There is a critical shortage of doctors in central California. Modesto can help | Opinion

In California, a state known for its innovation and economic vitality, we face a pressing challenge: a critical shortage of medical professionals in our rural communities. The Central Valley, an area foundational to our state’s success and future, is particularly affected. Residents here confront not just a scarcity of healthcare resources, but also barriers related to language and transportation. This disparity has led to significant health inequities, adversely affecting the lives of its residents.

One of us has personal experience growing up in Modesto. We are both medical students at the University of California, Irvine and deeply committed to addressing the critical shortage of physicians in the Central Valley. We are advocating for the establishment of a new medical school in Modesto, in formal affiliation with UC Merced, to directly tackle this issue.

Opinion

Our proposal envisions a curriculum focused on primary care, tailored to meet the needs of rural communities. By embedding students in these settings, we believe this will foster a deeper understanding and steadfast commitment to rural health among the school’s students.

One 2013 study published in the Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges shows that medical students who attended a rural medical school were four-and-a-half times more likely to choose a career in family medicine and six times more likely to choose a non-metropolitan area as a practice site. By training more physicians in the Central Valley, we inherently increase the likelihood that they will stay local, addressing our severe primary care physician shortage. This approach not only benefits students but also the communities they serve, creating a reciprocal relationship of growth and support.

The creation of a medical school will also stimulate Modesto’s local economy. It would create jobs, attract state and federal research funding, and lead to infrastructure investments, thus having a substantial positive impact on the area’s economic landscape.

In addition, the presence of local, established healthcare facilities like Memorial Medical Center, Doctors Medical Center, and Kaiser Permanente offers a robust framework for clinical rotations and residency training opportunities. Affiliation with UC Merced would similarly ensure academic rigor and continuity, leveraging the power and resources of the UC system to create a center of excellence in medical education. These partnerships would ensure a high standard of medical training while supporting our local hospitals and clinics.

The creation of a public medical school in the Central Valley would provide tremendous benefit to current residents as well as for generations to come, promoting healthcare equity and ensuring that all Californians, regardless of economic status, have access to quality medical care.

Alexa Kassels, a graduate of Fred C. Beyer High School, and Sean Solomon are both second year medical students at the UC Irvine School of Medicine. Their classmates, second year medical students Rishi Vermani and Bryce Picton, also contributed to this piece.