– Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have introduced the Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2024 to address healthcare provider shortages in rural areas. The bipartisan bill supports creating new residency programs at rural hospitals and medical schools to train more doctors and nurses in underserved communities.
Currently, only 2 percent of residency training occurs in rural areas, despite widespread shortages of primary care physicians and mental health professionals. In Minnesota, 80 percent of counties face a shortage of mental health providers.
The bill builds on a program launched in 2019 that has created 46 new rural residency programs and 575 training positions across 36 states. Codifying the program into law would allow further expansion and improve access to health care in rural communities.
More details about the bill are available on the Lakes Area Radio App or website.