Recently, Medical Student “Match Day” took place all across America. On “Match Day,” thousands of medical students learn where they will train for the next few years.
In Iowa, our state continues to lead in producing top medical talent.
At Des Moines University, 32 students were matched to residency programs in Iowa, the state with the highest number of matches for the Des Moines University Class of 2025.
At the University of Iowa, about 25% of students matched in our home state.
In 2020, as then-chairman of the Finance Committee, I helped pass a law that added 1,000 new, permanent Medicare-funded medical residency [positions].
So far, Iowa has gained 12 new permanent medical residency slots out of the 600 distributed nationally. Iowa will have a chance to compete for the remaining 400 slots.
I’m committed to ensuring the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) distributes these slots as the law prescribes.
That law says that at least 10% of these medical residency [slots] should go to rural areas in our country.
Now, I’m concerned that CMS isn’t meeting this 10% requirement, and so I’ve made my concerns known to the agency.
I want that agency to know that I’ll be watching closely to ensure that rural America gets a fair shot – nothing more than the law requires.
When medical students have a chance to train in rural America, we know they are more likely to stay in rural America.
Finally, I want to applaud the University of Dubuque for announcing the John and Alice Butler College of Osteopathic Medicine. This will help educate more doctors in the state of Iowa.
With all these efforts, Iowa is set to continue leading in the training of medical professionals needed in our communities.
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