Federal government’s $1 billion effort to recruit next generation of doctors at risk

SALISBURY, Md. (AP) — Thousands of doctors and nurses signed on to work in the country’s most desperate regions during the COVID-19 pandemic in exchange for forgiveness of medical school debt. But now, with the public health emergency over, expansion of the program that brought them onboard is in jeopardy, even as people struggle to get timely and quality care because of an industry-wide dearth of workers. Funding for the National Health Service Corps expires at the end of September (2023). Last year, just over 20,000 people were corps members — up 50% from 13,000 people in 2019.