§7696 — Title 38 Veterans' Benefits | U.S. Code

Summary

Requires someone in the Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program to sign a written agreement before the VA can pay them. They must get a state medical license, finish the post-graduate training needed to be eligible for board certification, and work full-time as a Veterans Health Administration clinical practice employee for 12 months for every $40,000 they receive, with a minimum of 24 months. Unless the next paragraph applies, they must start that full-time VHA job within 60 days after finishing residency. If the person gets an accredited fellowship in a different specialty (not the ones in section 7692), the VA Secretary can delay the required service if the person asks in writing, but the delay cannot go past 60 days after the fellowship ends. If the employee does not finish the required service they must pay back an amount calculated by A = B × ((T − S) ÷ T), where A is what they owe, B is all payments they got under the program, T is the total months they were required to serve, and S is the whole months they actually served.

Title 38, §7696

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In addition to any requirements under section 5379(c) of title 5, a participant in the Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program must agree, in writing and before the Secretary may make any payment to or for the participant, to—

(1)obtain a license to practice medicine in a State;

(2)successfully complete post-graduate training leading to eligibility for board certification in a specialty;

(3)serve as a full-time clinical practice employee of the Veterans Health Administration for 12 months for every $40,000 in such benefits that the employee receives, but in no case for fewer than 24 months; and

(4)except as provided in subsection (b), to begin such service as a full-time practice employee by not later than 60 days after completing a residency.

(b)In the case of a participant who receives an accredited fellowship in a medical specialty other than a medical specialty described in section 7692 of this title, the Secretary, on written request of the participant, may delay the term of obligated service under subsection (a) for the participant until after the participant completes the fellowship, but in no case later than 60 days after completion of such fellowship.

(c)(1)An employee who does not complete a period of obligated service under this section shall owe the Federal Government an amount determined in accordance with the following formula: A = B × ((T − S) ÷ T).

(2)In the formula in paragraph (1):

(A)“A” is the amount the employee owes the Federal Government.

(B)“B” is the sum of all payments to or for the participant under the Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program.

(C)“T” is the number of months in the period of obligated service of the employee.

(D)“S” is the number of whole months of such period of obligated service served by the employee.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2019—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 116–61 struck out second closing parenthesis before period at end.

§7696 Term of obligated service

Summary

Title 38, §7696

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata