Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV1) announced today that the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) will receive a $3.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to boost the number of primary care physicians in Nevada, particularly in medically underserved communities.

“Nevada ranks 48th in the nation in shortages of primary care doctors,” Congresswoman Titus said. “This grant provides critical funding to public medical education institutions in the State to support medical student training, and improve recruitment and retention of students. In Congress, I have made it a priority to ensure that Nevadans do not have to travel across the county or even state lines to get the care they need. This award helps achieve this goal by investing in medical students and the next generation of providers right here at home.”

Congresswoman Titus leads the Medical Student Education Authorization Act, legislation to authorize the program which sources the $3.9 million NSHE award. Her bill would authorize the federal Medical Student Education Program within the Health Services and Resources Administration, a funding source that is currently subject to the whim of annual appropriations.