CONTINUED ADMISSION OF CIVILIANS AS STUDENTS IN PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT TRAINING PROGRAM OF ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.

SEC. 741. CONTINUED ADMISSION OF CIVILIANS AS STUDENTS IN PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT TRAINING PROGRAM OF ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. (a) Civilian Attendance.—(1) Chapter 407 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: “§ 4416. Academy of Health Sciences: admission of civilians in physician assistant training program “(a) In General.—The Secretary of the Army may, pursuant to an agreement entered into with an accredited institution of higher education— “(1) permit students of the institution to attend the didactic portion of the physician assistant training program conducted y the Army Medical Department at the Academy of Health Sciences at Fort Sam Houston, Texas; and “(2) accept from the institution academic services to support the physician assistant training program at the Academy. “(b) Agreement for Exchange of Services.—An agreement entered into with an institution of higher education under this section shall require the institution, in exchange for services provided under paragraph (1) of subsection (a), to provide academic services described in paragraph (2) of such subsection that the Secretary and authorized representatives of the institution consider appropriate. “(c) Selection of Students.—In consultation with the authorized representatives of the institution of higher education concerned, the Secretary shall prescribe the qualifications and methods of selection for students of the institution to receive instruction at the Academy under this section. The qualifications shall be comparable to those generally required for admission to the physician assistant training program at the Academy. “(d) Rules of Attendance.—Except as the Secretary determines necessary, a student who receives instruction at the Academy under this section shall be subject to the same regulations governing attendance, discipline, discharge, and dismissal as apply to other persons attending the Academy. “(e) Limitations.—The Secretary shall ensure the following: “(1) That the Army Medical Department, in carrying out an agreement under this section, does not incur costs in excess of the costs that the department would incur to obtain, by means other than the agreement, academic services that are 111 STAT. 1817comparable to those provided by the institution pursuant to the agreement. “(2) That attendance of civilian students at the Academy under this section does not cause a decrease in the number of members of the armed forces enrolled in the physician assistant training program at the Academy. “(f) Annual Report.—(1) Each year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the exchange of services under this section during the year. The report shall contain the following: “(A) The number of civilian students who receive instruction at the Academy under this section. “(B) An assessment of the benefits derived by the United States. “(2) Reports are required under paragraph (1) only for years during which an agreement is in effect under this section.”. (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: “4416. Academy of Health Sciences: admission of civilians in physician assistant training program.”. (b) Effect on Existing Demonstration Program.—An agreement entered into under the demonstration program for the admission of civilians as physician assistant students at the Academy of Health Sciences, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, established pursuant to section 732 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 (Public Law 103–337; 108 Stat. 2810) shall be treated as an agreement entered into under section 4416 of title 10, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)). The agreement may be extended in such manner and for such period as the parties to the agreement consider appropriate consistent with section 4416.