Training Rural Doctors

Rural North Missourians know that accessing healthcare can sometimes be a challenge. Longer wait times for an appointment, farther drives to deliver a baby, or getting immediate care after a heart attack are just some of the difficulties. Earlier this month, I told you about the Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act, which I introduced to ensure we keep our rural hospitals and clinics open. While they definitely need financial help and less burdensome regulations to keep operating, they also need one of the basics of medicine: doctors. 

Getting medical students into rural and underserved areas has proven challenging. Unless a student grew up in a rural area and wants to return home to practice, it might not be everyone’s first choice. Certainly, if a student hasn’t trained in a rural area, they won’t know the benefits of practicing there or how to handle the unique challenges they might face.

One of the best ways to fix this? Make sure medical students train in rural America while they are still in school. When students get real experience working in small hospitals and community clinics, they are much more likely to come back and serve those communities after they graduate.

That’s why I joined several colleagues from both sides of the aisle to help introduce the Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Students (TEAMS) Act. The bill sets up a grant program to help medical schools give their students the opportunity to complete clinical training in rural and underserved areas. It also makes it easier for schools and local clinics to work together, helping students get the experience they need, while giving communities better access to care. 

This is not just about giving students more options; it is also about building a stronger health care system across the country. By training students where the need is greatest, we create a pipeline of doctors who are ready and willing to serve rural America.

We are blessed to have great medical schools and rural hospitals and clinics in North Missouri. It only makes sense that it’s easier for them to work together to ensure the next generation of doctors returns to practice in rural America. The Community TEAMS Act is a practical way to make that happen. It provides more opportunities for students, strengthens rural health care, and helps ensure that patients in rural communities have the care they need when they need it.

Sincerely,

Sam Graves