Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Lawmakers hear residency expansion, retention data as Idaho funds more physician training slots
Summary
Program directors and legislative analysts told JFAC that state investments in residency programs are increasing training capacity, that residents provide immediate clinical capacity, and that roughly half to more than half of graduates remain in Idaho.
Budget analysts and residency directors told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee that state support for graduate medical education is a linchpin in addressing Idaho's physician shortage, and they outlined requests for additional resident slots and continued funding for existing programs.
Kevin Campbell, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, summarized the state's residency portfolio and retention numbers, telling the committee that "55 percent of graduates of Idaho residencies and fellowships stay in Idaho." That retention rate, Campbell said, places Idaho among the top 10 states for retaining physicians who train in the state.
Residency program directors described a multi‑part approach: increase the number of residency slots in Idaho, fund incentives that encourage clinicians to practice in rural Health Professional Shortage Areas, and invest in loan repayment and other retention programs.
Residency requests on the committee agenda included: eastern Idaho psychiatry and family medicine expansions, a Boise Internal Medicine request for one additional resident, and several Family Medicine Residency (FMR) program additions including a…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
