Health Care Workforce Expansion Act of 2025

Key Points

• The bill creates new federal grants that pay full tuition and required fees for medical, dental, and nursing students. Medical students must agree to practice primary care, and dental students must practice in rural areas, for at least 10 years after training.
• If a doctor or dentist takes the grant but fails to complete the 10-year service obligation, some of the money turns into a federal student loan. Up to $50,000 must be repaid with interest, though the amount drops to $25,000 after more than 5 years of service.
• The bill provides billions to help health professions schools grow enrollment. Medical schools must increase enrollment 50 percent by year 2 and another 50 percent by year 4, nursing schools by 30 percent, and dental schools by 20 percent.
• The bill adds up to 50,220 new Medicare-funded residency positions for doctors in training. At least 15 percent must go to psychiatry and 30 percent to primary care.
• Physicians, nurses, and dentists who move from a non-rural area to a rural area to practice can get a grant of up to $20,000 for relocation costs. If they leave before 3 years, they repay half.
• Nursing students get the tuition grant with no service obligation attached, unlike medical and dental students who must commit to 10 years of service.