Lawmakers hear case to expand Idaho residency slots; analysts and program directors point to retention and local care benefits

Program directors and legislative analysts told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee that expanding graduate medical education (residency) slots is a high-return investment for Idaho’s physician workforce and for near-term clinical capacity in hospitals and clinics.

Kevin Campbell, a legislative budget analyst, summarized the state’s portfolio of residency programs and spending patterns, noting the programs consistently spend available appropriations and that the state is increasing the number of residents funded. "The American Medical Association noted in 2022 that 55 percent of graduates of Idaho residencies and fellowships stay in Idaho," Campbell told the committee, a retention statistic the analyst said places Idaho among the top 10 states for retaining newly trained physicians.

Program leaders from Eastern Idaho, Boise and Idaho State University described how slots translate into care during training and into long-term retention. "Even if no one stayed in the state afterwards, you still have 16 additional doctors practicing psychiatry in Idaho Falls and the surrounding areas just from my program," Dr. Matthew Larson, psychiatry program director at Eastern Idaho Medical Residency, said when committee members asked about…