Idaho officials are weighing several proposals on how to train and recruit more doctors in the state, including expanding an entirely new program in the Treasure Valley.
Lawmakers passed a bill earlier this year requiring 10 more spots for Idaho medical students.
Those seats could immediately be hosted by the University of Utah or the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, or ICOM, located in Meridian. And then the law requires some kind of further expansion in the coming years.
The University of Idaho is proposing a second medical school partnership by setting up a new program in the Treasure Valley.
U of I would link up with the University of Utah School of Medicine for the expansion while still running the WWAMI program with the University of Washington from Moscow.
Dr. Rayme Geidl leads the WWAMI program in Idaho as its interim dean.
“One emphasis of the program will be to recruit and admit students who truly desire to return to Idaho to practice,” Geidl said.
The new partnership with U of U would eventually train 30 medical students annually, beginning in 2028.
Geidl estimates it will cost the state $11.5 million in startup costs and roughly $8 million ongoing for student tuition subsidies once the program is fully online.
Idaho State University’s idea would be to buy and take over ICOM. Dr. Rex Force oversees ISU’s health sciences division.
“It would allow greater focus on rural tracts in eastern Idaho and keep Idaho’s medical education dollars working in Idaho classrooms, labs and communities,” Force said.
If approved, ISU said it could partner with U of I’s potential expansion for laboratory and hands-on learning space at its Meridian campus.
ISU is still vetting the potential purchase, which could take a couple of years to close.
A state working group will consider its options further at its next meeting on Monday. They face an uphill battle at the legislature in January as recent revenue collections continue to fall compared to expectations.
Gov. Brad Little has asked for his 3% cut to nearly all agencies to become permanent going forward, on top of directing them to submit flat budget proposals.
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