The University of California has awarded $3.5 million on behalf of the state of California to support innovative medical education initiatives aimed at expanding the physician workforce through The California Fund for Advancing Physician Education and Workforce Growth (The Grow Grants) program.
Funded by California Proposition 35 (2024) and administered by UC Health, The Grow Grants program has awarded funding to support seven medical education proposals across California at approximately $500,000 each.
More than 100 highly competitive applications were submitted from across the state, underscoring the urgent need for physician workforce expansion and greater investment in health care workforce development programs.
These awards will support projects to expand the physician workforce and strengthen access to care, including efforts that:
Increase the number of medical residents and fellows who intend to train in high-need specialties;
Expand medical education in regions with physician shortages; and/or,
Enhance care for uninsured and Medi-Cal patients across California.
"We're excited to help the state support transformative medical education programs that can reshape how California addresses our physician workforce shortage," said Deena Shin McRae, M.D., associate vice president of Academic Health Sciences for UC Health. "The breadth of proposals from across the state illustrates the significant and ongoing need for additional resources to expand medical education and our physician workforce. While The Grow Grants program enables us to identify strategic solutions to train more physicians for under-resourced populations and shortage areas, substantially more funding is essential to address the physician shortage, expand access to care, and improve health for all Californians."
The awarded projects were selected by a statewide group of medical education leaders serving on The Grow Grants Application Review and Selection Committee, which reviewed proposals submitted by undergraduate and graduate medical education leaders from accredited medical schools, residency programs and fellowship programs across the state.
The funded programs will expand California’s physician workforce by creating new training pathways and curricula that prepare clinicians to serve Medi-Cal patients, rural and agricultural communities, justice-impacted youth, and older adults—addressing shortages in primary care, behavioral health and other high-need specialties.
The full list of awardees is available on The Grow Grants webpage. For inquiries, contact GrowGrants@ucop.edu.
All information and materials are subject to change, and any updates will be posted on The Grow Grants webpage.
About University of California Health
University of California Health comprises six academic health centers, 21 health professional schools, a Global Health Institute and systemwide services that improve the health of patients and the University’s students, faculty and employees. All of UC’s hospitals are ranked among the best in California and its health professional schools are nationally ranked in their respective areas.