Missouri state lawmakers have introduced legislation that seeks to address the physician shortage in the state by funding residencies, according to a June 22 report from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The legislation would pull $2.4 million from the next state budget to fund three-year residencies in family medicine, general internal medicine and general pediatrics. It would also fund four-year residencies in internal medicine and pediatrics, general obstetrics and gynecology, and general psychiatry.
"We are outsourcing the medical students to other states for the residency program," Rep. Patty Lewis, RN said in the report. "Physicians are likely to stay where they train."