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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 194 / Tuesday, October 12, 2021 / Rules and Regulations Congressional Review Act Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this rule as not a major rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 8042.

Forces for the education and training leading to employment as a VA
physician assistant.

2 Other educational expenses, including books and laboratory equipment.

17.536

17.538

Eligibility.

1. The authority citation for part 17
continues to read as follows:

a Military and Training requirements. An individual is eligible to participate in the EACFMAF if such individual is a former member of the Armed Forces who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable and meets one of the following criteria:
1 Has medical or military health experience gained while serving as a member of the Armed Forces;
2 Has received a certificate, associate degree, baccalaureate degree, masters degree, or post baccalaureate training in a science relating to health care; or 3 Has participated in the delivery of health care services or related medical services, including participation in military training relating to the identification, evaluation, treatment, and prevention of disease and disorders.
b School and Individual requirements. To be eligible for the EACFMAF, an applicant must:
1 Be unconditionally accepted for enrollment or be enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited school located in a State;
2 Be pursuing a degree leading to employment as a physician assistant;
3 Be a citizen of the United States;
and 4 Submit an application to participate in the Scholarship Program together with a signed agreement as specified in 17.538.

Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, and as noted in specific sections.

17.537

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance There are no Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance numbers and titles for this rule.
List of Subjects in 38 CFR Part 17
Administrative practice and procedure, Health care, Health facilities, Health professions, Scholarships and fellowships.
Signing Authority Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, approved this document on October 4, 2021, and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as an official document of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Consuela Benjamin, Regulations Development Coordinator, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, Office of General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.

For the reasons set forth in the preamble, we are amending 38 CFR part 17 as follows:
PART 17MEDICAL

Sections 17.535 through 17.539 are also issued under Public Law 115141, sec. 246.

2. Add an undesignated center heading and 17.535 through 17.539
immediately following 17.531 to read as follows.

Sec.

Educational Assistance for Certain Former Members of the Armed Forces 17.535 Purpose.
17.536 Eligibility.
17.537 Award procedures.
17.538 Agreement and obligated service.
17.539 Failure to comply with terms and conditions of agreement.

17.535

Purpose.

The purpose of 17.535 through 17.539 is to establish the Educational Assistance for Certain Former Members of the Armed Forces EACFMAF. The EACFMAF will provide a scholarship to certain former members of the Armed
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Award procedures.

a Priority. In awarding EACFMAF, VA will give priority to eligible individuals who agree to be employed as physician assistants in a VA medical facility that:
1 Is located in a community that is designated as a medically underserved population under 42 U.S.C.
254bb3A;
2 Is designated by VA as a medically underserved facility; and 3 Is in a State with a per capita population of veterans of more than five percent, according to the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics and the United States Census Bureau.
b Amount of funds. VA will provide a scholarship to individuals who participate in the EACFMAF to cover the costs of such individuals obtaining a masters degree in physician assistant studies or similar masters degree for a period of one to three years. All such payments to scholarship participants are exempt from Federal taxation. The payments will consist of:
1 Tuition and required fees;

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Agreement and obligated service.

a Agreement. Each eligible individual who accepts funds from the EACFMAF will enter into an agreement with VA where the eligible individual agrees to the following:
1 Maintain enrollment, attendance, and acceptable level of academic standing as defined by the school;
2 Complete a masters degree in physician assistant studies or similar masters degree; and 3 Be employed as a full-time clinical practice employee in VA as a physician assistant for a period of obligated service for one calendar year for each school year or part thereof for which the EACFMAF was awarded, but for no less than three years.
b Obligated service1 General. An eligible individuals obligated service will begin on the date on which the eligible individual begins full-time permanent employment with VA as a clinical practice employee as a physician assistant, but no later than 90
days after the date that the eligible individual completes a masters degree in physician assistant studies or similar masters degree, or the date the eligible individual becomes licensed in a State and certified as required by the Secretary, whichever is later. VA will actively assist and monitor eligible individuals to ensure State licenses and certificates are obtained in a minimal amount of time following graduation. If an eligible individual fails to obtain his or her degree, or fails to become licensed in a State or become certified no later than 180 days after receiving the degree, the eligible individual is considered to be in breach of the acceptance agreement.
2 Location and position of obligated service. VA will publish a list of VA
medical facilities where the participants may perform their period of obligated service in a notice in the Federal Register on a yearly basis. Participants of the EACFMAF may select their preference for service from this list to serve the period of obligated service. VA
reserves the right to make final decisions on the location and position of the obligated service. An eligible individual who receives an EACFMAF
must be willing to relocate to another geographic location to carry out their service obligation.
The Office of Management and Budget has approved the information collection
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