Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry
Home | Charter | Members | Meeting Minutes | Reports to Congress

CHARTER

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRAINING IN PRIMARY CARE MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY

Purpose

The Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry (Advisory Committee) shall provide advice and recommendations on a broad range of issues dealing with programs and activities authorized under section 747 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, as amended by The Health Professions Education Partnership Act of 1998, Public Law 105-392.

Authority

The Advisory Committee is authorized by Section 748 (42 USC 293 l ) of the PHS Act as amended by The Health Professions Education Partnership Act of 1998, Public Law 105-392.  The Advisory Committee is governed by provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 USC Appendix 2) which sets forth standards for the formation and use of advisory committees.

Functions

The Advisory Committee shall (1) provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary concerning policy and program development and other matters of significance concerning activities under section 747 of the PHS Act; and (2) prepare and submit to the Secretary, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, a report describing the activities of the Advisory Committee, including findings and recommendations made by the Committee concerning the activities under section 747 of the PHS Act.

Structure

The Secretary shall appoint members from practicing health professionals engaged in training; leaders from health professions organizations; faculty from health professions educational institutions and health professionals from public or private teaching hospitals or community-based settings. 

In making such appointments, the Secretary shall ensure a fair balance among the health professions, a broad geographic representation of members, a balance between urban and rural

educational settings, and an adequate representation of women and minorities.  Members shall be appointed based on their competence, interest, and knowledge of the mission of the profession involved.

The Advisory Committee shall consist of 23 members appointed by the Secretary.

At least 75 percent of the members shall be health professionals from the disciplines of primary care medicine and dentistry, including physicians (allopathic and osteopathic), physician assistants, and general and pediatric dentists.  Seven members shall represent Family Medicine; six members shall represent General Internal Medicine and/or General Pediatrics; four members shall represent General Dentistry and/or Pediatric Dentistry; two shall represent Physician Assistants; four shall be students, residents and fellows representing allopathic or osteopathic medicine, one of these four shall represent physician assistants, one shall represent dentistry, and two shall represent medicine.  A student, resident or fellow committee member may continue to serve the remainder of a three-year term following completion of health professions training.

The Advisory Committee shall elect one of its members as Chair.  Twelve members of the Advisory Committee shall constitute a quorum.  Any vacancy in the Advisory Committee shall not affect its power to function.

Subcommittees composed of members of the Advisory Committee may be established by the Chair to perform specific functions.

A member of the Advisory Committee shall be appointed for a term of three years.  A member may serve after the expiration of his or her term until a successor has taken office.

A vacancy on the Advisory Committee shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made and shall be subject to any conditions that applied with respect to the original appointment.  An individual chosen to fill a vacancy shall be appointed for the remainder of the term of the member replaced.

Management and staff services shall be provided by the Bureau of Health Professions of the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Meetings

Meetings shall be held at least two times per year at the call of the Chair, with the advance approval of a Federal Government official, who shall also approve the agenda.  A Federal Government official shall be present at all meetings.  Meetings may be held via teleconference and/or other distance-based means of communication.  Meetings shall be held jointly with related entities established under this title where appropriate, including the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice; Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary, Community-Based Linkages; and the Council on Graduate Medical Education.

Meetings shall be open to the public, except as determined otherwise by the Secretary or other official to whom the authority has been designated.  Notice of all meetings shall be given to the public.  Meetings shall be conducted and records of the proceedings kept, as required by application laws and Departmental regulations.

Not later than 14 days prior to the convening of a meeting, the Advisory Committee shall prepare and make available an agenda of the matters to be considered by the Advisory Committee at such meeting.  At any such meeting, the Advisory Committee shall distribute materials with respect to the issues to be addressed at the meeting.  Not later than 30 days after the adjournment of a meeting, the Advisory Committee shall prepare and make available to the public a summary of the meeting and any actions taken by the Advisory Committee based upon the meeting.

Compensation

Each member of the Advisory Committee shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for Level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of Title 5, United States Code, for each day (including travel time) during which such member is engaged in the performance of duties of the Committee.

The members of the Advisory Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, including per

diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of Chapter 57 of Title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services of the Advisory Committee. Any such travel shall be approved by a Federal Government official in accordance with Federal Government travel regulations.

Annual Cost Estimates

Estimated annual cost for operating the Advisory Committee, including compensation and travel expenses for members but excluding staff support, is $276,615.  Estimated staff support required is 1.3 FTE years at an estimated annual cost of $152,711.

Reports

The Advisory Committee shall annually prepare and submit to the Secretary and to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, a report describing the activities of the Advisory Committee, including findings and recommendations made by the Advisory Committee as noted with respect to (1) and (2) under Functions above. 

In the event a portion of a meeting is closed to the public, a report shall be prepared which shall contain as a minimum, a list of members and their business addresses, the Advisory Committee functions, dates and places of meetings, and a summary of Advisory Committee activities and recommendations made during the fiscal year.  A copy of the report shall be provided to the Department Committee Management Officer.

Termination Date

Unless renewed by appropriate action prior to its expiration, the Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry will terminate two years from the date this Charter is filed.

Approved:

/s/ Caroline T. Lewis
Acting Associate Administrator for Administration and Financial Management

Date: 12/5/06

CHARTER FILING DATE  3/23/07