Medical Student Education Program (MSE)

The Medical Student Education Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency focused on improving access to health care services for people who are geographically isolated, economically disadvantaged, or medically vulnerable. This program is designed as a discretionary federal grant initiative aligned with national workforce priorities, particularly addressing projected shortages in the primary care physician workforce across the United States. Using projections from the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis through 2038, the program targets geographic areas with the highest anticipated deficits in primary care providers. The primary purpose of the Medical Student Education Program is to provide financial support to eligible public medical schools so they can expand or enhance education and training opportunities for medical students who are preparing to enter the physician workforce. The program emphasizes increasing the number of graduates who ultimately pursue careers in primary care, particularly in underserved or shortage-designated regions. Funding is intended to support institutional efforts that strengthen curriculum development, expand training capacity, and improve pathways into primary care specialties. Funding under this opportunity is expected to be distributed across approximately eight awards, with a total program funding pool of 13,000,000 dollars. Individual awards are anticipated to range from 1,000,000 dollars to 1,625,000 dollars. These funds may be used to support educational program expansion, faculty development, infrastructure improvements related to training, and other allowable costs that directly contribute to the preparation of medical students for primary care practice. A cost sharing or matching requirement is specified, indicating that recipients must contribute a portion of project costs through non-federal resources. Eligibility for the program is restricted to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, specifically accredited allopathic and osteopathic medical schools located in states identified as having the highest projected shortages of primary care physicians. The program further refines eligibility by excluding institutions that are currently receiving funding under the same program. HRSA has identified a subset of eligible schools based on accreditation bodies and geographic need, focusing on institutions within a limited number of states that meet these criteria. The application process is expected to be conducted electronically, with submissions required through official federal grant submission systems by the stated deadline. Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. While specific application components are not detailed in the forecast notice, applicants can expect to provide comprehensive program plans, institutional qualifications, and documentation demonstrating alignment with program goals and eligibility requirements. The timeline for this funding opportunity indicates an estimated posting date in late May 2026, with applications due by September 1, 2026. Awards are expected to be announced in early November 2026, with project activities beginning in December 2026. This structured timeline reflects a typical federal grant cycle, allowing time for application review, award processing, and project initiation within the 2027 fiscal year. For additional information or inquiries, applicants are directed to contact the designated program officer via email or phone as provided in the opportunity listing.