---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 238n"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "238n"
heading: "Abortion-related discrimination in governmental activities regarding training and licensing of physicians"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/238n"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter I — Administration and Miscellaneous Provisions"
  - "Part B — Miscellaneous Provisions"
---

# §238n. Abortion-related discrimination in governmental activities regarding training and licensing of physicians

- (a) **In general—** The Federal Government, and any [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) or local government that receives Federal financial assistance, may not subject any health care entity to discrimination on the basis that—
  - (1) the entity refuses to undergo training in the performance of induced abortions, to require or provide such training, to perform such abortions, or to provide referrals for such training or such abortions;
  - (2) the entity refuses to make arrangements for any of the activities specified in [paragraph (1)](#a-1); or
  - (3) the entity attends (or attended) a post-graduate physician training [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), or any other [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) of training in the health professions, that does not (or did not) perform induced abortions or require, provide or refer for training in the performance of induced abortions, or make arrangements for the provision of such training.
- (b) **Accreditation of postgraduate physician training programs—**
  - (1) **In general—** In determining whether to grant a legal status to a health care entity (including a license or certificate), or to provide such entity with financial assistance, [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) or other benefits, the Federal Government, or any [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) or local government that receives Federal financial assistance, shall deem accredited any postgraduate physician training [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) that would be accredited but for the accrediting [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1)’s reliance upon an accreditation standards[^1] that requires an entity to perform an induced abortion or require, provide, or refer for training in the performance of induced abortions, or make arrangements for such training, regardless of whether such standard provides exceptions or exemptions. The government involved shall formulate such [regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d) or other mechanisms, or enter into such agreements with accrediting [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), as are necessary to comply with this subsection.
  - (2) **Rules of construction—**
    - (A) **In general—** With respect to subclauses (I) and (II) of [section 292d(a)(2)(B)(i) of this title](/usc/42/292d.md?p=a-2-B-i) (relating to a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) of insured loans for training in the health professions), the requirements in such subclauses regarding accredited internship or residency [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) are subject to paragraph (1) of this subsection.
    - (B) **Exceptions—** This section shall not—
      - (i) prevent any health care entity from voluntarily electing to be trained, to train, or to arrange for training in the performance of, to perform, or to make referrals for induced abortions; or
      - (ii) prevent an accrediting [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) or a Federal, [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) or local government from establishing standards of medical competency applicable only to those individuals who have voluntarily elected to perform abortions.
- (c) **Definitions—** For purposes of this section:
  - (1) The term “financial assistance”, with respect to a government [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), includes governmental payments provided as reimbursement for carrying out health-related activities.
  - (2) The term “health care entity” includes an individual physician, a postgraduate physician training [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), and a [participant](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-11) in a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) of training in the health professions.
  - (3) The term “postgraduate physician training [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4)” includes a residency training [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4).

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “standard”.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title II, § 245, as added Pub. L. 104–134, title I, § 101(d) [title V, § 515], Apr. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 1321–211, 1321–245; renumbered title I, Pub. L. 104–140, § 1(a), May 2, 1996, 110 Stat. 1327.)