SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) released the following statement when her bill, the California Dream to Medical School Bill—Senate Bill 40 passed the Senate 37-1:

“In my district, we are experiencing a healthcare provider shortage,” said Senator Hurtado. “Many patients face longer than average times to see a physician, often having to drive long distances to access the nearest hospital.  By creating a community college to medical school pathway, many students in the Central Valley and rural areas will be given the opportunity to live their dream and attend medical school. These future physicians, who once trained, will care for their community have a unique understanding and perspective that many outside of their neighborhood may not—which improves patient care, and community service. Increasing provider diversity from candidates from rural communities, will increase patient access, decrease wait and drives times to see a provider, and improve patient safety. ”

SB 40 will formalize a pre-medical transfer pathway from California’s Community Colleges to the State’s 4-year undergraduate program, through to California medical schools. There is a predicted shortage of over 4,000 primary care providers by the year 2030—and impoverished areas such as the Central Valley, Inland Empire and Imperial Valley currently experience Healthcare Provider Shortages that will only worsen.

Media Contact: Michelle.Sherwood@sen.ca.gov

About Senator Melissa Hurtado

Senator Melissa Hurtado represents a new generation of Latina leaders as the youngest woman ever elected to the California State Senate and a product of immigrant parents. Senator Hurtado represents the 14th Senate District and focuses on rural community issues that often go unheard — access to clean air and water, food insecurity and poverty, inequities in environmental policies, agriculture and access to health care. In July 2020, she was appointed to the national Biden Latino Leadership Committee alongside former Labor Secretary and current Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis – the only two California Latinas on the Committee.

For more information, visit Senator Hurtado’s Website here or find her on Twitter at @Senator_Hurtado

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