SEC. 2. FINDING. 
The Congress finds that chronic conditions of the 
aging veteran population and the complex impairments as-
sociated with returning veterans from Operation Enduring 
Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Free-
dom (OIF) in Iraq have increased the need to recruit and 
retain physical therapists in the Veterans Health Adminis-
tration. 
SEC. 3. CREATION OF DIRECTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY 
SERVICE. 
Paragraph (6) of section 7306(a) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘a Director of Phys-
ical Therapy Service,’’ after ‘‘a Director of Podiatric Serv-
ice,’’. 
SEC. 4. QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT OF PHYSICAL 
THERAPISTS. 
Section 7402(b) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating the paragraph (11) relat-
ing to other health-care positions as paragraph (14); 
and 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (10), the other 
paragraph (11), and paragraph (12) as paragraphs 
(11), (12), and (13), respectively, and by inserting 
after paragraph (9) the following new paragraph: 
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‘‘(10) PHYSICAL THERAPIST.—To be eligible to 
be appointed to a physical therapist position, a per-
son must— 
‘‘(A)(i) hold the degree of doctor of phys-
ical therapy or other post baccalaureate degree 
in physical therapy from an accredited college 
or university approved by the Secretary; or 
‘‘(ii) have completed a degree in physical 
therapy from an accredited college or university 
approved by the Secretary and be employed on 
the date of the enactment of this paragraph by 
the Administration as a physical therapist; and 
‘‘(B) be licensed to practice physical ther-
apy in a State.’’. 
SEC. 5. CREATION OF A FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR PHYS-
ICAL THERAPISTS IN THE AREAS OF GERI-
ATRICS, AMPUTEE REHABILITATION, POLY-
TRAUMA, AND REHABILITATION RESEARCH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 76 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subchapter: 
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‘‘Subchapter VIII—Fellowships for Physical 
Therapists in Geriatrics, Amputee Reha-
bilitation, Polytrauma Care, and Reha-
bilitation Research 
‘‘SEC. 7691. AUTHORITY FOR PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is hereby established a 
program to be known as the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs Geriatric, Amputee, Polytrauma, and Rehabilitation 
Research Fellowships Program. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of such Program is to 
assist in the recruitment of qualified physical therapists 
for positions in the Veterans Health Administration spe-
cializing in the areas of geriatrics, amputee rehabilitation, 
polytrauma care, and rehabilitation research.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter 76 is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER VIII—FELLOWSHIPS FOR PHYSICAL THERAPISTS IN GERIATRICS, 
AMPUTEE REHABILITATION, POLYTRAUMA CARE, AND REHABILITATION RE-
SEARCH 
‘‘Sec. 7691. Authority for program.’’. 
Æ 
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