Senate Health & Human Services Committee Chair Champions New Law to Help Address Arizona's Doctor Shortage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                         

Monday, May 5, 2025

Senate Health & Human Services Committee Chair Champions

New Law to Help Address Arizona's Doctor Shortage

PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Senate Health & Human Services Committee Chair Carine Werner is helping address the physician shortage in Arizona with legislation just signed into law late last week after receiving near unanimous bipartisan support in the Legislature.

"If you've recently tried to make an appointment with a physician as a new patient, only to be turned away because the office has hit capacity, or if you've been forced to wait months just to get an appointment, you know just how serious Arizona's doctor shortage has become," said Senator Werner. "Not being able to access the medical care you need, when you need it, is more than just a frustration- it can easily mean the difference between life and death. SB 1727 being signed into law is a first step in retaining future doctors, instead of exporting them to other states. I worked with Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, and the Arizona Board of Regents to ensure this proposal can be implemented and will be effective. I'm grateful for the support this bill received from my colleagues. This is a consequential matter negatively impacting our citizens' health and wellbeing, and it requires all-hands-on-deck to address."

Arizona has six medical schools, but they only offer a very limited number of interviews to students who meet all qualifications. Those students who do not receive an interview and live in Arizona must look to other states to attend medical school. Data shows a majority of students who complete medical school and residencies out of state don't return to Arizona, as physicians typically choose to live in the states where they receive their training.

SB 1727, sponsored by Senator Werner, requires public university medical schools to offer interviews to all Arizona residents who meet admission requirements, whether they attended pre-medical education at an Arizona university, or at a university in another state. This will help expand the pool of qualified, homegrown applicants in our state. The bill also outlines admissions information that a medical school must include in promotional materials and on the school's website, as well as reporting requirements for medical schools to demonstrate compliance with the prescribed requirements. SB 1727 takes effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns.

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For more information, contact:

Kim Quintero

Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus

kquintero@azleg.gov