Physician Assistant Education Public Health Initiatives Act of 2015

Physician Assistant Education Public Health Initiatives Act of 2015

This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enter into contracts to repay the student loans of physician assistants who agree to serve as: (1) faculty members for physician assistant education programs; or (2) physician assistants in health professional shortage areas, in medically underserved areas, or at health centers serving medically underserved populations.

The bill extends through FY2021 programs that: (1) award grants to health professional schools to provide need-based scholarships, (2) repay the student loans of health professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds who agree to serve as faculty members at health professional schools, (3) support fellowships to increase the number of underrepresented minority faculty members at health professional schools, and (4) award grants to health professional schools to assist individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Support provided by HHS for the development, operation, expansion, and improvement of primary care training programs is revised and extended through FY2021.

HHS must award grants to nonprofit organizations to increase research on physician assistant education.