BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Senator Carol Liu, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: SB 131
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Author: |Cannella |
|-----------+-----------------------------------------------------|
|Version: |January 22, 2015 Hearing |
| |Date: April 22, 12015 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Consultant:|Olgalilia Ramirez |
| | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: University of California: medical education
SUMMARY
This bill commencing with the 2016-17 fiscal year, appropriates
$1.86 million from the State General Fund to the Regents of the
University of California (UC) to support the expansion of the
San Joaquin Valley (SJV) Program in Medical Education (PRIME).
BACKGROUND
UC operates six schools of medicine at Davis, Irvine, Los
Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, and San Francisco. In 2014-15,
total enrollment in these programs was approximately 3,000
medical students and more than 5,000 medical residents. Nearly
50% of medical students and medical residents in California are
trained by the UC.
Programs in Medical Education (PRIME)
UC PRIME is an innovative training program focused on meeting
the needs of California's underserved populations in both rural
communities and urban areas by combining specialized coursework,
structured clinical experiences, advanced independent study, and
mentoring. These activities are organized and structured to
prepare highly motivated, socially conscious students as future
clinicians, leaders, and policymakers. Each new program has an
area of focus that is selected based upon faculty expertise, the
populations served by each school and its medical center, and
other local considerations. Each continues to develop and
SB 131 (Cannella) Page 2
of ?
improve its guidelines for admission and recruitment of students
and its new curriculum designed to educate and train future
physician leaders, researchers and advocates for the communities
they will serve.
ANALYSIS
1. This bill commencing with the 2016-17 fiscal year,
appropriates $1.86 million from the State General Fund to
the Regents of the University of California (UC) to support
the expansion of SJV PRIME. Specifically, this bill:
A. Makes findings and declarations in
support of the proposed appropriations.
B. Appropriates funds to support expansion
of the SJV PRIME program to admit up to 12 students
per year and operate the program with up to 48 student
participants over the four-year curriculum annually.
STAFF COMMENTS
1. Need for the bill. According to the author, California
faces a shortage in the number of physicians available to
serve its residents, and the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) is
disproportionately affected by this shortage. Furthermore
access to health care in the SJV which extends from
Stockton to Bakersfield is already well below the
recommended level of primary care physicians. The author
also asserts that despite its numerous benefits for the
SJV, the Program in Medical Education (PRIME) program lacks
ongoing funding for its current enrollment as well as the
financial resources needed to expand capacity as an interim
step to meeting the region's health care needs. This bill
seeks to expand the number of physicians that can serve the
state and address the need of quality health care in SJV.
2. San Joaquin Valley PRIME Program. Building on the
success of the PRIME program at all UC medical schools and
its medical education programs throughout the state, the UC
Regents approved the UC Merced SJV PRIME program in
September 2010 to help provide a unique solution to the
healthcare issues of the central valley.
SB 131 (Cannella) Page 3
of ?
The program is a collaboration between UC Davis, UC Merced,
and the University of San Francisco's Fresno Medical
Education Program and intended to strengthen the
recruitment and retention of new physicians in the San
Joaquin Valley - one of California's most medically
underserved areas. The SJV Prime program allows a small
number of students to enroll in the UC Davis Medical School
and complete the clinic portion of their degree in SJV
clinics thereby strengthening the desire for new physicians
to practice in the area.
Recognizing the health problems in the valley, the program
partners with communities to reverse long-standing health
inequities and address the social determinants of health
disparities. The program also actively promotes
inter-professional education as a pathway toward improved
health and health care. For the 2015 academic year, only
eight students were admitted to SJV PRIME and overall
enrollment in the program stands at 27 students. This bill
would appropriate funds to support 12 students per year and
operate the SJV PRIME program with up to 48 student
participants.
Author's amendments. The author wishes to make the
following technical amendment: As recommended by Senate
Engrossing and Enrolling on page 3 line 14 strike out
"PRIME," and insert "Program in Medical Education."
3. Related and prior legislation.
AB 174 (Gray, 2015) appropriates the same amount of funds
to the UC from the General Fund for the SJV PRIME program
and $1 million to support a two-year planning effort for
establishing a traditional medical school at UC Merced.
The bill was held on Suspense in the Assembly
Appropriations Committee.
SB 841 (Canella, 2014) as introduced was identical to AB
174 but was subsequently amended to remove the
appropriation for the UC, Merced Medical School. This bill
was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SUPPORT
SB 131 (Cannella) Page 4
of ?
AFSCME
Department of Insurance
The Voice of Accountable Physician Groups
OPPOSITION
None received.
-- END --