WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Thom Tillis, alongside Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), introduced the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, bipartisan legislation to increase the number of doctors working in rural and medically underserved areas. 

“Too many rural areas in North Carolina and across the country lack the health care workforce needed to provide quality and timely care,” said Senator Tillis. “This bipartisan legislation will allow American-trained doctors to help fill those gaps so we can expand access to critical health care in medically underserved and health professional shortage areas.”

“The Conrad 30 program continues to be a vital lifeline for rural and underserved communities facing physician shortages,” said Ram Alur, M.D., President, Physicians for American Healthcare Access. “However, without reforms, recruiting and retaining international medical graduates (IMGs) will become increasingly difficult. This reauthorization strengthens incentives for IMGs and streamlines the waiver process for employers, making it easier to recruit physicians in areas with persistent shortages. These updates will strengthen the U.S. position in the global competition for top medical talent and uphold access to care in underserved areas. Physicians for American Healthcare Access applauds Senators Klobuchar, Collins, Rosen, and Tillis for their leadership on this bipartisan legislation.” 

Background: 

The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act would reauthorize the Conrad 30 programs, which allows international doctors who have completed their residency training in the U.S. to remain in the country under the condition that they practice in areas experiencing physician shortages 

Generally, doctors from other countries working in America on J-1 visas are required to return to their home country after their residency has ended for two years before they can apply for another visa or green card. The Conrad 30 program allows doctors to stay in the United States without having to return home if they agree to practice in an underserved area for three years. The “30” refers to the number of doctors per state that can participate in the program. 

This legislation extends the Conrad 30 program for three years, improves the process for obtaining a visa, and allows for the program to be expanded beyond 30 slots if certain thresholds are met, while protecting small states’ slots. The bill also allows the spouses of doctors to work and provides worker protections to prevent the doctors from being mistreated. The legislation also allows physicians who serve in a Veterans Affairs (VA) facility or health professional shortage area for 5 years to get expedited consideration for a green card. 

The legislation has been endorsed by more than 50 organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the American Academy of Neurology, the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment, and Physicians for American Healthcare Access. 

Full text of the bill is available HERE.

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