VA Pilot Program for Graduate Medical Education and Residency (PPGMER)

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The VA Pilot Program for Graduate Medical Education and Residency (PPGMER) is offering reimbursement funding to establish new residency programs by facilities operated by Indian Health Service (IHS), Indian Tribes, tribal organizations, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Department of War (DoW), and other healthcare facilities located in areas designated as underserved by VA.

The goal of PPGMER is to increase the number of physicians choosing to practice in underserved regions, thus improving access to care for patients in these areas.

Funding categories:

• Model A: Stipends and benefits for individual residents -
  VA will reimburse accredited sponsoring institutions for the proportionate cost of stipends and benefits for individual residents at eligible facilities.
• Model B: Costs associated with new residency programs at covered facilities -
  VA will reimburse the covered facilities for certain costs associated with starting a new residency program and allowable costs of stipends and benefits for individual residents participating in the program.

According to VA, an area that demonstrates a clinical need for healthcare providers is defined as:

• A county has a low ratio of VA providers to veterans
• A county has a low range of clinical specialties
• A Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA)
• A community that is designated as rural by the U.S. Census Bureau
• An area with a ZIP code designated as a frontier and remote area (FAR) by the Economic Research Service
• An area located in the local community of an underserved VA healthcare facility

Model A:
ACGME-accredited sponsoring institutions and programs that have, or plan to have, resident rotations at a covered facility are eligible to apply.

Model B:
Covered facilities that serve as ACGME-accredited sponsoring institutions that have not graduated an inaugural class and have an accreditation status of initial or continued without outcomes, that have, or plan to have, resident rotations at a covered facility are eligible to apply.

Covered facilities include those operated by Indian Health Service (IHS), Indian Tribes, tribal organizations, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Department of War (DoW), and other healthcare facilities located in areas designated as underserved by VA.

• Model A: Stipends and benefits for individual residents
  • Award amount: Reimbursement amount is not stated.
  • Project period: Up to 3 years
• Model B: Costs associated with new residency programs at covered facilities
  • Award amount: Up to $1,050,000 in year 1 and up to $1,100,000 over years 2 and 3
  • Project period: Up to 3 years
  • Estimated number of awards: 3

Links to application instructions are available on the program website.

Instructions:

• Model A: Stipends and benefits for individual residents
• Model B: Costs associated with new residency programs at covered facilities

Submit applications online through the VA Application Management System (AMS).

AMS technical guide

Applicant webinar #1
(Registration required)
October 7, 2026
2:00-3:00 p.m. Eastern

Applicant webinar #2
(Registration required)
October 28, 2026
2:00-3:00 p.m. Eastern