A new Idaho House bill has passed the House as an alternative plan for cutting Idaho’s ties with WWAMI. HB 368 passed the House, 46-21, three excused, on Thursday, March 13.
The bill was introduced March 5, proposed as an alternative to HB 176, which would cut Idaho’s involvement in the multi-state medical education partnership including Washington, Wyoming, Alaska and Montana. HB 176 has faced widespread public backlash from doctors, students, legislators and community members alike.
The new bill continues the plan to decrease Idaho’s involvement WWAMI but will not eliminate it completely.
Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, the number of seats reserved for Idaho students at non-WWAMI programs would increase by 10 each year until the total reaches 30. Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, the number of seats reserved for Idaho students in the WWAMI program would decrease by at least 10.
Year one would see an increase of 10 non-WWAMI seats; year two would have an increase of 10 non-WWAMI seats and a decrease of 10 WWAMI seats; year three would have the final increase of 10 non-WWAMI seats. This would result in a new total of 20 WWAMI seats and 30 non-WWAMI seats reserved for Idaho students.
The bill also requires that the state Board of Education create a “working group” to develop a plan for medical education in Idaho, with a deadline of Jan. 2, 2026, for the plan to be delivered to the governor and legislature. The plan will address undergraduate and graduate medical education programs, maximize Idaho-based clinical and residency program placements and “minimize conflicts” with different education programs. This is all with the aim to “reduce the physician shortage in Idaho.”
Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello, led the March 12 House Education Committee discussion. “Idaho faces a critical need for more physicians, particularly in rural and underserved areas,” he said to the Committee. “House Bill 368 is a serious attempt and a serious effort to strengthen Idaho’s medical workforce, expanding training opportunities and improving cost efficiency while fostering strategic partnerships that align with Idaho’s long-term healthcare needs.”
“If we are going to spend more money…we should make sure we are going to get better results, more quality Idaho doctors. This bill, House Bill 368, allows WWAMI to be part of that solution, while we also invest outside of WWAMI,” Manwaring said in the hearing. “WWAMI can be a part of this…but it cannot and should not be the only way we support undergraduate medical education in our state.”
Dr. Mary Barinaga, an Idaho family doctor and WWAMI graduate, works with WWAMI to create clinical partnerships with practicing Idaho doctors.
“WWAMI is committed to figuring out how we expand medical education in Idaho,” Barinaga said in the hearing. “We are asking to be part of the solution. To do this, we ask that the program, that WWAMI stays stable, so we can maintain the clinical training sites in Idaho…We are asking that the state Board of Education be given a strong mandate to develop a medical student growth plan involving WWAMI, Utah and other potential partners who can help grow medical education in Idaho, for Idaho.”
Barinaga also mentioned the public response to HB 176. “By raising concerns about physician shortages and asking how or why WWAMI hasn’t grown, the sponsors have actually caused dozens of doctors around the state to step forward to ask how they can help.”
Barinaga cited a University of Idaho study on the financial aspect of WWAMI. “For every dollar that is invested into Idaho WWAMI, our state gets back $5.10,” she said to the Committee.
The committee also heard from Dr. Benjamin Chan, Associate Dean of Admissions and Associate Dean of Idaho Affairs at the University of Utah School of Medicine. “We’re eager and excited to work with our potential new partners at the University of Idaho…We’ve built up other programs such as rural outreach, pipeline programs, our ambassador programs. We send our Idaho students back to Idaho as much as we can.”
Chan emphasized the importance of increasing the number of students that go on to practice in Idaho. “I was just in a meeting the other day with our Idaho students as well as our Utah students…When these 50 students expressed interest in doing any type of activities or rotations back in Idaho, our goal is to get them back to Idaho as well.”
In 2019, the CDC reported Idaho had the lowest per-capita number of physicians across all 50 states, with 19.0 per 10,000 residents.
HB 176 has been held on the third reading calendar in the House from Feb. 17-March 13. As of March 13, the bill was returned to the Education Committee.
Both bills were sponsored by Rep. Manwaring and Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star.
Dakota Steffen can be reached at arg-news@uidaho.edu.
Caroline Nilsson Troy
"HB 176 has been stalled in the House since Feb. 17 due to widespread public backlash from doctors, students, legislators and community members alike" is not an accurate statement but is an opinion that should be attributed to someone. HB 176 is held on the 3rd reading calendar as a compromise bill (HB 368) has been negotiated. It is still in play in the legislature as long as it remains on the calendar.
Dakota Steffen Author
Thank you for your comment. This is much more accurate language.