Primary Care Training and Enhancement - Physician Assistant Rural Training (PCTE-PAR) Program

Background
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is accepting applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Primary Care Training and Enhancement - Physician Assistant Rural Training (PCTE-PAR) Program. The program aims to develop and implement longitudinal clinical rotations for physician assistant students in primary care in rural areas and support the training and development of preceptors in rural areas. The program is a component of the Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE) Program, which aims to strengthen the primary care workforce by supporting enhanced training for future and current primary care clinicians and educators, promoting primary care practice.

Grant Details
The purpose of the program is to provide Physician Assistant (PA) students with longitudinal primary care clinical training experiences for a minimum of 8 weeks in rural areas. The program aims to increase the distribution of primary care practitioners who are ready to practice in and lead the transformation of health care systems aimed at improving access, quality of care, and cost effectiveness in rural areas.

The program also aims to educate and train primary care PAs to identify and address health inequities, health disparities, and social determinants of health in the communities they serve. Additionally, it seeks to strengthen partnerships between academia, primary care delivery sites, State Offices of Rural Health, the National Rural Health Association, and community-based organizations to implement interprofessional rural clinical training experiences for primary care PA students.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible entities are academically-affiliated physician assistant training programs accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Applicants must hold continuing accreditation from ARC-PA without being on probation.

The applicant organization must provide information on accreditation status including dates of initial accreditation, next expected accrediting body review, accreditation start and expiration dates, and a web link to accreditation status.

Period of Performance
The period of performance for the grant is from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2027 (5 years). Funding beyond the first year is subject to availability of appropriated funds for the PCTE-PAR Program, satisfactory recipient performance, and a decision that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal Government.

Grant Value
Approximately $2,100,000 will be available annually to fund approximately seven recipients. Each recipient may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $300,000 total cost per year.

Indirect costs under training awards will be budgeted and reimbursed at 8 percent of modified total direct costs rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement.

Place of Performance
The clinical site must be located in an area considered rural as determined by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy using the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer.