WASHINGTON DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped introduce bipartisan legislation to increase the number of doctors working in rural and underserved areas. The bipartisan Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act would reauthorize the Conrad 30 program, which allows international doctors who have completed their residency training in the U.S. to remain in the country under the condition that they practice in areas experiencing physician shortages.
“Far too many communities in Nevada lack access to medical care, an issue that is especially dire in our rural and underserved areas. In fact, every county in Nevada is experiencing a shortage of medical professionals,” dijo el Senador Rosen. “This bipartisan legislation will help to address the physician shortage by allowing international doctors to stay and work in the U.S. following their residencies, helping to increase the number of doctors available to provide care.”
Generally, doctors from other countries working in the United States on J-1 visas are required to return to their home country after their residency has ended for two years before they can apply for another visa or green card. The Conrad 30 program allows doctors to stay in the United States without having to return home if they agree to practice in an underserved area for three years. The “30” refers to the number of doctors per state that can participate in the program. In addition to reauthorizing the program, Senator Rosen’s bill would raise the per-state cap to 35 physicians, increasing the total eligible number of physicians by hundreds nationwide.
This bipartisan legislation extends the Conrad 30 program for three years, improves the process for obtaining a visa, and allows for the program to be expanded beyond 30 slots if certain thresholds are met, while protecting small states’ slots. The bill also allows the spouses of doctors to work and provides worker protections to prevent the doctors from being mistreated. The legislation also allows physicians who serve in a Veterans Affairs (VA) facility or health professional shortage area for 5 years to get expedited consideration for a green card.
Senator Rosen is working to address Nevada’s doctor shortage and improve medical care access in the state. Earlier this month, Senator Rosen introduced a bipartisan bill to tackle the nursing shortage affecting communities across the nation. Last year, Senator Rosen pushed for more medical residency slots to be awarded to Nevada to help tackle the physician shortage. She also helped introduce the bipartisan Medical Student Education Authorization Act to address the doctor shortage by expanding the Medical Student Education Program and introduced a package of bipartisan bills aimed at addressing the shortage of doctors and dentists in Nevada and across the country.
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