Why is the initial 3-year MD accelerated program focused on Primary Care?

Arizona has a significant Primary Care shortage. It currently ranks 43rd for Primary Care adequacy, one of the worst states for Primary Care physician shortage. With the current rapid population growth in Arizona, this situation is only expected to worsen.

We need over 600 Primary Care doctors across our state today to address this crisis and will need over 2000 by 2030 given our current trajectory. To make matters worse, 25% of PCPs in Arizona are age 65 and older, expecting to retire soon.

Beyond addressing current workforce shortages, communities are healthier when they have sufficient numbers of PCPs caring for their community members. Research consistently shows that robust Primary Care access improves population health outcomes, including increased life expectancy.