Doctor shortages are becoming endemic in Kansas, including an estimated 50 percent fewer primary care physicians than needed, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The American Immigration Council says that unique health care worker job postings increased by 20.8 percent in the state between 2017 and 2021, although the population increased by less than 1 percent over the same period.

Kansas isn’t alone. Most states in the country are experiencing similar shortages.

Kansas, like many states, has attempted to address the issue internally by subsidizing medical programs and making it easier for medical residents to work in smaller residential clinics. These initiatives have had mixed results: The number of applicants to U.S. medical schools in 2023 was almost the same as in 2015.