DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Senate passed Governor Reynolds’ proposal, which would increase the amount of doctors in rural Iowa by adding residency spots, with bipartisan support.

The proposal includes measures that would request millions of dollars to create 460 residency spots over four years at Iowa’s 14 training hospitals.

Dr. Alison Lynch, the President of the Iowa Medical Society, said that training more doctors in Iowa will help with the shortage.

“We know that where a physician trains is the biggest predictor of where they’re going to practice. And so, by having more residency programs in Iowa and having them be spread across the state, we believe that this will help increase the number of physicians practicing in Iowa,” Dr. Lynch said.

The bill also increases funding for a loan repayment program that pays for doctors’ medical school loans if they practice in select rural areas for five years after residency.

“It’s Increasing the number of dollars into the loan repayment fund. Average medical student graduates with over $200,000 in debt. And this encourages medical students to practice in underserved areas, even if they serve there for five years, are going to get their medical student debt paid off,” said Steven Churchill, the CEO of the Iowa Medical Society.

Dr. Kathy Lange, a Family Medicine Doctor at MercyOne Centerville Medical Center, said it’s important for residents to have rotations in rural communities.

“One of the things I need to, I think we need to do is we need to increase exposure to rural communities. And by that I mean in medical school, spend a little more time in rural communities finding out what it’s about,” Dr. Lange said.

Amanda Bireline, the Chief Operating Officer at Cass Health in Atlantic, Iowa, said that exposing residents to rural healthcare is a key part of its recruitment strategy.

“We have med school students and we have residents who come through our program. Usually, the rotations here are short, but often that’s part of our recruitment process. So, we have brought a resident in and trained them, and actually our last three physician recruits have kind of gone through the same process,” Bireline said.

Dr. Kyle Grover, a resident at UnityPoint Health – Iowa Lutheran Hospital, spent time during his residency and medical school at UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center and plans to practice there post-residency.

Dr. Grover said that visiting Grinnell during his training combined with the loan repayment program convinced him to start his career in Grinnell.

“My plan would be to spend my entire career there. That was my goal when I was looking at places for where to practice, was a place that I could make my home and and raise my family. And so I think that, that my plan in five years to still be in Grinnell.” Dr. Grover said.

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