Tennessee

Tennessee, other states with abortion bans see drop in doctor residency applicants

Published

2 years ago

June 13, 2024

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Tennessee, other states with abortion bans see drop in doctor residency applicants

Tennessee already faces a doctor shortage and a new
study by the Association of American Medical Colleges charted a sharp decline in residency applications.

Fewer rising doctors are interested in finishing their medical training in Tennessee, a concerning trend for a state already facing a physician shortage that is only projected to worsen over the next decade.

Tennessee last year saw a significant decrease in medical residency applications from medical school graduates entering the final phase of their training, according to a new study conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges, which also found that states with strict abortion bans experienced significant decreases in applications.

These states experienced decreases specifically to obstetrics and gynecology programs, despite a slight uptick in OB-GYN interest on average nationwide. While abortion laws can vary from state to state, many can carry criminal charges for doctors and complicate required medical education in reproductive health, abortion and pregnancy care.

In 14 states with abortion bans, researchers charted a nearly 7% decrease in OB-GYN program applications.

The landscape significantly worsened in Tennessee. Tennessee’s overall residency applications declined by more than 12%. Even larger decreases were seen in the OB-GYN specialty, at a nearly 21% decrease, and pediatrics specialty, at nearly 20%.

“The primary issue is we’re already in a health care provider shortage,” said Dr. Kyla Terhune, who leads Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s graduate medical education.

Tennessee’s doctor shortage among worst

A 2020 study forecast Tennessee will be short nearly 6,000 needed doctors by 2030, one of the worst shortages in the nation. The state has made some efforts to reverse the slide, such as a 2023 law creating a pathway for international doctors to practice in the state, but it has not yet reversed the trend.

Though the AAMC study only reviewed a year of data, continued decreases in doctors looking to finish their medical training in Tennessee could exacerbate these shortages.

Legal arguments: Court hears challenge to Tennessee abortion ban for those with health risks

“Any drop at all is concerning, because that only perpetuates the shortage,” Terhune said. “Every drop is really critical.”

At the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, the pediatrics residency program saw a 10% decrease in residency applications. UTHSC pediatrics residency program director Dr. Bindiya Bagga said this mirrors a nationwide trends in pediatrics programs.

Bagga said through conversations with colleagues across the country, it seems local and state politics regarding access to reproductive health and transgender care “could certainly have played a significant role in applicant decisions, but it is hard to assign direct causality.”

Public policy plays role in recruitment

Terhune said local policies play a role in recruitment for young doctors in training who are looking not just for their future professional home, but a place to potentially start or grow their family.

“If you’re a young person at the beginning of your training, with a lot of uncertainty about your life and profession, it could impact our ability to recruit within the state,” Terhune said of Tennessee’s near-total abortion ban.

As rising doctors last year considered their residency options, Tennessee lawmakers were debating a small but significant change to the state’s abortion ban, which originally required doctors to knowingly commit a felony to perform an abortion, even to save a patient’s life. Tennessee doctors decried the state’s trigger ban as dangerous, and possibly deadly, for patients, and a severe legal burden for healthcare professionals.

Three women sue Tennessee over abortion law they say causes ‘catastrophic’ risks

In April 2023, the General Assembly passed a narrow legal exception allowing doctors to perform an abortion if their “reasonable” medical judgment finds it would prevent the death or severe injury of a pregnant patient.

“When providers face legal challenges when they’re trying to do their job, trying to provide care for individuals, that’s a very scary proposition. That’s very scary for someone beginning their training,” Terhune said. “If they have the option to be in a place where they will be protected and get the training they need for individuals they might encounter, they’re going to choose that place to train.”

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Tennessee

Early 2026 Tennessee High School Football 2026 Predictions

Published

11 hours ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

Early 2026 Tennessee High School Football 2026 Predictions

With spring practice lurking just beyiond the horizon, the high school football regular season is still more than four months away. As teams around the state of Tennessee prepare to officially start the 2026 season, High School on SI writer Jay Pace predicts which teams will bring home a state championship in each of Tennessee’s nine classifications.

The Quest For The Golden Ball

Class 1A

South Pittsburg Pirates

South Pittsburg doesn’t just win in Class 1A—it dominates. With a loaded roster and no real challenger in sight, the Pirates aren’t defending a title as much as they’re chasing history. Led by Florida St, commit, Dayon Cooper and a typically nasty Pirate defense, SPHS makes history in 2026, as it wins back-to-back state titles for the first time ever.

Class 2A

Marion County Warriors

The Warriors return to championship form in 2026 after falling short in their bid to win back-to-back state titles, following a 20-7 loss to Huntingdon in last season’s BlueCross Bowl 2A championship game.

The return of senior quarterback Zaiden Humphreys and an experienced roster still smarting from that loss will be the difference in 2026.

Class 3A

Westview Chargers

Is there really any question here? Quarterback Graham Simpson and running back Asa Barnes return after record-setting seasons that ended with a perfect 15-0 record and a state championship. With the addition of some key transfers this off-season, the 2026 edition may be better than the 2025 group that outscored its opponents 707-177. Chargers roll again in 2026.

Class 4A

Alcoa Tornadoes

Death, taxes and Alcoa. The Tornadoes have won 11 straight state titles and 19 overall in the past 22 seasons. Alcoa is without peer in the state of Tennessee when it comes to championship programs. Classified as a 4A school, Alcoa could compete for a championship in Class 6A — and that is not an exaggeration.. QB Thomas Manu and WR Jamir Dean return as Alcoa roars to a 12th straight state title.

Class 5A

Page Patriots

After four straight losses in the 5A championship game, coach Charles Rathbone and the Patriots finally exorcised their championship-game demons to claim their first state title in school history by knocking off defending 5A champion Sevier County 21-14.

Page proved it can close the deal and with that barrier now gone, the Patriots don’t stall, they build on it

Class 6A

Oakland Patriots

For the most dominant 6A program in state history, the beat rolls on in 2026 for Coach Kevin Creasy’s Patriots. Oakland has won two straight class 6A titles and eight of the last 11. Creasy, who enters his 19th season as a head coach, has won nine state championships across three different programs, beginning with Trousdale County in 2008.

Despite losing several key contributors from last years title team, no one appears capable of stopping an Oakland three-peat in 2026.

Division II

Class 1A

Nashville Christian Eagles

Despite losing the Gatorade Player of the Year in five-star quarterback Jared Curtis (Vanderbilt), and all-state running back TJ Ward (TCU), the Eagles are the favorites to bring home a gold ball once again in 2026.

Led by junior quarterback Tate Mathis and senior RB/WR Kaden Grigsby, the Eagles remain a formidable foe in Year 1 of the post-Jared Curtis era. If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best — and until that happens, Nashville Christian remains the favorite.

Class 2A

Battleground Academy Wildcats

When Bobby Bentley arrived in Franklin three years ago, he inherited a program that hadn’t finished above .500 in nearly five years. The Wildcats were bad.

How bad was it? Bentley once recalled a waitress at a local restaurant openly mocking the program shortly after he took over.

Heading into his third season at Battleground Academy, the Wildcats have gone from a punchline to a perennial powerhouse. In two seasons under Bentley, they are 24-4 and the reigning champions in Division II-AA.

The roster is loaded with elite talent hungry to prove last year was no fluke. Right now, II-AA is Battleground Academy’s world, and everyone else is just living in it.

Class 3A

Brentwood Academy Eagles

With apologies to Baylor, Brentwood Academy is the team to beat in the state’s most competitive classification.

After losing a 28-24 heartbreaker in last year’s BlueCross Bowl to Baylor, Brentwood has spent the offseason significantly upgrading an already loaded roster.

The message is clear: It’s championship or bust for coach Paul Wade’s Eagles in 2026. Anything less will be considered a failure.

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Nearly 79,000 people without power across Middle Tennessee as severe storms bring hail, strong winds

Published

23 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

Nearly 79,000 people without power across Middle Tennessee as severe storms bring hail, strong winds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – More than 79,000 people across Middle Tennessee are without power on Thursday night after severe storms hit the region.

Those outages were reported across Nashville Electric Service, Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation, Dickson Electric System and Middle Tennessee Electric.

Severe storms hit Thursday evening, bringing hail, lightning and strong winds that downed trees and power lines in some areas. In Mt. Juliet, police said that they were responding to several calls for issues related to the storm and urged people to be careful if traveling.

“Do not approach any downed power or utility lines,” Mt. Juliet Police warned.

These are the latest outages by utility company, as of 8:40 p.m. on Thursday, as well as where to find the latest impacts.

Nashville Electric Service — 46,011 customers without power (Outage map)

Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation — 12,988 customers without power (Outage map)

Dickson Electric Service — 8,054 customers impacted (Outage map)

Middle Tennessee Electric — 11,772 customers impacted (Outage map)

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Tennessee bill mandates use of ‘Judea and Samaria’ in official state materials | The Jerusalem Post

Published

1 day ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

Tennessee bill mandates use of ‘Judea and Samaria’ in official state materials | The Jerusalem Post

The Tennessee General Assembly passed House Bill 1446, known as the Recognizing Judea and Samaria Act, sending the measure to the governor’s desk as part of an effort to standardize terminology in state government communications, the National Association of Christian Lawmakers (NACL) said.

The legislation requires state agencies to use the term “Judea and Samaria” in official materials. Supporters argue the terminology reflects ancient Jewish historical ties to the land, while “West Bank,” widely used internationally, dates to Jordan’s control of the territory after 1948 and is viewed by backers of the bill as a later political label.

The measure, which goes into effect July 1, 2026, was advanced by Chris Todd, who also serves as NACL Tennessee State Chair. The organization said the directive is intended to create consistency across government entities and align language with what it describes as established historical references.

NACL Founder and President Jason Rapert framed the bill as part of a broader national effort. He said Todd had shown “principled leadership” by promoting legislation rooted in what he described as historical accuracy. Rapert added that the group has backed similar initiatives across the country and views the measure as part of a growing push for government language to reflect “reality, not political convenience.”

Todd, who chairs the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee, framed the legislation as a matter of how public institutions present information, arguing that “accuracy and integrity must be the standard in official government communications.”

He said requiring agencies to use what he described as “historically grounded terms” would create consistency across state entities and avoid taxpayer-funded messaging that reflects politically driven language.

Todd also pointed to broader disputes over historical narratives, saying official terminology influences how information is conveyed to the public and taught to future generations.

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