Posted 22 June, 2026
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) highlighted the recent federal approval of Iowa’s Graduate Medical Education (GME) expansion.
Iowa has secured approximately $49.5 million in additional annual federal funding to expand physician residency training programs across all 13 of the state's teaching hospitals. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the expansion of Iowa's Graduate Medical Education (GME) program on June 5, creating a significant opportunity to strengthen Iowa's healthcare workforce pipeline.
Once fully implemented, the expansion is expected to support more than 128 additional physicians in training statewide. Because physicians often choose to practice where they complete their residency training, the expansion will help address provider shortages, particularly in rural and underserved communities, while improving access to care for Iowans across the state.