Senator Megan Dahle met with representatives from UC Davis, California State University Chico, Enloe Medical Center, and Healthy Rural California yesterday afternoon. They discussed UC Davis’ plan to create a new branch medical campus in the North State.
UC Davis has used this model before to expand medical education in other underserved areas of Northern California. The region faces a shortage of doctors across many specialties, including primary care, psychiatry, and surgery. Many doctors are retiring, and replacements are hard to find. This leaves families facing long waits or long drives to get care.
UC Davis has a strong history of serving rural communities. Senator Dahle supports the university’s effort to increase healthcare access for rural patients. Other institutions, like Simpson University in Redding, are also considering starting medical schools to help serve far northern California.
The focus remains on training and recruiting more rural healthcare providers. Senator Dahle says this is not about competition but about meeting an urgent need. The talks aim to find the best way to improve healthcare for all residents in the North State.
