Bill > H1417

This bill establishes the First in Your Family Florida Medical School Scholarship and Grant Program within the Department of Education to address Florida's anticipated physician shortage, which is projected to reach 18,000 physicians by 2035. The program will provide scholarships to students who are the first in their families to attend an accredited medical school or physician assistant program, with specific eligibility and award requirements. Scholarships will be income-based for households earning less than $150,000, with two-thirds allocated to in-state public institution students and one-third to out-of-state students. Each scholarship can be renewed for up to 4 years and includes provisions for emergency funds up to $5,000 and additional funds up to $2,500 for professional expenses like medical equipment and insurance. The department can also award grants up to $100,000 to public educational institutions or nonprofit organizations to create mentoring and support services for these students. The program will be funded with $10,000,000 in recurring annual funds from the General Revenue Fund, starting in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, and is designed to help address the state's critical physician workforce shortage by supporting students from families without prior medical education backgrounds.

Labor and Employment

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/1417