Idaho ranks last in the nation for the number of physicians per capita, Dr. Ted Epperly told JFAC this morning, and is tied for last in the number of primary-care physicians. That's part of the reason the state sponsors programs like the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho, whose budget Epperly presented to lawmakers this morning; the state also has an ISU family medicine residency; an internal medicine residency; and cooperative programs with both the University of Utah and the University of Washington for doctor training. Idaho has no medical school. The residency programs are aimed at bringing new doctors to Idaho to serve their residencies, in hopes they'll stay; while the cooperative program allows 28 Idaho students per year to go to medical school in Washington or Utah.

Epperly told JFAC, "Our program this year will run $1 million in the red. That hurts." But he said, "Thank you for level funding. If we can possibly receive continued level funding, we'll see that as a victory in this economy."