necessary, and economical method of increasing the number of family physicians to provide needed medical services to the people of California. The Legislature further declares that it is to the benefit of the state to assist in increasing the number of competent family physicians graduated by colleges and universities of this state to provide primary health care services to families within the state.

by a physician who possesses specialty certification in the field of family medicine, and has broad clinical experience in the field of family medicine.

expanded resources beyond university-based teaching hospitals should be emphasized, including facilities in rural areas wherever possible.

pediatrics and as primary care physician’s assistants, primary care nurse practitioners, and registered nurses and to maximize the delivery of primary care family physician services to specific areas of California where there is a recognized unmet priority need. This program is intended to be implemented through contracts with accredited medical schools, teaching health centers, programs that train primary care physician’s assistants, programs that train primary care nurse practitioners, programs that train registered nurses, hospitals, and other health care delivery systems based on per-student or per-resident capitation formulas. It is further intended by the Legislature that the programs will be professionally and administratively accountable so that the maximum cost-effectiveness will be achieved in meeting the professional training standards and criteria set forth in this article and Article 2 (commencing with Section 128250).

As used in this article, and Article 2 (commencing with Section 128250), the following terms have the following meanings:

or postgraduate, and in any clinical discipline, excluding graduate medical education.

There is hereby created a state medical contract program with accredited medical schools, hospitals and other health care delivery systems, teaching health centers, programs that train postgraduate primary care physician’s assistants, programs that train primary care physician’s assistants, programs that train postgraduate primary care nurse practitioners, programs that train primary care nurse practitioners, programs that train registered nurses, and programs that train midwives to increase the number of students and residents receiving quality education and training in the primary care specialties of family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, midwifery, and pediatrics, or in nursing and to maximize the delivery of primary care and family physician services to specific areas of California where there is a recognized unmet priority need for those services.

When funding primary care and family medicine programs or departments, primary care and family medicine residencies, and programs for the training of postgraduate primary care physician’s assistants, primary care physician assistants, postgraduate primary care nurse practitioners, primary care nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives, licensed midwives, or registered nurses, the department shall give priority to

programs that have demonstrated success in the following areas:

Pursuant to this article and Article 2 (commencing with Section 128250), the Director of the Department of Health Care Access and Information shall do all of the following:

postgraduate primary care nurse practitioner training program proposals, primary care nurse practitioner training program proposals, registered nurse training program proposals, and proposals from programs that train midwives submitted to the department for participation in the state medical contract program established by this article and Article 2 (commencing with Section 128250) meet established standards.

primary care physician’s assistants, programs that train primary care physician’s assistants, programs that train postgraduate primary care nurse practitioners, programs that train primary care nurse practitioners, and programs that train midwives for the purpose of training undergraduate medical students and residents in the specialties of internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and family medicine. Contracts shall be awarded to those institutions that best demonstrate the ability to provide quality education and training and to retain students and residents in specific areas of California where there is a recognized unmet priority need for primary care family physicians. Contracts shall be in conformity with the contract criteria developed by the Department of Health Care Access and Information.

demonstrate the ability to provide quality education and training and to retain students and residents in specific areas of California where there is a recognized unmet priority need for registered nurses. Contracts shall be in conformity with the contract criteria developed by the Department of Health Care Access and Information.