It is important that the physician works in an area that is considered a designated medically underserved shortage area or areas. The Department of Health and Human Services designates the medical shortage areas.
States do have some discretion in evaluating Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) and Medically Underserved Areas (MUA) and it is important that you determine the state’s methodology in determining whether the health care facility falls within a designated medically underserved area at the very beginning of the waiver process. There are three primary HPSA designations that many states recognize for the J-1 Waiver Conrad 30 program. The three designations are: Geographic location, Federally Qualified Health Center and Population Group. In addition many states also allow facilities to work in a location that is in a Medically Underserved Area (MUA). It is important to verify with the State’s Health Department to ascertain whether the specific location qualifies as a designated shortage area, since states have the discretion to determine whether or not they will allow you to work in the specific location.
You may visit http://hpsafind.hrsa.gov/ or http://muafind.hrsa.gov/ to find out if the location is in a HPSA or MUA.
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