S. 5232: Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2026

This bill would create a federal grant program to help start or expand rural physician residency programs, which are the training programs doctors complete after medical school. The goal is to increase the number of doctors who train in rural areas and are more likely to work there after finishing training.

What the grant program would do

The Secretary of Health and Human Services would be allowed to award grants to eligible organizations to:

• establish new rural residency programs;
• add new rural training sites to existing rural track programs; and
• provide related planning and development support.

The grants could be fully funded when awarded, would last for 3 years, and could be extended at the Secretary’s discretion.

What kinds of residency programs could be supported

To qualify, a program would need to train residents in rural areas for more than half of their residency time and mainly prepare them to practice in rural communities. The bill says supported programs could focus on:

• primary care and high-need specialties, such as family medicine, internal medicine, preventive medicine, psychiatry, or general surgery;
• maternal health and obstetrics, including OB-GYN or family medicine with extra obstetrical training; or
• other pathways the Secretary approves.

Technical assistance program

The bill would also create a separate grant program for organizations that help current or potential applicants plan and develop rural residency programs. These technical assistance grants would last for 4 years and could also be extended.

Who could apply

The bill defines eligible entities broadly. These could include:

• nonprofit or for-profit domestic entities;
• Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations;
• faith-based or community-based organizations;
• rural hospitals and rural health clinics;
• health centers operated by Tribal or urban Indian organizations;
• graduate medical education consortia, including medical schools and historically Black colleges and universities; and
• other organizations the Secretary considers appropriate.

Funding

The bill authorizes $12.7 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out the program. The money would remain available until it is used.

Relevant Companies

None found