U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) on Sept. 26 introduced a bipartisan bill that would expand access for future health professionals to training and educational opportunities that target the health needs of America’s military veterans.
Sen. Tillis cosponsored the Veterans-Specific Education for Tomorrow’s Health Professionals (VET HP) Act, S. 2569, with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), to establish a one-year pilot program in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that offers a clinical observation program for pre-med students preparing to attend medical school, according to the congressional record bill summary.
“Taking care of those who served our nation is among our highest callings, and it is our duty to ensure our veterans are receiving the highest quality of care,” Sen. Tillis said. “The bipartisan VET HP Act is an important step in the right direction as we continue to bolster the pipeline of health care providers, both in VA facilities, and in the community.”
Individuals who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces have specific medical needs, such as exposure-based conditions and mental health issues, requiring that physicians have a greater understanding of veterans’ needs and experiences, according to a one-page summary of the bill provided by Rep. Tillis’ office.
If enacted, S. 2569 would require the VA to select undergraduate students enrolled in an accredited program of study to participate in the program and to prioritize students in health professional shortage areas, first-generation college students, students referred by minority-serving institutions, and veterans, the summary says.
The bill also would provide a pathway for pre-med students to gain valuable shadowing hours.
“Students who are from or attend schools outside major cities, as well as those whose families lack connections to the medical community, find it harder to shadow and are disadvantaged in medical school admissions,” according to the bill summary. “This places an unfair burden on otherwise qualified students who come from less affluent communities or rural areas, or who may not have physician connections.”