Residency expansion continues as Idaho asks state support to cover per‑resident costs

Legislative analysts and residency program directors told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee that expanding graduate medical education is central to addressing Idaho’s physician shortage, and they asked for continued state funding that covers a share of per‑resident training costs.

Kevin Campbell, a Legislative Services Office analyst, described what residency training entails and the three‑way funding model used in Idaho: a sponsoring institution, health‑system partners and the state. "To create a doctor takes at a minimum, 3 additional years longer for some specialties," Campbell said, explaining that residency years pay salaries, training costs and faculty supervision.

Why it matters: Residency slots determine how many new, practice‑ready physicians train inside the state and are an important pipeline for retaining clinicians in Idaho communities. Directors said residents provide immediate clinical capacity while in training and…