Each county may establish a program of county scholarships for students of medicine, dentistry, or nursing, and may levy and pay any amount required for this purpose.
The county council, board of county commissioners, or Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City may determine the amount to be awarded, the number of these scholarships, and the method of selecting the recipients.
An award granted under this section:
May not be held by the same student for more than 4 years; and
May be used for educational expenses, including:
Tuition and mandatory fees;
Room and board; and
Books.
Each recipient of a scholarship under this section shall give a bond to the county, with security satisfactory to it, that after graduation he will practice his profession in the county for at least:
5 years if the scholarship is for medicine or dentistry; or
3 years if the scholarship is for nursing.
In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
“Eligible institution” means an institution of postsecondary education:
Approved to operate by the Maryland Higher Education Commission; and
That awards nursing degrees or diplomas.
“Eligible organization” means an institution, including a licensed hospital, nursing home, adult day care center, public health agency, home health agency, or other organization authorized by the Secretary of Health.
“Medical education center” means an institution:
Whose objectives include the education of medical and allied health personnel; and
That has residency programs or full departments in at least three primary care areas.
“Nurse practitioner” means a nurse practitioner as defined by the rules and regulations of the State Board of Nursing.
“Nursing shortage area” means a recognized area of nursing service or specialization determined by the Secretary of Health to be an area where there exists a shortage of qualified nurses in eligible organizations.
“Nursing student” means a student enrolled in a postsecondary nursing education degree or diploma program at an eligible institution.
“Physician assistant” means an individual licensed under Title 15 of the Health Occupations Article to practice as a physician assistant.
“Primary care” means family practice, general internal medicine, and general pediatrics.
There is a Maryland Physician Assistant–Nurse Practitioner Training Program that provides financial support to institutions with training programs for physician assistants and nurse practitioners in primary care in this State administered by the Office. An institution may participate if its program:
Is accredited by the American Medical Association, the American Nurses Association, or the National League of Nursing;
Produces graduates eligible to take:
The primary care physician assistant certifying examination of the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants; or
The primary care in adult and family nursing practice certifying examination or any other examination required by the State Board of Nursing;
Is part of, or has a formal arrangement with, a medical education center;
Focuses on developing primary care skills and includes substantial clinical experience in primary care; and
Is not a specialty program in a discipline other than primary care.
The Physician Assistant–Nurse Practitioner Training Program consists of grants to an eligible medical education center for each individual who completes the program in physician assistant or nurse practitioner training in the amount of:
$3,000 for each physician assistant; and
$1,500 for each nurse practitioner.
If the total amount of the grants to be made under this section for physician assistants–nurse practitioners is more than $72,000 annually, then the amount of a medical education center’s grant for that period shall be equal to the product of:
The amount required to pay grants for that center; times
The ratio of the total amount appropriated to the total amount required to pay grants under this section to all centers.
A grant may not be awarded to a medical education center that has discontinued its program in physician assistant or nurse practitioner training.
In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
“Eligible institution” means an institution of postsecondary education that:
Is approved to operate by the Maryland Higher Education Commission; and
Produces graduates eligible to take the appropriate national examination for licensure, certification, or registration in the relevant health occupation determined to be in short supply.
“Grant” means the Health Personnel Shortage Incentive Grant for eligible institutions offering educational programs leading to licensure, certification, or registration in health occupations determined to be in short supply.
“Health occupation” means:
A physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant who has at least an Associate degree in physical therapy;
An occupational therapist or an occupational therapist assistant who has at least an Associate degree in occupational therapy;
A radiographer;
A respiratory therapist;
A laboratory technician;
A medical technologist;
A pharmacist;
A registered nurse or licensed practical nurse; or
A physician who engages in family practice or pediatrics.
There is a Health Personnel Shortage Incentive Grant Program for eligible institutions.
The Office of Student Financial Assistance shall administer the Grant Program as provided in this section.
In consultation with the Secretary of Health, the Office shall adopt regulations to implement the Grant Program.
An eligible institution is qualified to receive a grant under this section if the institution:
Has an approved education program leading to licensure, certification, or registration in a health occupation determined to be in short supply; and
Funds the approved education program at an amount not less than the preceding fiscal year.
Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, an eligible institution shall receive a grant in the amount of $1,500 for each student who graduates from an approved education program leading to licensure, certification, or registration in a health occupation determined to be in short supply, that is in excess of the lowest number of students who graduated from the approved education program at that eligible institution commencing in the academic year 1990–91.
For purposes of paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Commission shall establish, in consultation with each appropriate eligible institution, that institution’s threshold number of students.
If the total amount of the grant to be issued under subsection (d) of this section is more than the amount appropriated in the annual State budget, the amount of an eligible institution’s grant for that period shall be equal to the product of the amount required to pay grants under subsection (d) of this section multiplied by the ratio of the total amount appropriated to the eligible institution.
Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, any unspent portions of the money that is transferred to the Office for use under this section by the Comptroller may not be transferred to or revert to the General Fund of the State, but shall remain in the Fund maintained by the Office to administer these programs to be used for the purposes specified in this section.
An amount not exceeding $100,000 of the unspent portion of the money that is transferred to the Office for use under this section may be transferred to or revert to the General Fund of the State in order to offset the costs of the tax credit available under § 10–739 of the Tax – General Article.
The eligible institution shall use the grant to enhance or expand approved education programs leading to licensure or certification in health occupations determined to be in short supply.
In accordance with § 1–204 of the Health Occupations Article, the Secretary of Health shall certify annually to the Maryland Higher Education Commission those health occupations in short supply.
In any year in which a health occupation is determined by the Secretary of Health to be no longer in short supply, the Office shall discontinue issuing new grants under this section for that health occupation, provided that the existing grants shall continue for the students who are enrolled in prior to and who subsequently graduate from the approved education program after the determination is made by the Secretary.