As Health Care Crisis Looms Senator Roth Urges School of Medicine Expansion
(SACRAMENTO) – Today, the Senate Education Committee unanimously approved Senator Richard D. Roth’s proposed legislation to allow for a greater investment in the health and wellness of all Californians. Senate Bill 56 provides a one-time appropriation for the construction of a new University of California, Riverside (UCR) School of Medicine facility with an additional investment for ongoing support. The bill is one part of a crucial fix to address the state’s growing health care crisis.
Based on the September 2018 California Health Report article, California Grapples With Growing Physician Shortage For Low-Income Patients, California will be short 4,700 primary-care physicians by 2025 and 8,800 by 2030. In Inland Southern California, the physician shortage is even more pronounced. This rapidly growing, aging and ethnically diverse area has just 35 physicians for every 100,000 people, far short of the recommended 60 to 80 per 100,000.
“If California is to ensure access to care we must act swiftly to build California’s health care workforce pipeline,” said Senator Richard D. Roth (D-Riverside). “Expanding the size of UC Riverside’s School of Medicine will not only match the growing health care demand, it will stop the exodus of Californians interested in a medical degree who must seek that degree elsewhere due to a lack of seats.”
This February, the California Future Health Workforce Commission announced 10 priority recommendations to build and support a sufficient health care workforce for California’s changing population. At the top of its list of priorities is the need to recruit, train, and support more college students to pursue health care careers – a subset of that priority specifically calls for the expansion of UC Riverside’s School of Medicine (see pages 115, 116.)
Senator Roth’s SB 56 answers that call, doubling the number of UCR’s medical students from 250 to 500.
“The UC Riverside School of Medicine represents an important vehicle for helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state and Inland Empire,” said UC Riverside Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox. “The school works hard to recruit, educate, and retain physicians — many of whom are low-income, first generation, and underrepresented minority students themselves.”
Francisco Farias, a medical school student at UC Riverside School of Medicine praised the institution for its work to ensure diversity in its students, who will in turn serve a diverse region.
“I can declare with great pride that at UC Riverside School of Medicine I am not the exception, rather I am part of a diverse and brilliant group of individuals who are all striving to improve the health of our neighboring communities,” said Francisco Farias. “The numbers speak for themselves: 40 percent of my cohort are underrepresented in medicine, 56 percent of our class is comprised of future women doctors, and 48 percent of my colleagues hail from educationally and/or socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.”
Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes, who is a principal co-author of the bill, also celebrated SB 56’s passage.
“SB 56 represents a critical step towards improving access to quality healthcare across Inland Southern California,” said Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes (D-Corona). “Expanding the School of Medicine will allow UCR to continue providing advanced medical care, train more physicians, and keep up with the demands of our growing region. Our region needs more doctors.”
Senator Roth continued: “Inland Southern California is one of the fastest growing regions in the state. I am proud that we will soon be the region that led the charge of alleviating California’s health care crisis.”
# # #
Senator Richard D. Roth represents the 31st State Senate District, which includes the communities of Corona, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, March Air Reserve Base, Moreno Valley, Norco, Perris and Riverside. Prior to his election, he served for 32 years in the United States Air Force, retiring in 2007 in the grade of Major General.