Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-22-044
Applicant Submission
How do I access the application?
Access FY22 PCTE-PAR announcement on grants.gov.
Select the blue tab labeled “PACKAGE.” It will take you to another page, where you can select “Preview/Apply.” If you select “Preview” there is an option to download the instructions (the NOFO) as a PDF file.
Definitions
How is “primary care” defined for this program?
Primary care includes family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, and combined general internal medicine with general pediatrics. Refer to Page 5 of the NOFO for more information.
How do we know if we are selecting an eligible rural clinical site for our longitudinal rotations?
A rural clinical site is a clinical rotation site located in an area considered rural by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), using the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer.
Enter the address or state/county in the search criteria to determine if the clinical site is eligible.
Does HRSA define academic year by date range?
An academic year is generally defined as the annual period of time during which a student attends an educational institution. Although usually September – June, that period may differ based on the school.
Applicant Eligibility
Are provisionally accredited programs eligible to apply?
Yes. However, we do require accreditation for the life of the grant and an update on the status of accreditation on annual reporting.
Can a Physician Assistant (PA) post-graduate or fellowship programs be eligible to benefit from this grant funding?
No. PA post-graduate and fellowship programs are not eligible for the PCTE-PAR training program.
Eligible applicants must be an academically affiliated PA training program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
Can an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) be eligible to apply for the PCTE-PAR program?
No. APRNs are not eligible to apply for the PCTE-PAR program.
Would a health care organization or clinical rotation site be eligible to apply for this PCTE-PAR program?
No. Eligible applicants for the PCTE-PAR training program must be an academically affiliated PA training program accredited by the ARC-PA.
It seems that only an accredited PA program is able to apply for this grant. Is this correct?
Yes. Only accredited PA programs by the ARC-PA are able to apply for this grant program.
Do we have to be designated as a “rural” hospital to participate as a clinical rotation site?
The clinical rotation site must be located in an area considered rural as determined by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), using the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer.
Are grantees funded under HRSA-19-087 (Primary Care Training and Enhancement-Physician Assistant (PCTE-PA)) program eligible for this funding opportunity?
Yes. Grantees funded under HRSA-19-087 are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity.
We are a developing PA program, anticipating provisional accreditation by ARC-PA next year, with our first cohort beginning in the fall of 2022. Could we still apply with the expectation that we will be accredited, or do we already need to have provisional or continued status?
You must have provisional or continued accreditation status per the ARC-PA by the application deadline on December 9, 2021.
Is this a program for individuals who want to become physician assistants?
No. Individuals are not eligible to apply for this grant program. The eligible applicant for the PCTE-PAR program are academically-affiliated PA training programs accredited by the ARC-PA.
Program Requirements
Is it allowable for a longitudinal clinical experience (of 8+ weeks) in a qualifying rural site to be composed of two sequenced rotations in primary care disciplines (e.g., 5 or 6 weeks of family medicine + 5 or 6 weeks of general pediatrics) to meet the required 8-week minimum duration?
Yes. It is allowable for longitudinal clinical rotations in a qualifying rural site to be composed of 2 sequenced rotations in primary care disciplines.
Do sites need to be identified where students are going to go during the grant when the application is submitted?
Yes. As part of your project narrative under Purpose and Need (NOFO page 12), the applicant must identify rural clinical training site(s) where the PA students will train and include information depicted in the Table 1 example as Attachment 5.
Funding Preference
What academic year’s data are required to receive a High Medically Underserved Community (MUC) Placement Rate funding preference?
You must demonstrate that the percentage of graduates placed in practice settings serving MUC for Academic Year (AY) 2019-2020 and AY 2020-2021 is greater than or equal to fifty (50) percent of all graduates per the NOFO on pages 33-34, in order to qualify for High MUC Placement Rate funding preference.
Budget
When can student stipends be applied?
Stipends are provided only for the time that the student is training in a primary care rural rotation(s). Students must be matriculated and currently in your training program to receive this stipend.
Does this PCTE-PAR program allow a PA program to create and support (fiscally) a pipeline admissions/recruitment program?
No. This NOFO does not support a pipeline admissions/recruitment program. The PCTE-PAR program is a training grant for matriculated PA students.
Can funds be used to pay any (APRN, physicians) preceptors who are teaching PA students or can it only be a PA?
Yes. Funds may be used to pay any preceptors who are training PA students during their rural longitudinal clinical rotations in primary care.
Can stipends be paid to preceptors?
No. For the purpose of this NOFO, stipends are not allowable for preceptors.
What does preceptor support costs cover for those preceptors who are not employed by the applicant organization?
Preceptor participant/trainee support costs may cover training/fees, travel, and other expenses to support the preceptors.
Does the PCTE-PAR program cover costs for preceptors who are employed by the applicant organization?
Yes. Salary or other fringe benefits for preceptors who are employees and train PAs at rural clinical sites are allowable under this NOFO. List these costs in SF-424 R&R Budget Form Section A or B, Personnel.
Can funds be used to purchase supplies or equipment for the clinical rotation site?
Yes. Funds may be used to purchase supplies or equipment for the clinical rotation site to carry out a specific HRSA-supported PCTE-PAR project or activities and is within the allowable total project or program costs.
Other
Will a recording of the session be available for review after today?
Yes. This webinar was recorded. The recording will be available on HRSA.gov.