W. Va. Code R. § 133-41-2

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section 133-41-2 - Purpose

2.1. The purpose of this program is to provide an incentive for fourth-year medical students to complete their training and provide primary care or emergency medicine in underserved areas of West Virginia, for other health professional students to complete their training and provide primary care in underserved areas of West Virginia, or for nursing program students to complete their training and teach in a school of nursing in West Virginia.

2.1.a. "Primary care" means the health care services generally provided by family practice physicians, general practice physicians, general internists, geriatricians, obstetrician/gynecologists, general pediatricians, psychiatrists and mid-level providers, including nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives, physician assistants, dentists, pharmacists, physical therapists, doctoral clinical psychologists, and licensed independent clinical social workers, or other disciplines which may be identified as primary care by the Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences.

2.1.b. For medical students, the term "training" is defined as the completion of a degree program in allopathic or osteopathic medicine and includes the successful completion of a primary care or emergency medicine residency. For other applicants, the term "training" is defined as the entire degree program or certification program for advanced practice nurses (both master's and doctoral), physician assistants, dentists, pharmacists, physical therapists, doctoral clinical psychologists, licensed independent clinical social workers, or other disciplines identified as shortage fields by the Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences.

2.1.c. "Underserved" means any primary care health professional shortage area located in the state as determined by the Bureau for Public Health or any additional health professional shortage area determined by the Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences.

2.1.d. "School of nursing" means any associate, baccalaureate, master's or doctoral level nursing program in West Virginia accredited by a national nursing accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

2.2. Health Sciences Service Program funds are to be used to award fourth-year medical students at a West Virginia school of allopathic or osteopathic medicine who have been accepted in an accredited primary care or emergency medicine residency program in West Virginia; or to award students who are enrolled in the last academic year of an accredited education program at a West Virginia institution leading to a degree or certification as an advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, dentist, pharmacist, physical therapist, doctoral clinical psychologist, licensed independent clinical social worker, or other disciplines identified as shortage fields by the Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences. Students who are enrolled in the last year of an accredited master's or doctoral degree nursing program in West Virginia and intend to teach at a school of nursing in West Virginia also are eligible. Any funds repaid in lieu of practice in an underserved area of West Virginia or teaching at a school of nursing in West Virginia will be used to establish a revolving fund to make additional awards to eligible students.

W. Va. Code R. § 133-41-2