Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 104 Part 4.djvu/704

 104 STAT. 3020 PUBLIC LAW 101-597—NOV. 16, 1990 "(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, subject to paragraph (4), provide assistance to Corps members in establishing arrangements through which Corps members may, as appropriate, be provided temporary relief from duties in the Corps in order to pursue continuing education in the health professions, to participate in exchange programs with teaching centers, to attend professional conferences, or to pursue other interests, including vacations. "(2) ASSUMPTION OF DUTIES OF MEMBER. — "(A) Temporary relief under paragraph (1) may be provided only if the duties of the Corps member involved are assumed by another health professional. With respect to such temporary relief, the duties may be assumed by Corps members or by health professionals who are not Corps members, if the Secretary approves the professionals for such purpose. Any health professional so approved by the Secretary shall, during the period of providing such temporary relief, be deemed to be a Corps member for purposes of section 224 (including for purposes of the remedy described in such section), section 333(f), and section 335(e). "(B) In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide for the formation and continued existence of a group of health professionals to provide temporary relief under such paragraph. " (3) RECRUITMENT FROM GENERAL HEALTH PROFESSIONS COMMU- NITY.—In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— "(A) encourage health professionals who are not Corps members to enter into arrangements under which the health professionals temporarily assume the duties of Corps members for purposes of paragraph (1); and "(B) with respect to the entities to which Corps members have been assigned under section 333, encourage the entities to facilitate the development of arrangements described in subparagraph (A). "(4) LIMITATION.— In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary may not, except as provided in paragraph (5), obligate any amounts (other than for incidental expenses) for the purpose of— "(A) compensating a health professional who is not a Corps member for assuming the duties of a Corps member; or "(B) paying the costs of a vacation, or other interests that a Corps member may pursue during the period of temporary relief under such paragraph. "(5) SOLE PROVIDERS OF HEALTH SERVICES. — In the case of any Corps member who is the sole provider of health services in the geographic area involved, the Secretary may, from amounts appropriated under section 338, obligate on behalf of the member such sums as the Secretary determines to be necessary for purposes of providing temporary relief under paragraph (1). "(f) DETERMINATIONS REGARDING EFFECTIVE SERVICE.—In carrying out subsection (a) and sections 338A(d) and 338B(d), the Secretary shall carry out activities to determine— "(1) the characteristics of physicians, dentists, and other health professionals who are more likely to remain in practice in health manpower shortage areas after the completion of the period of service in the Corps;

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