116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1271 
AN ACT 
To establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a pilot 
program instituting a clinical observation program for 
pre-med students preparing to attend medical school. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans-Specific Edu-
cation for Tomorrow’s Health Professionals Act’’ or the 
‘‘Vet HP Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PROGRAM FOR 
CLINICAL 
OBSERVATION 
BY 
UNDER-
GRADUATE STUDENTS. 
It is the sense of Congress that the pilot program 
described in section 3(a) should be designed to— 
(1) increase the awareness, knowledge, and em-
pathy of future health professionals toward the 
health conditions common to veterans; 
(2) increase the diversity of the recruitment 
pool of future physicians of the Department; and 
(3) expand clinical observation opportunities for 
all students by encouraging students of all back-
grounds to consider a career in the health profes-
sions. 
SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PRO-
GRAM FOR CLINICAL OBSERVATION BY UN-
DERGRADUATE STUDENTS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall carry out a pilot program for a one-year pe-
riod, beginning not later than August 15, 2021, to provide 
certain students described in subsection (d) a clinical ob-
servation experience at medical centers of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs. 
(b) MEDICAL CENTER SELECTION.—The Secretary 
shall carry out the pilot program under this section at not 
fewer than five medical centers of the Department. In se-
lecting such medical centers, the Secretary shall ensure 
regional diversity among such selected medical centers. 
(c) CLINICAL OBSERVATION SESSIONS.— 
(1) FREQUENCY AND DURATION.—In carrying 
out the pilot program, the Secretary shall— 
(A) provide at least one and not more than 
three clinical observation sessions at each med-
ical center selected during each calendar year; 
(B) ensure that each clinical observation 
session— 
(i) lasts between four and six months; 
and 
(ii) to the extent practicable, begins 
and ends concurrently with one or more 
academic terms of an institution of higher 
education (as defined in section 101 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1001)); and
(C) ensure that the clinical observation 
sessions provided at a medical center have mini-
mal overlap. 
(2) SESSIONS.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
the pilot program consists of clinical observation ses-
sions as follows: 
(A) Each session shall allow for not fewer 
than five students nor greater than 15 students 
to participate in the session. 
(B) Each session shall consist of not fewer 
than 20 observational hours nor greater than 
40 observational hours. 
(C) A majority of the observational hours 
shall be spent observing a health professional. 
The other observational hours shall be spent in 
a manner that ensures a robust, well rounded 
experience that exposes the students to a vari-
ety of aspects of medical care and health care 
administration. 
(D) Each session shall provide a diverse 
clinical observation experience. 
(d) STUDENTS.— 
(1) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall select to 
participate in the pilot program under subsection (a) 
students who are—
(A) nationals of the United States; 
(B) enrolled in an accredited program of 
study at an institution of higher education; and 
(C) referred by their institution of higher 
education following an internal application proc-
ess. 
(2) PRIORITY.—In making such selection, the 
Secretary shall give priority to each of the following 
five categories of students: 
(A) Students who, at the time of the com-
pletion of their secondary education, resided in 
a health professional shortage area (as defined 
in section 332 of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 254e)). 
(B) First generation college students (as 
defined in section 402A(h)(3) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a))). 
(C) Students who have been referred by 
minority-serving institutions (as defined in sec-
tion 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a))). 
(D) Veterans (as defined in section 101 of 
title 38, United States Code). 
(E) Students who indicate an intention to 
specialize in a health professional occupation
identified by the Inspector General of the De-
partment under section 7412 of title 38, United 
States Code, as having a staffing shortage. 
(3) ASSIGNMENT TO MEDICAL CENTERS.—The 
Secretary shall assign students selected under para-
graph (1) to medical centers selected under sub-
section (b) without regard for whether such medical 
centers have staffing shortages in any health profes-
sional occupation pursuant to section 7412 of title 
38, United States Code. 
(e) OTHER MATTERS.—In carrying out the pilot pro-
gram under this section, the Secretary shall— 
(1) establish a formal status to facilitate the ac-
cess to medical centers of the Department by stu-
dent observers participating in the pilot program; 
(2) establish standardized legal, privacy, and 
ethical requirements for the student observers, in-
cluding with respect to— 
(A) ensuring that no student observer pro-
vides any care to patients while participating as 
an observer; and 
(B) ensuring the suitability of a student to 
participate in the pilot program to ensure that 
the student poses no risk to patients;
(3) develop and implement a partnership strat-
egy with minority-serving institutions to encourage 
referrals; 
(4) create standardized procedures for student 
observers; 
(5) create an online information page about the 
pilot program on the internet website of the Depart-
ment; 
(6) publish on the online information page cre-
ated under paragraph (5) the locations of such cen-
ters, and other information on the pilot program, 
not later than 180 days before the date on which ap-
plications are required to be submitted by potential 
student observers; 
(7) identify medical centers and specific health 
professionals participating in the pilot program; and 
(8) notify the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the House of Representatives and the Senate of 
the medical centers selected under subsection (c) 
within 30 days of selection, to facilitate program 
awareness. 
(f) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the com-
pletion of the pilot program under subsection (a), the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs
of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report 
on the results of the pilot program, including— 
(1) the number and demographics of all appli-
cants, those accepted to participate in the pilot pro-
gram, and those who completed the pilot program; 
and 
(2) if participating institutions of higher edu-
cation choose to administer satisfaction surveys that 
assess the experience of those who completed the 
pilot program, the results of any such satisfaction 
surveys, provided at the discretion of the institution 
of higher education. 
SEC. 4. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED. 
No additional funds are authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out the requirements of this Act. Such 
requirements shall be carried out using amounts otherwise 
authorized to be appropriated. 
Passed the House of Representatives March 5, 
2019. 
Attest: 
Clerk.