Senator Vince Leach (LD-11) issued the following statement today regarding the creation of the University of Arizona Primary Care Scholarship Program:

“I applaud President Bobby Robbins and the University of Arizona for partnering with the State to create the Arizona Primary Care Scholarship Program. This innovative scholarship program addresses a critical workforce shortage while providing access to care in the areas of the state that need it most. By offering this program to eligible students, we are eliminating a significant barrier for those wishing to pursue a primary care field. I will continue to work with Governor Ducey, my colleagues at the Arizona Legislature and the University of Arizona on future partnerships that tackle key challenges facing our state.”

The University of Arizona announced today a new scholarship program that will cover tuition for medical students who commit to practice primary care or another designated critical-access specialty in rural or urban underserved communities in the state. Currently, Arizona is facing a shortage of nearly 600 primary care physicians and the shortage will grow to more than 1,900 by 2030.

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