The AAMC-endorsed Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Act of 2024 (H.R. 7855) was introduced by Reps. Yadira Caraveo, MD (D-Colo.) and Carol Miller (R-W.Va.) on April 2. The legislation would codify the Rural Residency Planning and Development program, an existing, effective federal grant program that provides funding for the startup costs associated with residency programs in rural areas. The RRPD, which is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration, funded the development of 39 new accredited rural residency or rural track programs across 36 states from 2019 to 2023, translating into 521 new residency positions in rural areas.
Upon introduction of the legislation, AAMC Chief Public Policy Officer Danielle Turnipseed JD, MHSA, MPP, applauded the legislation, stating that “this legislation will help bolster the already successful Rural Residency Planning and Development grant program, which has proven to help rural teaching hospitals overcome significant financial hurdles related to starting residency programs — such as faculty recruitment, accreditation, and curriculum development.”