The Big Beautiful Bill caps student aid, posing risks to healthcare education.

Healthforce's weekly briefing for July 8, 2025. Get smarter on the latest news & trends in the healthcare workforce.

🖐️ THIS WEEK’S TOP 5

1. Bill caps student aid, risking healthcare workforce growth amid shortages.

2. Texas DOCTOR Act allows supervised practice for IMGs, easing shortages.

3. Minnesota funds $1.5M for new med residency.

4. Immigrant doctors are 25% of U.S. physicians, vital amid doctor shortage.

5. UConn Health cancels nurse pay cut after union protest.

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. The “Big Beautiful Bill” slashes student aid, risking severe harm to healthcare education amid a projected 1.8M annual job openings. Cuts to Pell Grants, subsidized loans, and Grad PLUS could block access for nontraditional students and burden future nurses, doctors, and allied health workers. (Post Gazette)

   

2. JPMorganChase’s Morgan Health and PolicyCenter supports bipartisan reforms to address U.S. health care workforce shortages, including expanding Pell Grants, strengthening apprenticeships, and reauthorizing WIOA. With $217M invested and $13M in grants, the firm has helped over 9,000 individuals advance or enter health careers. (JPMorganChase)

3. Texas’ new DOCTOR Act (HB 2038) creates new licensing pathways for IMGs and unmatched U.S. grads to practice under supervision without residency, aiming to address physician shortages. Critics warn it risks care quality and fairness, while supporters say it’s a pragmatic step if tightly regulated. (MD Linx)

4. At least nine states have eased licensing rules allowing foreign-trained physicians to bypass full US residencies to address rural shortages, with a dozen more considering similar bills. While advocates highlight wasted talent in retraining, critics raise safety and equity concerns, urging better oversight and balanced solutions to boost rural care. (Physician’s Weekly)

🎓 BACK TO SCHOOL

1. Quinnipiac University is prioritizing team-based care and aiming for over 50% of medical graduates to enter primary care. Through its Institute for Primary Care, healthcare partnerships, and global outreach, it promotes interprofessional learning and community-focused solutions. (NBC Connecticut)

2. Minnesota allocated $1.5M for the new University of Minnesota Medical School-CentraCare St. Cloud residency programs, launching this fall. It also secured $500K for a Law Enforcement Scholarship Program addressing the state’s 1,000 police vacancies and upcoming retirements. (KNSI)

3. The new UTHealth Houston Future Nurses Fund offers full tuition and fees to Texas residents earning under $100,000 annually enrolled full-time in the top-ranked Cizik School of Nursing BSN program starting Spring 2026. This initiative aims to ease financial barriers and address Texas’ nursing shortage by supporting at least one-third of undergraduates. (Uth.edu)

4. St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, CA launched new internal medicine and psychiatry residency programs through the Prime West Consortium and California University of Science and Medicine. (The Downey Patriot)

5. Rutgers RWJ Medical School is easing hiring requirements and emphasizing the critical role medical assistants play in patient care, communication, and supporting clinical teams. (Mirage News)

📊 BY THE NUMBERS

1. Louisiana could face a shortage of nearly 5,000 doctors by 2030, impacting most parishes, according to the Cicero Institute. Leaders from LSU and Baton Rouge General cite limited training slots, student debt, and rural recruitment as major barriers to addressing the growing crisis. (WAFB)

2. Primary care physician pay rose 5.8% to nearly $330,000 in 2024, driven by heavier workloads amid a worsening doctor shortage, per an AMGA report. Overall physician compensation increased 4.9%, while patient visits grew 2.3%, highlighting unsustainable pressure on an already strained workforce. (Forbes)

3. Immigrant doctors make up 25% of U.S. physicians and are vital amid a projected shortage of 86,000 doctors by 2036, says the Association of American Medical Colleges. Leading doctors have urged Secretary of State Rubio to exempt physicians from travel bans to protect healthcare access and public health nationwide. (Miami Herald)

4. Illinois faces a worsening nurse shortage projected to hit 15,000 by year-end, worsened by burnout and retirements, yet efforts to join the Nurse Licensure Compact—allowing nurses to practice across member states—are blocked by unions prioritizing power over patient care. Key supporters like the American Nurses Association and Illinois Health and Hospital Association back the compact to improve nurse access and care quality. (Illinois Policy)

5. New Mexico faces a growing healthcare worker shortage, with a current deficit of about 5,000 and projected need for over 8,000 nurses by 2030, says Legislative Finance Committee analyst Harry Rommel. While a surplus of nurse practitioners and physician assistants may ease physician shortages, high malpractice insurance costs deter providers from practicing in the state. (KUNM)

🏥 HOSPITAL WATCH

1. UConn Health reversed a plan to cut pay stipends for 260 nurses after union pushback, avoiding a 6–8% pay drop. The move followed fears of staff departures and unsafe care conditions, with nurses citing burnout, underpayment, and worsening work environments as key concerns. (Hartford Courant)

2. Doctors and nurses at Stanton Territorial Hospital are opposing proposed “virtual ER” models amid staffing shortages, calling 24/7 in-person emergency physician coverage essential for patient safety. NWT health officials say virtual care is only a contingency option, not a replacement, as they face critical shortages and work on long-term solutions. (MyTrueNorthNow)

3. UC San Diego Health has laid off 230 employees, citing financial strain, sparking backlash from the UPTE union, which warns the cuts—impacting frontline staff like pharmacists and lab scientists—could jeopardize patient care. The union demands reinstatement, calling the move unjustified amid ongoing staffing shortages. (MSN)

⚕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.