§ 294c. Education and training relating to geriatrics

(a) Geriatric education centers

(1) In general

The Secretary shall award grants or contracts under this section to entities described in paragraphs ^[1] (1), (3), or (4) of section 295p of this title, and section 296 (2) of this title, for the establishment or operation of geriatric education centers.

(2) Requirements

A geriatric education center is a program that—

(A) improves the training of health professionals in geriatrics, including geriatric residencies, traineeships, or fellowships;

(B) develops and disseminates curricula relating to the treatment of the health problems of elderly individuals;

(D) supports continuing education of health professionals who provide geriatric care; and

(E) provides students with clinical training in geriatrics in nursing homes, chronic and acute disease hospitals, ambulatory care centers, and senior centers.

(b) Geriatric training regarding physicians and dentists

(1) In general

The Secretary may make grants to, and enter into contracts with, schools of medicine, schools of osteopathic medicine, teaching hospitals, and graduate medical education programs, for the purpose of providing support (including residencies, traineeships, and fellowships) for geriatric training projects to train physicians, dentists and behavioral and mental health professionals who plan to teach geriatric medicine, geriatric behavioral or mental health, or geriatric dentistry.

(2) Requirements

Each project for which a grant or contract is made under this subsection shall—

(A) be staffed by full-time teaching physicians who have experience or training in geriatric medicine or geriatric behavioral or mental health;

(B) be staffed, or enter into an agreement with an institution staffed by full-time or part-time teaching dentists who have experience or training in geriatric dentistry;

(C) be staffed, or enter into an agreement with an institution staffed by full-time or part-time teaching behavioral mental health professionals who have experience or training in geriatric behavioral or mental health;

(D) be based in a graduate medical education program in internal medicine or family medicine or in a department of geriatrics or behavioral or mental health;

(E) provide training in geriatrics and exposure to the physical and mental disabilities of elderly individuals through a variety of service rotations, such as geriatric consultation services, acute care services, dental services, geriatric behavioral or mental health units, day and home care programs, rehabilitation services, extended care facilities, geriatric ambulatory care and comprehensive evaluation units, and community care programs for elderly mentally retarded individuals; and

(F) provide training in geriatrics through one or both of the training options described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (3).

(3) Training options

The training options referred to in subparagraph (F) of paragraph (2) shall be as follows:

(A) A 1-year retraining program in geriatrics for—

(i) physicians who are faculty members in departments of internal medicine, family medicine, gynecology, geriatrics, and behavioral or mental health at schools of medicine and osteopathic medicine;

(ii) dentists who are faculty members at schools of dentistry or at hospital departments of dentistry; and

(iii) behavioral or mental health professionals who are faculty members in departments of behavioral or mental health; and

(B) A 2-year internal medicine or family medicine fellowship program providing emphasis in geriatrics, which shall be designed to provide training in clinical geriatrics and geriatrics research for—

(i) physicians who have completed graduate medical education programs in internal medicine, family medicine, behavioral or mental health, neurology, gynecology, or rehabilitation medicine;

(ii) dentists who have demonstrated a commitment to an academic career and who have completed postdoctoral dental training, including postdoctoral dental education programs or who have relevant advanced training or experience; and

(iii) behavioral or mental health professionals who have completed graduate medical education programs in behavioral or mental health.

(4) Definitions

For purposes of this subsection:

(A) The term “graduate medical education program” means a program sponsored by a school of medicine, a school of osteopathic medicine, a hospital, or a public or private institution that—

(i) offers postgraduate medical training in the specialties and subspecialties of medicine; and

(ii) has been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the American Osteopathic Association through its Committee on Postdoctoral Training.

(B) The term “post-doctoral dental education program” means a program sponsored by a school of dentistry, a hospital, or a public or private institution that—

(i) offers post-doctoral training in the specialties of dentistry, advanced education in general dentistry, or a dental general practice residency; and

(ii) has been accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.

(1) Establishment of program

The Secretary shall establish a program to provide Geriatric Academic Career Awards to eligible individuals to promote the career development of such individuals as academic geriatricians.

(2) Eligible individuals

To be eligible to receive an Award under paragraph (1), an individual shall—

(A) be board certified or board eligible in internal medicine, family practice, or psychiatry;

(B) have completed an approved fellowship program in geriatrics; and

(C) have a junior faculty appointment at an accredited (as determined by the Secretary) school of medicine or osteopathic medicine.

(3) Limitations

No Award under paragraph (1) may be made to an eligible individual unless the individual—

(A) has submitted to the Secretary an application, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, and the Secretary has approved such application; and

(B) provides, in such form and manner as the Secretary may require, assurances that the individual will meet the service requirement described in subsection (e) ^[2].

(4) Amount and term

(A) Amount

The amount of an Award under this section shall equal $50,000 for fiscal year 1998, adjusted for subsequent fiscal years to reflect the increase in the Consumer Price Index.

(B) Term

The term of any Award made under this subsection shall not exceed 5 years.

(5) Service requirement

An individual who receives an Award under this subsection shall provide training in clinical geriatrics, including the training of interdisciplinary teams of health care professionals. The provision of such training shall constitute at least 75 percent of the obligations of such individual under the Award.

[1] So in original. Probably should be “paragraph”.

[2] So in original. Probably should be “paragraph (5)”.

U.S. Code

§ 294c. Education and training relating to geriatrics