Mississippi Senate Bill SB2173

Mississippi 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/13/22
• Refer: 1/13/22
• Failed: 2/1/22

Caption

Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Residency Program; include emergency medicine students.

Impact

If enacted, SB2173 will create more opportunities for emergency medicine students and subsequently improve the healthcare delivery in rural Mississippi. The bill augments the existing statutory framework that has facilitated the establishment of the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Commission, focusing on addressing the physician shortage in rural areas. By including emergency medicine students, the bill acknowledges the critical role that emergency medicine plays in rural healthcare, particularly in underserved regions.

Summary

Senate Bill 2173 amends the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program by expanding its board to include a board-certified emergency medicine physician as a member. The bill aims to enhance the program's comprehensiveness by ensuring that emergency medicine is represented as part of the strategy to recruit and retain physicians in rural areas of Mississippi. The changes made by this bill are intended to facilitate the inclusion of emergency medicine students in the scholarship residency program, thus broadening the spectrum of physicians eligible for support through the program.

Contention

There is potential contention around the amendments proposed by SB2173, particularly regarding the allocation of resources and the balance between different medical specialties. Some stakeholders may argue that this expansion could divert funding or support away from other generalist physicians who also serve essential roles in rural healthcare settings. Advocates for the bill emphasize the need for emergency practitioners in rural areas, while opponents might express concern about prioritizing one specialty over others in the distribution of state resources.