Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a bill requiring that at least 80% of students accepted into the University of Iowa dental and medical schools have ties to the state, the Des Moines Register reported June 12.
House File 516 requires that at least four out of five students who meet basic qualification and are accepted into the university’s College of Dentistry and College of Carver Medicine are either Iowa residents or be enrolled in a university or community college in the state. The university will also be required to prioritize state residents for federal residency positions and fellowships.
The University of Iowa and UI Health Care Medical Center must also report certain enrollment details to the state’s legislature each year, including the number of Iowa residents who were and weren’t accepted and a statement on why applicants were denied.
The bill aims to address the state’s healthcare workforce shortages, which are among some of the worst in the U.S. Iowa also has one of the lowest doctor retention rates.
Although House Republicans claimed the bill would help with the state’s shortages, House Democrats argued the bill would be costly for the state and cause the school to pass over potential students from out of state.
The bill is expected to cause the university’s dental and medical schools to lose more than $5 million over the next four fiscal years, according to an analysis from the Legislative Services Agency.
