![handle is hein.crs/govbgvw0001 and id is 1 raw text is:
FF.ri E.$~ &
December 12, 2019
The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
In 1972, Congress established two programs to support the
recruitment and retention of uniformed medical
professionals: (1) a health professions scholarship program
to train and prepare civilian students for a variety of careers
as military medical professionals and (2) the Uniformed
Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) for
members of the uniformed services and certain civilians.
USUHS is the only federally administered medical and
health sciences school in the United States.
Between the late 1960s and early 1970s, Congress and the
Executive Branch initiated a series of reviews to consider
reforms to the military draft and the Selective Service
System as part of the transition to an all-volunteer force.
Coinciding with these efforts were some congressional
concerns about how the Department of Defense (DOD)
would address critical shortages in military medical
personnel, including the recruitment and retention of health
professionals.
Congress identified several factors influencing DOD's
critical shortage of military physicians, such as
* Nationwide Physician Shortage. In 1970, the Carnegie
Commission on Higher Education estimated that the
United States had a shortage of approximately 50,000
physicians.
* Low Medical Officer Retention. A 1972 Senate Armed
Services Committee report (S.Rept. 92-827) stated
DOD's military physician retention rate for those with
at least two years of service was approximately 1%.
* Doctor Draft Law Expiration. Section 5(a) of the
Military Selective Service Act (P.L. 92-129, as
amended), which authorized the President to draft a
certain number of physicians into the military, expired
on July 1, 1973.
Given these concerns, DOD advocated to Congress the
urgent need for establishing a health professions
university (see S.Rept. 92-827). In response, Congress
passed the Uniformed Services Health Professionals
Revitalization Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-426), which established
USUHS and the Armed Forces Health Professions
Scholarship Program (AFHPSP).
USUHS's mission is to educate, train, and
comprehensively prepare uniformed services health
professionals, scientists, and leaders to support the
readiness of the uniformed services and the U.S. National
Security Strategy. The university is co-located with Walter
Reed National Military Medical Center at Naval Support
Activity Bethesda, Maryland. USUHS also partners with
several military treatment facilities and units across the
United States that serve as student clinical sites and host
certain research projects.
Since its inaugural class in 1980, USUHS has awarded
nearly 10,000 degrees. The university continues to supply
DOD (and the U.S. Public Health Service [USPHS]) with
physicians, advanced practice nurses, health scientists,
specialized medical technicians, and medical researchers.
As the supply and demand of military medical personnel
fluctuates over time, Congress periodically conducts
oversight activities in an effort to ensure the military has a
sufficient medical force to support U.S. military operations
during peacetime and wartime.
Statute (10 U.S.C. §2113) requires the Secretary of Defense
(SECDEF) to appoint a President of the University. DOD
Instruction 5105.45 designates the USUHS President as the
university's chief executive officer, responsible for offering
academic health programs, administering medical research
initiatives, and maintaining other requirements that support
certain military operations or national security objectives.
The president works under the authority, direction, and
control of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health
Affairs. The law (10 U.S.C. §2113a) establishes a Board of
Regents to assist and provide independent advice to the
USUHS President and the SECDEF. The Board consists of
nine voting members appointed by the SECDEF. Non-
voting members also serve on the Board, including the
surgeons general of the uniformed services.
Figure I. USUHS Appropriations, FY2009-FY2020*
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. :: . ... . ° : .
. ', , ! 6.. . ... . ... . .. ...
S~~. ... . . . . . . . . . .
yerdllrNotajseo inflaton Fiuererudd
BudetDcmai, Defense Health Programn , fr Operation &.
Maintenance in the annual defense appropriation, funds
USUHS. From FY2009 to FY2019, the annual
appropriation for USUHS increased by 95% (see Figure 1).
For FY2020, DOD requested $170.6 million. USUHS also
K~:>
p\w -- , gnom goo
mppm qq\
a , q
'S I
11LIANJILiN,](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/govbgvw0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
What Is HeinOnline?
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most