Investing in Primary Care is Investing in Our Future

Increasing the number of Medicare-supported GME positions can help alleviate shortages in rural and underserved areas by reducing medical student loan debt to encourage more medical students to pursue primary care careers.

While most primary care takes place in the community setting (i.e., outside of hospitals), few medical students train in this setting. THCs provide those seeking to specialize in primary care with real-world experience to be successful.

Programs, like the National Health Service Corps, that recruit, train and retain primary care physicians, as well as nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants can help bridge the workforce gap.

Compensation must recognize the work PCPs do every day and address the value of prevention, health maintenance and early diagnosis treatment. Accelerating the transition to well-designed value-based payment models will encourage more health professionals to practice primary care and prioritize quality and outcomes over the number of services provided, helping lower health care costs and improving outcomes.

Loan repayment or forgiveness can incentivize medical students to work in primary care settings, especially in rural and underserved areas.