Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Lawmakers hear requests to expand residency slots, citing long waits for care and retention gains
Summary
Representatives of Idaho residency programs told JFAC they need additional state funding to support psychiatry, internal medicine and family medicine residency slots; analysts and program directors said training in-state increases likelihood doctors remain in Idaho and provides immediate clinical capacity while in training.
Idaho residency program directors and Legislative Services analysts told the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee that continued and expanded state funding for graduate medical education is needed to address physician shortages, increase the number of practicing specialists in rural areas and relieve long patient wait times.
Why it matters: Program directors said residents provide hands-on clinical care while they train and that graduates often remain in-state. Committee members pressed for retention metrics and asked how new slots compare to other workforce strategies such as loan repayment, scholarships and increased residency capacity at medical schools.
Analyst Kevin Campbell (Legislative Services Office) summarized program requests and spending patterns for Eastern Idaho Medical Residency (EIMR), Boise Internal Medicine and the state’s consolidated family medicine residency programs. EIMR asked for $240,000 to fund four additional psychiatry resident positions for FY 2026; Campbell said the program…
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
