TCA § 49-9-704 — Encouragement of primary care and family practice medicine

The University of Tennessee and East Tennessee State University shall develop and implement a plan to encourage graduates of their respective colleges of medicine to become practitioners in the fields of primary care medicine or family practice medicine, or both, in this state. The plan shall be designed to ensure that the number of students from each graduating class entering such practice in this state shall be increased by ten percent (10%) over the number of graduates entering such practice prior to May 31, 1993. The requirement for a specific percentage increase shall not apply to any university graduating sixty percent (60%) of a class into family and primary care practices so long as at least sixty percent (60%) of each class continues to be in such practices; provided, that such university shall have in place the plan required by this section for emphasizing the education of doctors providing family practice and primary care in this state. The plan may include grants, fee waivers, partial or full tuition reimbursement or any other appropriate financial incentives for graduates from the respective colleges of medicine to pursue careers in primary care medicine or family practice medicine, or both. The cost of development and implementation of the plan shall be provided from within existing resources of the universities.