§294d Quentin N. Burdick program for rural interdisciplinary training

Summary

The Secretary can give grants or contracts to pay for training projects that help health care in rural areas. Money must fund interdisciplinary programs that teach health workers new or proven ways to serve rural communities, test cost‑effective care models, deliver services in rural places, increase rural health research, and recruit and keep more rural health workers. Recipients can pay student stipends, set up post‑doc fellowships, train faculty about rural care problems, or buy or rent needed transport and telecom gear. No more than 10 percent of a grant can pay administrative costs, and no more than 10 percent of trainees can be MDs or DOs. Grants must add to, not replace, the institution’s prior year funding for these activities. Applications must come from at least two eligible partners working to build long‑term ties between schools and rural providers. The projects must name rural care sites such as hospitals, community or migrant health centers, rural clinics, behavioral health or long‑term care centers, Native Hawaiian centers, or Indian Health Service or tribal facilities. "Rural" means areas outside standard metropolitan statistical areas.