(Sacramento, CA) May 22, 2026 – Today, the California State Assembly approved Dr. Jasmeet Bains’ (D-Delano) proposal requiring a feasibility study to be done to establish a University of California medical school in Kern County to help address the physician shortage devastating the San Joaquin Valley.
“The healthcare conditions in the Valley are unacceptable for a state as wealthy as California,” said Dr. Bains in today’s floor presentation. “And the people suffering the most are working families, farm workers, seniors, and children, who depend on Medi-Cal for coverage but still face the harsh reality of having no doctor nearby.”
Numerous studies indicate that rural-focused medical education, including targeted curricula, hands-on clinical experiences, and residency opportunities, significantly increases the number of physicians who choose to serve in underserved communities. Programs that actively recruit students from rural backgrounds and emphasize community-based training have demonstrated measurable success in retaining graduates in these regions, thereby helping address ongoing physician shortages and improving access to quality healthcare for residents most in need.
“Establishing a branch campus of a University of California medical school in Kern County has the potential to train physicians in the communities that need them most, increasing the likelihood they will remain and practice in those areas. A comprehensive feasibility study is an important and appropriate first step to evaluate the requirements, opportunities, and challenges associated with this effort and to inform thoughtful implementation,” wrote the California Academy of Family Physicians in a letter of support to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Research from the University of California in a report to the Legislature titled “Improving Health Care Access in the San Joaquin Valley” shows that the Valley is one of the fastest-growing, poorest, and least-healthy regions of California. The Valley has a long-standing shortage of physicians and other healthcare professionals, with the lowest ratio of licensed MDs, DOs, NPs, RNs, marriage and family therapists, counselors, and social workers in the state. The Valley has fewer than 45 primary care physicians per 100,000 people, while the average in California is 156.
“My patients are already experiencing significant losses in health care coverage due to federal Medi-Cal cuts, but having coverage means nothing if there are no physicians available to provide care,” said Dr. Bains. “AB 1547 represents a crucial step toward cultivating a new generation of physicians in the Valley and making meaningful, long-term investments in the communities that have sustained California but have been overlooked for far too long.”
The California State Senate will now consider the bill.
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Dr. Jasmeet Bains represents the 35th Assembly District in Kern County, including the cities of Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Arvin, Shafter, and McFarland.