Iowa Senate Passes Bill Adding 460 Rural Residency Spots to Ease Doctor Shortage

Healthforce's weekly briefing for June 24, 2025. Get smarter on the latest news & trends in the healthcare workforce.

🖐️ THIS WEEK’S TOP 5

1. Iowa Senate approves 460 residency spots, boosts rural doctor loan aid.

2. Louisiana’s HERO Fund invests $7M to train 800 healthcare workers.

3. Slippery Rock launches 1+2+1 nursing path to ease PA RN shortage.

4. University of Arizona launches 3-year med program to ease doctor shortage.

5. Global healthcare staffing market to reach $82B by 2034, led by NA.

If you found today’s newsletter insightful, then we’d love to hear from you! Please drop us a line at edenn@globalmedteam or kanza@globalmedteam. See you next week!

💪 IMPACT STORY OF THE WEEK

Global MedTeam, recently featured in Becker’s Hospital Review in a major milestone, is reshaping international nurse recruitment with a cost-effective, no-risk, direct-hire model. The article highlights how Global MedTeam sources clinically trained nurses from the Philippines, offers full support through immigration and onboarding, and provides a scalable, ethical solution to help hospitals address America’s looming shortage of over 1 million nurses by 2030. (Becker’s)

⚖️ POLICY SPOTLIGHT

1. Michigan’s House passed a bill to join the Nurse Licensure Compact, allowing nurses licensed in over 40 states to practice there. Supporters say it will ease staffing gaps, but the Michigan Nurses Association warns it may weaken safety oversight without addressing hospital working conditions. (Wilx 10)

2. Reps. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) introduced the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025 to add 14,000 new Medicare-funded residency slots over seven years. The bill also permanently supports rural residency programs to improve care access in underserved areas. (Shine My Crown)

3. The Iowa Senate passed Governor Reynolds’ bipartisan plan to add 460 new residency spots over four years at 14 hospitals to boost rural doctor numbers. The proposal also increases loan repayment funding to help medical graduates pay off over $200,000 in debt if they practice in underserved rural areas for five years. (MSN)

   

   Iowa Senate

4. Louisiana’s HERO Fund is tackling healthcare worker shortages by investing nearly $7 million in grants to train 800 new professionals, boosting local workforce pipelines and economic impact. Programs support nontraditional students, rural nursing immersion, LPN-to-RN bridges, and pediatric care, with strong partnerships across hospitals and educators statewide. (AOL)

🎓 BACK TO SCHOOL

1. A new regional partnership under the Virginia Partnership for Health Science Careers will address severe healthcare worker shortages in Fredericksburg, Northern Neck, and Middle Peninsula. (Real Radio 804)

2. Bay Mills Community College will launch a Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) certificate program in January 2026 to address severe LPN shortages in Michigan’s Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinac counties. Backed by regional partners, the program aims to fill 20%+ vacancy rates reported by over half of local healthcare employers. (The Sault News)

3. UNMC College of Nursing in Omaha will offer twice-yearly admissions starting spring 2026 to address Nebraska’s nursing shortage, increasing enrollment by about 30%. Supported by clinical partners like Nebraska Medicine, this aims to expand the nurse pipeline, though retention and graduation remain crucial for meeting statewide demand. (Rural Radio)

4. UC Riverside is planning a new teaching hospital and outpatient centers, aiming to expand local residencies and medical access. The project will start with a 20-acre outpatient center and eventually a 280-bed hospital, addressing gaps where residents currently travel out of the region for care. (IECN)

5. Slippery Rock University in PA is launching a new 1+2+1 nursing pathway starting Fall 2025, enabling students to earn an RN at partner schools and complete their BSN at SRU or online. With tuition under $8K, the program offers a cost-effective, flexible path. (SRU)

6. The University of Arizona launched a three-year medical degree program to fast-track primary care doctors aiming for 2,000 by 2030. The program maintains core coursework and will enroll 36 students this fall at its Tucson and Phoenix campuses. (AZ Family)

📊 BY THE NUMBERS

1. The global healthcare staffing market is projected to grow from $45.1B in 2024 to $82.3B by 2034, driven by worker shortages, chronic diseases, and an aging population. (Market.US)

🏥 HOSPITAL WATCH

1. BayCare Health System’s pilot nurse wellbeing program cut nurse burnout by 34% and new hire turnover to 0% in its first year across four units. The peer-support model also boosted positive leadership perception by 82% and improved staffing views by 34%; expansion to all 16 hospitals is planned by year-end 2025. (Becker’s)

2. Novant Health combats the nursing shortage with programs like Bridges to Healthcare, offering internships to high schoolers, and Upward Mobility, which funds CNAs to earn RN licenses with paid study time. The Upward Mobility program boasts a 96% retention rate and recently graduated 17 new RNs locally. (WECT)

3. Gadsden County approved a $5,000 sign-on bonus paid quarterly over a year to attract new paramedics amid severe staffing shortages, with the EMS department currently at half its needed staff. The bonus is part of a four-step plan by EMS Chief Dewayne Ford to stabilize staffing, including shift changes and a junior apprenticeship program. (The Gadsden County Times)

4. The Asian American Center of Frederick is tackling Maryland’s healthcare worker shortage by training and placing skilled newcomers, including doctors, nurses, and those with multilingual abilities. The center is expanding programs to include certified medical assistant (CMA) and community health worker (CHW) training, bridging workforce gaps in western Maryland. (DC News Now)

5. California awarded $2 million in federal grants to San Diego State University Research Foundation and South Bay Workforce Investment Board to expand allied health training. The initiative addresses shortages by preparing workers for high-demand roles across multiple counties, supporting workforce growth in a sector with 220,000 new jobs since 2020. (Sierra Sun Times)

⚕LET’S TALK

Global MedTeam offers one of the most impactful ways to address the healthcare workforce shortage, through connecting international nurses to leading healthcare systems in the US.

If you’re interested in being a part of the solution, get in touch.