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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3870 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2388
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Michael S. Day, (BY REQUEST)
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to encourage, and improve the level of availability of physicians.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Vincent Lawrence Dixon60 Lake Street Unit N, Winchester, MA
01890
1/17/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3870 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2388
By Representative Day of Stoneham (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
2388) of Vincent Lawrence Dixon for legislation to encourage and improve the level of
availability of physicians. Public Health.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3621 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act to encourage, and improve the level of availability of physicians.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. The Massachusetts General Laws are hereby amended by inserting the
2following new chapter:
3 PURPOSE – A variety of circumstances, having developed in recent years, have led to
4the serious erosion of staffing levels, among physicians, and other senior level health care
5workers. These circumstances have included the migration of many such workers, into other
6fields; the retirement of many, and other factors including pressure on work loads, and
7challenged compensation levels; leading to what, in effect, is a health care system emergency,
8and crisis. 2 of 3
9 Recent events, particularly the COVID-19 Pandemic, and other factors, have led to the
10death of many physicians, and other senior health care workers, further adding to the significant
11shortage of such staff.
12 In addition, profound changes in medical treatment modalities, significant lengthening of
13life spans, of many; and newer recognized diseases, and conditions, have meant that there are
14some further increases, in the need for physicians, and other senior level related health care
15workers.
16 Significantly, Massachusetts has become a world leader in medicine, and health care, and
17attracts substantial numbers of patients, from across The United States and the World.
18 Thus, it has become clear that a shortage of physicians, and other senior level related
19health care workers, is worsening, and is likely to worsen further; adding to crisis type risks, and
20actual crisis circumstances, in the health care system of our Commonwealth; over a span of some
21years, going forward. This statute has as its purpose, to address, and help to remedy, these
22shortages; and provide additional mechanisms, by which individuals, and institutions, can
23recruit, train, employ, and otherwise stabilize, and seek to improve the physicians, and senior
24level health care work force.
25 SECTION 2 – This legislation authorizes the Executive Office of Health and Human
26Services, and under it, the Department of Public Health, to create a Physicians Scholarship
27Program.
28 2a.) This Physicians Scholarship Program (PSP), shall provide a mechanism for all
29qualified students, who wish to enroll in an accredited Medical Physician Education Program,
30operated within The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to receive specific assistance in obtaining 3 of 3
31grant, and/or scholarship aid, to compensate their educational, and related costs, as long as they
32meet certain specified standards.
33 2b.) Those students receiving assistance through the Physicians Scholarship Program
34(PSP), shall attend at least half-time, and preferably full-time, during their academic, and clinical
35training.
36 2c.) Such eligible students, shall, upon graduation, commit to no less than four (4) years
37of full-time service, in a qualified medical institution, and/or health care facility, within the
38boundaries of Massachusetts, as may be further defined.
39 SECTION 3 – All such eligible Physicians Scholarship Program (PSP) students, shall
40receive up to ten (10) years of complete tuition compensation, during their studies in an
41accredited Physician Medical School Degree Program.
42 3a.) The Department of Public Health, is authorized to develop such program, and may,
43as needed, intersect with other agencies of the Commonwealth, to develop additional related
44standards.
45 3b.) Detailed records, for students in the program, shall be kept, processed, analyzed, and
46further reported, together with useful recommendations, for the refinement of the program. This
47public report, shall be done on a yearly basis.