 
(5) According to a survey of 1,600 pediatricians 
over the age of 50 conducted by the Association of 
American Medical Colleges and the American Acad-
emy of Pediatrics, 22 percent of female pediatricians 
took extended leave (6 months or more) from medi-
cine, compared to only 6.5 percent of male pediatri-
cians. Seventy-one percent of the female pediatri-
cians who took extended leave did so to care for a 
child or family member. 
SEC. 3. REENTRY PROGRAM FOR PHYSICIANS. 
(a) ACTIVITIES OF THE SECRETARY.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF DEMONSTRATION PRO-
GRAM.—The Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
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ices (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) 
shall establish a demonstration program to assist the 
development of innovative programs that facilitate 
physician reentry into clinical practice to provide re-
quired primary health services (as defined in section 
330(b)(1)(A) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 254b(b)(1)(A)). The Secretary shall award 
one grant, on a competitive basis, to an eligible enti-
ty in each of the 10 regions served by a regional of-
fice of the Department of Health and Human Serv-
ices. 
(2) ADMINISTRATIVE
ACTIVITIES.—The Sec-
retary shall use not more than 15 percent of the 
funds appropriated to carry out this section to work 
with key stakeholders to— 
(A) conduct a national needs assessment 
with regard to the supply of physicians who 
provide required primary health services, using, 
to the extent feasible, information collected for 
use in other similar completed or forthcoming 
studies, such as studies conducted by the Agen-
cy for Healthcare Research and Quality and the 
Health Resources and Services Administration; 
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(B) develop a database that contains a di-
rectory of programs that help physicians reen-
ter clinical practice; 
(C) disseminate evidence-based assess-
ments and evaluation tools to measure the basic 
core competencies of physicians reentering clin-
ical practice that are consistent with the guide-
lines published by the Federation of State Med-
ical Boards for such physicians; and 
(D) assist State regulatory authorities and 
hospital credentialing committees to structure 
requirements for physicians to return to clinical 
practice in a manner that ensures patient safety 
while addressing the burdens on such reentering 
physicians. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—Entities eligible to receive 
a grant under this section are the following: 
(1) A State. 
(2) A hospital. 
(3) An academic medical center. 
(4) A medical school. 
(5) A health center (as defined in section 
330(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
254b(a))). 
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(6) A non-profit organization with a dem-
onstrated history or expertise in providing physician 
education and with the ability to offer programs spe-
cifically targeted at reentering physicians. 
(c) APPLICATION.—In order to receive a grant under 
this section, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary 
an application at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may require. 
(d) USES OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity that receives 
funds under this section shall use such funds to assist re-
entering physicians who meet the requirements of sub-
section (e) through any of the following: 
(1) Training reentering physicians to reenter 
clinical practice. 
(2) Paying credentialing fees and other fees 
that are necessary for reentering physicians to reen-
ter clinical practice. 
(3) Paying the salaries of reentering physicians. 
(4) Providing loan repayment assistance and 
other financial assistance, including scholarships and 
grants for education and training, to reentering phy-
sicians. 
(e) REQUIREMENTS OF PARTICIPANTS.— 
(1) SERVICE LOCATIONS.—To be eligible to re-
ceive benefits under subsection (d), a reentering phy-
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sician who participates in a demonstration program 
shall provide required primary health services at— 
(A) a health center (as defined in section 
330(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 254b(a))); 
(B) a Veterans Administration Medical 
Center if the Secretary of Veterans Affairs cer-
tifies that there is a shortage of physicians at 
such medical center; or 
(C) a school-based health center (as de-
fined in section 2110(c)(9) of the Social Secu-
rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1397jj(c)(9))). 
(2) LENGTH OF SERVICE.—To be eligible to re-
ceive benefits under subsection (d), a reentering phy-
sician shall work at a location described in para-
graph (1) for not less than 2 years. 
(f) LIABILITY PROTECTIONS.—A civil action brought 
against a reentering physician who participates in a dem-
onstration program under this section and works at a loca-
tion described in subsection (e)(1) for damage for personal 
injury, including death, resulting from performance of 
medical, surgical, dental, or related functions by a reen-
tering physician acting within the scope of such reentering 
physician’s participation in a demonstration program, 
shall be subject to section 224 of the Public Health Service 
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