1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Physician Assistant Higher Education Modernization Act of 2017 . 2. Increasing annual loan limits for physician assistant students under the Federal Direct Loan Program (a) In general Section 455 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087e ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (r) Increasing annual loan limits for physician assistant students Notwithstanding section 428H(d)(2)(A), the maximum annual amount of Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans that a graduate student in a physician assistant education program (as defined in section 799B of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 295p )) may borrow in any academic year (as defined in section 481(a)(2)) or its equivalent shall be— (1) $40,000 in the first academic year of such program; (2) $40,000 in the second academic year of such program; and (3) $15,000 in the third academic year of such program. . (b) Effective date The amendment made by this section shall apply with respect to award years beginning more 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 3. Making physician assistants eligible for incentives when serving as primary care providers or faculty members (a) In general Section 428K of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1078–11 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following: (19) Physician assistants The individual is a physician assistant employed full-time— (A) as a physician assistant in a clinical setting providing primary care services; or (B) as a member of the physician assistant faculty at a physician assistant education program (as defined in section 799B of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 295p )). ; (2) in subsection (g), by adding at the end the following: (11) Physician assistant The term physician assistant means an individual who— (A) graduated from a physician assistant education program (as defined in section 799B of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 295p ))