Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Healthcare Workforce topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate advances $300,000 pilot to create rural medical residency training program
Summary
Senators approved a bill to establish a rural medical residency pilot with a $300,000 initial appropriation to the Medical Education Council. Sponsors said the pilot aims to increase physician retention in rural Utah; funding and prioritization questions were raised on the floor.
The Utah State Senate on Feb. 3 advanced legislation to create a pilot rural residency training program intended to encourage new physicians to practice in rural communities.
Senator Knudson, sponsor of Senate Bill 119, told the Senate the bill carries a $300,000 fiscal note to the Medical Education Council to set up the pilot and argued that states with similar programs have seen high retention of physicians in rural areas. "One of the problems we find is that very few of the newer graduating physicians... are selecting rural areas to do their career," Knudson said, describing an expectation that initial setups would include rotations from established programs into rural hospitals.
Senators asked how the appropriation would be prioritized in the budget process. Senator Bramble, vice chair of appropriations, said bills with fiscal notes must go through committee prioritization and that a final decision about funding would be made during the appropriation prioritization process later in the session.
The clerk recorded a roll-call reading for third reading; Senate Bill 119 was announced as having received 24 yes votes, 0 nays, and being read for a third time to proceed toward final passage and further action.
