Photo: Bryan Goodchild
Massachusetts, which is experiencing a shortage of primary care physicians, has allotted $10 million from the state’s 2026 supplemental budget to UMass Chan Medical School for a pilot scholarship program intended to boost the number of medical students going into family medicine. The proposal was drafted and introduced by Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport) and received the support of both the House and Senate and was signed by Governor Healey on Friday.
The pilot scholarship, which runs through 2033, provides aid to medical students pursuing family medicine careers who demonstrate financial need and commit to practicing for five years in an approved community health center in an underserved area or hospital health care system.
“As Massachusetts and the nation grapple with primary care physician shortages, we are grateful that lawmakers have stepped forward with this bold and creative proposal to incentivize medical students to enter into family medicine and serve our most vulnerable populations in the commonwealth,” said Chancellor Michael F. Collins. “As the only public medical school in the state, we are excited to be part of this initiative and doing our part to address the growing demand for primary care physicians practicing in the state.”
“Family physicians are a cornerstone of robust and effective healthcare rooted in the doctor-patient relationship,” said David D. McManus, MD’02, ScM’12, MBA, the Richard M. Haidack Professor in Medicine, chair and professor of medicine, renowned clinical and research cardiologist, expert in digital medicine, and incoming chancellor. “They are the first line of defense in preventive healthcare, and they have a profound impact, including by coordinating the complex care for patients with chronic diseases. Family physicians are how many patients access and experience the healthcare system. UMass Chan is proud to be part of an initiative that will improve the lives and health of people across the commonwealth.”
The Association of American Medical Colleges, in a 2024 report, projects the nation will face a shortage of 20,000 to 40,0000 primary care physicians, including family medicine practitioners, by 2036. UMass Chan was founded with a focus on educating primary care physicians and is consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Reports among the best medical schools for primary care education in the country.
“People are having such a difficult time finding primary care physicians, especially in some of the less populated regions of the state, that they aren’t able to readily access the healthcare they need,” said Anne Larkin, MD, the Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor in Medical Education, professor of surgery and vice provost and senior associate dean for educational affairs. “By accessing this resource, we’re ultimately going to benefit not just the medical students but the people of the commonwealth who are desperately in need of primary care physicians. We applaud the legislature’s foresight in establishing this pilot scholarship and are grateful to be able to offer this opportunity to our students and the residents of the commonwealth.”
Medical students are increasingly borrowing as much as $300,000 to $400,000 to finance their educations, with the average debt among all students over $200,000, according to AAMC. Meanwhile, family medicine physicians tend to be among the lowest paid specialties, according to Dr. Larkin.
“This is very powerful message by the legislature and UMass Chan that we are committed to creating the conditions that would allow students to choose a career in family medicine and have the financial part of that decision make more sense,” said M. Diane McKee, MD, MS, the UMass Memorial Ledwith Chair in Family and Community Medicine and chair and professor of family medicine & community health. “There are many factors that influence a student’s choice of specialty. The debt-to-salary ratio is certainly one of those factors. While we can’t fix the earning potential of family medicine physicians with this legislation, this funding addresses the debt burden that students are potentially facing.”
Scholarship awards will vary from student to student based on demonstrated financial need and will be made by the Office of Financial Aid as part of the standard aid packages offered to students before matriculation.
Joseph Distefano Mendoza, a fourth-year medical student planning to do his residency in family medicine, believes the scholarship will be a tremendous tool in recruiting students to the field.
“The opportunity to have some debt burden relief would be beneficial,” said Distefano Mendoza, who chose family medicine as a specialty because he is passionate about healthcare access and social justice. “I’m very conscious of the amount of debt I must pay off, especially as I’m preparing to start a family. I could have chosen a more financially rewarding specialty, but when I think about what’s important to me and what gives my life meaning, I think family medicine is the right place for me. I’m comfortable with the financial sacrifices that come with that decision.”
If the pilot scholarship program is successful, Larkin hopes it will be made permanent after 2033 and could serve as a model for future scholarship programs.
