Iowa lawmakers advanced three bills this week that aim to raise the state’s number of medical providers.
One of the bills would give priority for medical residency slots to Iowa residents, or to those who went to college or med school in state.
Representative Tom Jeneary, a Republican from LeMars, says he supports prioritizing Iowa connections, but he also wants to make sure residency slots go to the best qualified candidates.
Jeneary says, “I also think that it would be a mistake to pass somebody that’s really, really good just because they are non-native.”
The other bills would allow physician assistants from other states to practice in Iowa through a licensure compact, and to study transitioning certain medical school programs from four years to three.
Representative Austin Baeth, a Democrat from Des Moines, says he supports the study, but thinks it will be challenging for schools like Des Moines University.
Baeth says, “Because most of these medical schools that do have these three-year pathways have their own residency program and already have those medical students pre-admitted into their residency.”
Governor Kim Reynolds has made increasing the number of providers in the state one of her legislative priorities this session.
(By Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)