Primary Care Residency Expansion Grant 2025

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is offering the 2025 Primary Care Residency Expansion Grant, building on legislation from 2015 that authorized the Commissioner of Health to fund new primary care residency positions. This grant program is designed to address the shortage of primary care physicians across Minnesota, particularly in rural and underserved areas, with the overarching goal of increasing access to primary care for these communities. The program aligns with a strategic priority to strengthen the state's healthcare workforce and improve health equity by ensuring that all Minnesotans have access to essential medical services. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are programs, sponsors, and potential sponsors of primary care residency positions located in Minnesota that train or propose to train medical residents in specific primary care specialties. These specialties include Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine, General Pediatrics, Psychiatry (including child psychiatry fellowships), Geriatrics, and General Surgery. The grant also targets new and existing primary care residents and faculty, ultimately aiming to benefit underserved and rural communities through improved access to primary care physicians. The grant prioritizes the establishment of new primary care residency programs or the expansion of existing ones by creating new residency positions. Key focus areas for funding include planning for accredited programs, obtaining accreditation, establishing new residency slots, and recruiting, training, and retaining new primary care residents and faculty. Funds can also support travel and lodging for residents, salaries and fringe benefits for residents, faculty, and preceptors, training site improvements, equipment, supplies, and supporting clinical education within a primary care team model. This holistic approach ensures comprehensive support for the development and sustainment of robust primary care training. Expected outcomes and measurable results include an increase in the number of primary care physicians practicing in Minnesota, particularly in areas with physician shortages. The grant aims to expand the capacity of primary care residency programs, leading to more residents completing training in critical primary care specialties. Success will be measured by the number of new primary care residency slots created, the number of residents trained, and the retention of these physicians in Minnesota's rural and underserved communities, ultimately demonstrating improved access to primary care services.