Oklahoma § 70-697.1 - Legislative intent

§ 70-697.1. Legislative intent

The Legislature recognizes that there is a need to upgrade the

availability of health care services for people of Oklahoma, and

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools

thus, there is a need to improve the balance of health care

workforce distribution in the state both by type of practice and by

geographic location. Furthermore, the Legislature recognizes the

need to accommodate the increasing number of graduates from the

medical and osteopathic colleges of Oklahoma by retaining their

services as practicing physicians in the state and by attracting

graduates from schools outside the state. Therefore, it is the

intent of the Legislature to increase the number of internship and

residency programs offered for the training of physicians throughout

the state through the sharing by the state of the costs of such

internships and residencies with hospitals and other clinical

residency training establishments. These programs shall be designed

primarily to emphasize the training of primary health care and

family practice physicians and to develop workforce programs to

service directly the rural and nonmetropolitan areas of the state.

Laws 1975, c. 271, § 1, emerg. eff. June 5, 1975. Amended by Laws

2022, c. 407, § 16.

NOTE: In accordance with Article VI, Section 11, of the Oklahoma

Constitution, House Bill 2776 became law without the Governor's

signature. It was filed with the Oklahoma Secretary of State on May

27, 2022.