A bill approved by the Iowa House last week could bring more doctors to Fort Dodge if approved by the Iowa Senate and governor.

The medical residency expansion bill, Senate File 575, would require at least 80 percent of students accepted by the University of Iowa’s medical and dental schools to be residents of Iowa. The schools would also have to prioritize Iowa natives and those who have graduated from Iowa universities for medical residency and fellowship roles in the University of Iowa’s Health Care system.

“Unfortunately, University of Iowa’s retention of the physician workforce in Iowa is not providing the results for the entire state that we’d like to see,” said Rep. Ann Meyer, R-Fort Dodge. “From 2020-2024, Iowa natives graduating from the state medical school — 81% of them left for residency. In 2024, UIHC residents only remained in Iowa at 44% after completing their training.”

If the bill is approved by the Senate and signed by the governor, $150 million in federal funding would be secured to help train and retain doctors in Iowa while also easing some of the education debt that doctors accumulate while in training.

UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge was recently identified as one of 14 hospitals that could be part of the medical residency expansion.

“There is a great need for doctors in Iowa, especially in rural communities across our state,” said Leah Glasgo, president, UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge. “Recruiting new physicians to UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge is a top priority to continue to improve patient access and ensure high quality healthcare close to home for all Iowans.”

Also identified for the medical residency expansion program were hospitals in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Iowa City, Mason City, Sioux City, and Waterloo.

“As a nationally accredited institution for nine residency programs in Iowa, UnityPoint Health is a leader in training doctors for Iowans,” said Glasgo. “On average, over the past five years, more than 60 percent of our graduates remain in Iowa to practice, often in rural communities across the state. Additionally, on average more than 90 percent of our graduates in family medicine remained in Iowa to practice. We are proud of this strong record in service to our mission.”

The medical residency expansion bill passed the House last week on a 67-28 vote and now goes to the Iowa Senate for review.