04-4035. Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Periodically, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) publishes abstracts of information collection requests under review by the Office of Management and Budget, in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of the clearance requests submitted to OMB for review, call the HRSA Reports Clearance Office on [phone].

The following request has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995:

Proposed Project: The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarship Program Deferment Request Forms and Associated Reporting Requirements (OMB No. 0915-0179)—Extension.

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarship Program was established to assure an adequate supply of trained primary care health professionals to the neediest communities in the Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) of the United States. Under the program, allopathic physicians, osteopathic physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, physician assistants, and, if needed by the NHSC program, students of other health professionals are offered the opportunity to enter into a contractual agreement with the Secretary under which the Public Health Service agrees to pay the total school tuition, required fees and a stipend for living expenses. In exchange, the scholarship recipient agrees to provide full-time clinical services at a site in a federally designated HPSA.

Once the scholars have met their academic requirements, the law requires that individuals receiving a degree from a school of medicine, osteopathic medicine or dentistry be allowed to defer their service obligation for a maximum of 3 years to complete approved internship, residency or other advanced clinical training. The Deferment Request Form provides the information necessary for considering the period and type of training for which deferment of the service obligation will be approved.

The estimated response burden is as follows:

Form	Number of respondents	Responses per respondent	Hours per response	Total hour burden
Deferment Request Forms	600	1	1	600
Letters of Intent and Request	100	1	1	100
Total	700			700

Written comments and recommendations concerning the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of this notice to: Desk Officer, Health Resources and Services Administration, Human Resources and Housing Branch, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503.

Dated: February 18, 2004.

Tina M. Cheatham,

Director, Division of Policy Review and Coordination.