The Secretary shall establish criteria specifying the manner in which the Secretary makes a determination under subsection (a)(1)(A) of the health professional shortage areas with the greatest such shortages.
The criteria required in paragraph (1) shall be published in the Federal Register not later than July 1, 1991. Any revisions made in the criteria by the Secretary shall be effective upon publication in the Federal Register.
The Secretary shall prepare and publish a proposed list of health professional shortage areas and entities that would receive priority under subsection (a)(1) in the assignment of Corps members. The list shall contain the information described in paragraph (2), and the relative scores and relative priorities of the entities submitting applications under section 254f of this title, in a proposed format. All such entities shall have 30 days after the date of publication of the list to provide additional data and information in support of inclusion on the list or in support of a higher priority determination and the Secretary shall reasonably consider such data and information in preparing the final list under paragraph (2).
Not later than 30 days after the Secretary has added to a list under paragraph (2) an entity specified as described in subparagraph (A) of such paragraph, the Secretary shall notify such entity that the entity has been provided an authorization to receive assignments of Corps members in the event that Corps members are available for the assignments.
In the case of an individual obligated to provide service under the Scholarship Program, not later than 3 months before the date described in section 254m(b)(5) of this title, the Secretary shall provide to such individual the names of each of the entities specified as described in paragraph (2)(B)(i) that is appropriate for the individual’s medical specialty and discipline.
If the Secretary proposes to make a revision in the list under paragraph (2), and the revision would adversely alter the status of an entity with respect to the list, the Secretary shall notify the entity of the revision. Any entity adversely affected by such a revision shall be notified in writing by the Secretary of the reasons for the revision and shall have 30 days from such notification to file a written appeal of the determination involved which shall be reasonably considered by the Secretary before the revision to the list becomes final. The revision to the list shall be effective with respect to assignment of Corps members beginning on the date that the revision becomes final.
By April 1 of each calendar year, the Secretary shall determine the number of participants in the Scholarship Program who will be available for assignments under section 254f of this title during the program year beginning on July 1 of that calendar year.