Tennessee
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.
Reproductive rights key issue in election
Both sides of the aisle are saying abortion is a key issue heading into the November 2024 election.
Fox – 7 Austin
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.”
Tennessee State men’s hockey has once again canceled its inaugural season.
The first ever ice hockey team at an historically Black, public university was expected to begin play in 2025-26, but the season was canceled due to a fundraising shortfall. Now, the team has canceled its 2026-27 season according to a source with knowledge of the situation who wished to remain anonymous because the news is not public.
The Tennessean reached out to Tennessee State president Dwayne Tucker, who decline to comment on the situation.
The Tennessee State’s men’s hockey website does not have a schedule, roster, or any team events listed on its website. The site’s most recent update was July 10 of last year, an announcement about the 2025-26 season cancellation. Requests for additional information about the hockey team have gone unanswered.
This delay in the start of the men’s hockey team comes three years after the team’s inception was announced at Bridgestone Arena ahead of the 2023 NHL Draft. The Nashville Predators and NHL were instrumental in bringing a team to Tennessee State, and a representative with the Predators confirmed that support is ongoing.
While the 2025-26 cancellation followed unrest about the school’s financial situation, it’s unclear if this year’s cancellation is for the same reason or if its related to the school’s recent turmoil in the athletic department.
In May, six coaches gave a vote of no confidence for Tennessee State’s athletic director Mikki Allen. A letter to Dwayne Tucker on May 29 expressed concern about the “current direction, leadership, communication, and operational management of the athletic department” under Allen.
Men’s hockey coach Duante Abercrombie was not among the six coaches mentioned in the letter.
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. He never uses artificial intelligence when developing or drafting stories. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.
The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 8, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 8 drawing
12-29-37-43-55, Powerball: 18, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from July 8 drawing
17-26-31-32-37, Star Ball: 01, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from July 8 drawing
Morning: 5-0-7, Wild: 6
Midday: 9-0-5, Wild: 8
Evening: 4-7-3, Wild: 3
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from July 8 drawing
Morning: 1-9-3-7, Wild: 4
Midday: 0-0-0-8, Wild: 3
Evening: 8-0-5-3, Wild: 1
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from July 8 drawing
07-14-15-18-29
Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Tennessee Cash numbers from July 8 drawing
01-02-06-13-27, Bonus: 03
Check Tennessee Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from July 8 drawing
06-27-33-44-69, Powerball: 23
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 8 drawing
16-18-43-48-50, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:
Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.
When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
- Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Home power bills are feeling the impact of data centers opening across Tennessee communities, according to a new report from ThinkTennessee.
Researchers found electricity usage has increased by more than 7.2 times over the past five years as data centers opened in the Tennessee Valley region. Areas with data centers saw average power bills rise more than the state average, but the increase was not distributed evenly among customers in those areas.
“Tennessee’s data center growth is arriving faster than the rules designed to manage that growth,” research director Chris Candelaria said. “Our report isn’t saying whether data centers are good or bad. Instead, we’re trying to highlight the issues that communities and policymakers need to know about.”
Residential customers hit harder than businesses
Residential customers in communities with data centers saw their bills jump 3.2 percent, to an average of $149 a month, between 2023 and 2024, the report found.
During that same period, commercial customers, including data centers themselves, saw their bills slightly decrease. By comparison, the statewide average power bill over the same period increased 1.3 percent.
Candelaria said the findings are tied directly to where the data centers are located and signal what may be ahead for the rest of the state.
“Residents seeing these higher prices and that’s associated with where the data centers are located,” Candelaria said. “We know that the data centers are coming, and the report’s really just forecasting that this situation may play out in more places across the state. This is an issue that city and community leaders will need to address directly.”
He said the trend warrants close attention, but stopped short of drawing firm conclusions in their report based on the data analyzed.
Tennessee emerges as a data center hub
The report, titled “Powering the Boom,” describes Tennessee as an emerging data center market that has likely not yet seen the full scale of potential growth. For roughly 15 years, the state’s electricity consumption was essentially flat or declining before the current surge began around 2020.
Data center facilities planned, operating or under construction in Tennessee represent approximately 2,177 megawatts of demand capacity which is roughly equivalent to powering more than 1.3 million homes for a year. Those facilities are concentrated in and around Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville.
Grid strain, costly outages a concern
Candelaria said the study drew on data from across the country to examine how data centers are already affecting communities and what Middle Tennessee should plan for.
“As we get requests for more data centers, there’s an issue with how is that going to affect our current grid infrastructure? This is the key question,” Candelaria said. “We also provide in the report some studies from other states. If you over-strain the system, what does that mean? Well, it could lead to costly outages. We’re just trying to think strategically.”
Alex Kardokus is among the more than 500,000 people who signed a petition against a proposed data center near the Nashville Zoo. He said his concerns have since expanded to the broader impact data centers could have across the city after learning about this report.
“NES, we don’t want that (bill) to go higher because it’s already expensive in Nashville. Don’t want that to be a raising,” Kardokus said.
Policy seen as key to managing growth
Candelaria said policies, including data center zoning restrictions Metro Council is currently working on, will be key to protecting families from further cost increases. He said the decisions made now will shape whether the growth benefits or burdens Tennessee residents.
“The policy choices that we make now on pricing and grid planning will determine whether that growth is going to strengthen the state’s economy or whether that’s going to shift costs onto everyday households,” Candelaria said.
He added that the situation requires a balancing act, as data centers also bring jobs and economic opportunities to the communities where they operate.
ThinkTennessee said a second installment of the “Powering the Boom” series is expected to lay out policy options aimed at protecting ratepayers while the sector continues to grow.
Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.
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