House committee backs bill to add medical school seats and direct state medical education plan

The House Education Committee on Wednesday voted 8‑5, with one member absent, to send House Bill 368 to the House floor with a do‑pass recommendation. The measure, sponsored by State Rep. Dustin Manwaring of Pocatello, would add 30 non‑WWAMI medical school seats and direct the State Board of Education to develop a medical education plan intended to expand clerkships, residency pathways and Idaho‑centered admissions and training.

Manwaring opened the hearing by stressing Idaho’s physician shortage and the state’s low per‑capita physician ranking. “Idaho faces a critical need for more physicians, particularly in rural and underserved areas,” Representative Dustin Manwaring, state representative, District 29, said. He described the bill’s combination of continuing WWAMI participation while investing in in‑state and regional alternatives to grow training capacity.

The sponsor and several witnesses laid out the bill’s mechanics and the financial rationale. Manwaring told the committee Idaho currently supports 40 WWAMI seats in‑state plus 10 University of Utah seats, for 50 total state‑sponsored slots, and that the bill’s additions would bring the total to 70. He said Idaho currently spends nearly $8 million annually on the WWAMI program, with about two‑thirds (roughly $5 million) flowing to the University of Washington. “If we are going to spend more money, we should make sure we are going to get better results, more quality Idaho doctors,” Manwaring said.

University of Utah officials testified that they are willing to partner and absorb additional Idaho students. “We feel very confident,” Benjamin Chan, associate dean of admissions and Idaho affairs at the University of Utah School of Medicine, said, adding the school anticipates most clinical training for new Idaho students could be provided in Idaho with limited specialty rotations in Salt Lake City.

WWAMI representatives and Idaho physicians urged preserving clinical training capacity while expanding seats. Mary Baranaga, a family physician and WWAMI graduate who works to place medical students in Idaho clinical rotations, told the committee that clinical clerkship capacity is the biggest constraint on expansion and asked the committee to preserve the existing WWAMI infrastructure while directing the board to develop a growth plan. Baranaga also cited a University of Idaho economic‑impact study that, she said, found each dollar invested in WWAMI returns about $5.10 to Idaho.

Committee members pressed the sponsor on specific language in the bill. Representative Mathias flagged lines 39–42 on page 5, noting the phrase “at least” could be read to allow more than 10 seats and asked whether the bill’s intended net increase was 19 or 20 seats. “Line 41 and 42 contains the word ‘at least,’ which means 11 or more,” Representative Mathias said. Manwaring replied the intent is for a 10‑seat step: “I am reading ‘at least 10,’” and he reiterated the bill phases in 10 non‑WWAMI seats in year one and reaches the stated totals by year three.

State Board of Education leadership and the board’s executive director described the bill as a tool to produce a methodical plan. Josh Whitworth, executive director for the State Board of Education, said the board’s priorities are growing seats, maintaining productive partnerships with Washington and other partners, and producing a plan that addresses clerkships and graduate medical education.

The committee debated substitute motions. A motion to hold the bill in committee failed on roll call (5‑8). A substitute motion to send the bill to general orders (amend and return) also failed (5‑8). A final motion to send House Bill 368 to the House floor with a do‑pass recommendation carried by roll call, 8‑5 with one absent.

The bill directs the State Board of Education to prepare a medical education plan that will inform how and when additional seats are implemented and how admissions, clerkships and residency pathways will be aligned to retain more graduates in Idaho. The measure now proceeds to the full House for further consideration.