This paper focuses on decentralized and regionalized health professional education programs (D/R HPEPs) as a means of affecting the health manpower distribution problem. The discussion is intended to serve as background material for the development of a plan to evaluate D/R HPEPs. The ideas and observations presented are drawn from conference proceedings and prepared papers of Health Resources Administration staff and members of the Advisory Group on Evaluation of D/R HPEPs. The first part of the paper deals with descriptive aspects of D/R HPEPs. Four major topics are covered: The D/R HPEP Concept, Types of D/R HPEP's, Goals and Objectives of D/R HPEP's, and D/R HPEP Activities. The latter part of the paper deals with evaluation concerns including reasons for evaluating D/R HPEP's and issues which must be considered in designing an evaluation. (HD)