HB438 Alabama 2017 Session

This bill would establish the Alabama Physician Initiative

This bill would provide scholarships for certain medical students who are enrolled in and attending any college of medicine in Alabama and who contract with the Alabama Medical Education Consortium to practice for five years after the completion of their residency in rural areas of the state with the greatest need for physicians with funds allocated through the State Department of Public Health

To establish the Alabama Physician Initiative; to phase in the provision of 100 scholarships per year beginning with 25 scholarships in academic year 2017-2018 and phase down beginning 2021 for certain medical school students enrolled in and attending a college located in Alabama and who commit to practice family medicine in rural areas of the state with the greatest need for physicians; to provide that service contracts be entered into between the student and the Alabama Medical Education Consortium and between the consortium and each of the colleges of medicine; to provide for the duties and responsibilities of the consortium in the recruiting and educating of medical students and the placing of physicians into the workforce; and to provide for funding through the State Department of Public Health.