Missouri's fix for doctor shortage may need its own fix
Missouri state Rep. Tricia Derges is pushing a bill to give assistant physicians like herself a pathway to becoming fully licensed doctors in the state.
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Missouri state Rep. Tricia Derges is pushing a bill to give assistant physicians like herself a pathway to becoming fully licensed doctors in the state.
A federal indictment in Missouri of one assistant physician (medical school graduates who practice without completing residency training) has some original supporters trying to rein in the medical specialty.
Missouri State Rep. Tricia Derges' personal tribulations have jeopardized an already contentious solution for states that struggle with gaps in primary health care. Even some early proponents now want to rein in the assistant physician license.