Radiologists support bipartisan bill to fund new residency programs in rural areas
Radiologists and other physicians are expressing their support for a recently introduced bill that would fund new physician residency programs in rural areas.
Led by Rep. Carol D. Miller, R-W.V., members of Congress first introduced the Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2025 in December. The legislation would award grants to eligible entities to establish residency programs—including adding new rural training sites to existing programs—to address physician shortages.
The American College of Radiology, alongside over 30 other organizations, voiced its “strong support” for the bill in a letter to lawmakers Monday.
“We commend your leadership and dedication to improving healthcare access in rural communities across the United States,” ACR et al. wrote to Rep. Miller and colleagues. “Rural areas are essential to our nation’s health infrastructure but face persistent shortages of healthcare professionals.”
Others signing the message included the American Medical Association, Medical Group Management Association, American Society of Echocardiography and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions. They note that since its inception in 2019, the Rural Residency Planning and Development pilot program has “effectively begun to address these disparities.” Funding from the program helps to cover start-up costs, accreditation, faculty development and recruitment.
Authorizing dedicated spending for the program—as House Resolution 6468 proposes—would serve as a “vital step toward strengthening our rural physician workforce.”
“We urge all members of Congress to support this important legislation,” ACR et al. concluded. “Enhancing and expanding the reach of physician training in rural areas will not only alleviate current clinician shortages but will also fortify our rural communities against future healthcare challenges.”
Others supporting the legislation include Reps. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., Troy A. Carter, D-La., and Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii. They noted in December that nearly 20% of Americans live in rural areas. Yet, only about 10% of physicians practice in these communities. The U.S. faces a “serious” physician shortage, with some projections placing the country at 124,000 short in the next decade. Rural areas alone are expected to see a shortage of 20,000 primary care doctors by this year.
Those eligible for the grants would include rural hospitals, other community-based ambulatory patient care centers, health centers operated by an Indian tribe, graduate medical education consortiums and others. If passed, the bill would authorize the appropriation of $12.7 million for each of fiscal years 2026 to 2030. The bill would target funds toward general primary care and other “high need specialty care” including family, internal and preventive medicine, psychiatry, general surgery and others.
“Our rural and remote communities are facing some of the most severe provider shortages in the country. Without real, long-term investment in workforce development and job training, we will not retain the doctors and specialists we need,” Rep. Tokuda said in a statement.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.