University of California, Merced: medical school.

Assembly Member Soria's proposal for expanding medical education at UC Merced calls for a comprehensive assessment of resources needed to establish an independent medical school, building upon the existing San Joaquin Valley PRIME+ program operated in collaboration with UC San Francisco.

The legislation requires the University of California to submit a detailed report to the Legislature by August 31, 2026, analyzing the financial and operational requirements for transitioning to a standalone medical school. This report must outline projected costs for faculty recruitment, facility construction, medical equipment procurement, and program development. The assessment must also evaluate potential residency locations and specify necessary facility accommodations, along with a timeline for completing the medical school's establishment.

The bill's findings note that the San Joaquin Valley faces significant healthcare workforce shortages, with the lowest per-capita ratios of medical professionals in California according to a 2017 UC San Francisco assessment. The region's first cohort of PRIME+ students began undergraduate studies in 2023 and will start medical training at UC Merced in 2027 through the UC San Francisco partnership. The report would examine expanding this existing framework while developing the infrastructure and partnerships needed for an independent medical school.