Medical school grants would favor underserved areas and minority-serving colleges

The federal health secretary could award grants to open, improve, or expand medical schools and branch campuses. Colleges could apply alone or together for schools awarding MD or DO medical degrees. Awards would depend on funding; the bill authorizes future spending but does not provide money. Priority would favor certain minority-serving institutions or proposals in underserved areas lacking such a school. For proposed minority-serving schools, the location test would instead concern other minority-serving medical schools.

Grant recipients would have to recruit, enroll, and retain medical students and develop a curriculum focused on rural and underserved communities. Student support would include people from disadvantaged backgrounds, rural communities, and underserved areas. The curriculum would emphasize accessible care that respects patients’ languages and cultures. Recipients could also fund staff, facilities, and other approved school activities. Construction would be limited to areas lacking such a school, with a separate test for minority-serving schools.