Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nevada's Medicaid health plan has provided $75,000 to a University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine initiative addressing the state's physician shortage, as well as racial inequities in its healthcare.
The initiative, called "See It to Be It," will connect aspiring physicians from underserved communities and underrepresented populations with medical students and physicians with similar backgrounds.
"Physician shortages are at an all-time high across the United States and have reached unprecedented levels in Nevada, especially in communities of underserved areas," UNR Med Dean Thomas Schwenk, MD, said in a June 22 statement. "The 'See It To Be It' initiative is intended to have a direct impact on developing a pipeline of physicians who have the cultural competency to build strong doctor-patient relationships and influence positive change in diverse communities."
The U.S. could experience a physician shortage of up to 139,000 physicians by 2033, according to a report from the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Nevada currently ranks 48th for physician-to-patient ratios, making its shortage one of the most severe in the nation, according to the statement.