Missouri has the fourth largest health professional shortage in the U.S. – Missourinet

The Show-Me State is experiencing the country’s fourth largest shortage of primary, mental, and dental health care professionals. Pat Simmons with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services spoke before a task force of state lawmakers, saying that treating Substance Use Disorder (SUD) requires having a strong workforce.

“Missouri exports nearly one-third of our medical students to residency programs in other states,” Simmons said. “Missouri needs over 350 residency slots so that to make it possible for our medical school graduates to stay in state.”

She said that one in seven people over age 12 who are diagnosed with SUD have received treatment.

“A recently published systematic review suggested that lack of knowledge and skill are top reasons for the physician’s reluctance to address substance use and addiction in their clinical practices,” she said. “A main driver of this reluctance is a lack of training during residency and medical school.”

Her recommendation was that lawmakers continue the Missouri Graduate Medical Education Grant Program to create additional in-state residency positions. The program was created in 2023 to increase the number of fully trained physicians in family medicine, general pediatrics, and other medical fields.

Simmons said that primary care providers are uniquely positioned to identify and treat SUD.

“Increasing residents’ exposure to addiction training increases access to evidence-based prevention treatment and recovery services for patients,” she added. “This effort working in synergy with all of the other efforts that we’ve been hearing about will help to reduce the prevalence, impact, and stigma of SUD.”

According to Simmons, over half of Missouri students, that attend and complete their residency in-state, stay in Missouri to practice.

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