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UAMS will add 22 new residency slots in South Arkansas with $2.5M of state funds

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arkansasadvocate.com – Tess Vrbin – 2025-03-26 05:00:00

by Tess Vrbin, Arkansas Advocate
March 26, 2025

New residency slots at two South Arkansas hospitals will provide needed medical training and services in that part of the state, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences said last week.

The state’s primary medical school is adding 22 family medicine residency slots because of $2.5 million allocated by the Legislature in February, UAMS announced in a news release.

UAMS will use the money as “start-up funds” for the first three years of the residency programs in Crossett and El Dorado, which includes an obstetrics fellowship, Chancellor Dr. Cam Patterson wrote in the university’s funding request to the Joint Budget Committee’s PEER Review subcommittee. The panel approved the request Feb. 26 with no discussion or dissent, and the full committee approved it the following day.

The number of students graduating from Arkansas medical schools has outpaced the state’s number of residencies in recent years, but Arkansas leaders in medical education have been working to add more slots at hospitals throughout the state.

Most physicians practice in the same state where they complete their residencies, and UAMS sponsors roughly 85% of residencies statewide, said Dr. Molly Gathright, executive associate dean for Graduate Medical Education in UAMS’ College of Medicine.

Arkansas leaders work to close gap between medical school graduates and in-state residencies

The health system announced in May 2023 that it would train residents at the South Arkansas Regional Hospital in El Dorado in partnership with a local nonprofit. Last week’s news release said UAMS plans to obtain accreditation for the El Dorado facility this year and enroll its first residents in the summer of 2026. The Crossett facility enrolled its first residents last year.

“Expanding training opportunities in this region helps address health care needs and strengthens the local workforce,” Gathright said in a statement to the Advocate. “At the same time, every residency program plays a vital role in improving access to care across the state, and our goal is to support a broad distribution of training opportunities to meet diverse community needs.”

In addition to its main Little Rock campus and the Crossett campus, UAMS trains residents at six other regional campuses throughout the state: Batesville, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Jonesboro, Pine Bluff and Texarkana. A seventh residency program in Magnolia closed in 2022.

Adding medical residencies to a community boosts the local economy, according to a study released this month by Heartland Forward. The Bentonville-based research organization estimates that gradually adding 275 new medical residents over six years — about 46 per year — would create an additional $465 million in economic activity for Arkansas.

Republican U.S. Sen. John Boozman, an optometrist from Rogers, sponsored multiple bipartisan bills during the last session of Congress to create more residency slots nationwide and retain the doctors that train in those positions, particularly in rural areas. The legislation stalled in committee.

UAMS’ Fayetteville and Crossett locations specifically train family medicine specialists to practice in rural areas. Some of Arkansas’ rural counties do not have hospitals, according to the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care.

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Residents who train in El Dorado and Crossett will be “immersed in south Arkansas-based rural clinical settings,” though they will complete some of their training in Little Rock at both UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital, according to the health system’s announcement last week.

“The current structure of our UAMS sponsored rural training programs — one year in an urban hospital followed by two years at a rural training site — ensures residents gain broad clinical experience while becoming fully immersed in rural practice,” Gathright said. “The hope is that this model increases the likelihood that they will stay and provide care in these communities, improving access for low-income patients and those who must travel long distances for medical services.”

Ashley County, where Crossett is the largest city, had fewer than five full-time primary care physicians per 10,000 people as of 2021, a slight decrease from 2020, according to data from the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement.

Additionally, Arkansas has a shortage of maternal health care providers, particularly in rural areas. Gathright said the obstetrics fellowship funded by the $2.5 million grant will be “crucial to improving access to care” in rural South Arkansas. The fellowship will open July 1 in El Dorado.

The Bradley County Medical Center closed its labor and delivery unit within the past 18 months due to staffing struggles. Bradley County borders both Ashley County and Union County, where El Dorado is the county seat.

Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com.

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News from the South - Arkansas News Feed

Valerie Storm Tracker

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Valerie Storm Tracker

www.youtube.com – 40/29 News – 2025-04-19 07:19:24

SUMMARY: Severe weather overnight has caused significant damage, particularly in Springdale, where downed power lines are evident on Sunset Avenue. Valerie Xiong, reporting live from the 40/29 Storm Tracker, noted that multiple crews are on-site, working to repair the tilted power lines and blocking off traffic in the area. Police are redirecting motorists, and there have been power outages at several intersections, including Jean George Boulevard. Crews from various agencies are actively addressing the situation, and updates on road conditions and storm damage will continue to be provided.

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Valerie Storm Tracker

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Arkansas governor appeals FEMA denial of disaster declaration from March tornadoes

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arkansasadvocate.com – Advocate Staff – 2025-04-18 13:51:00

by Advocate Staff, Arkansas Advocate
April 18, 2025

Arkansas formally appealed on Friday the federal government’s denial of funds to aid recovery from March 14-15 storms and tornadoes.

In a letter to President Donald Trump and FEMA Regional Administrator George Robinson, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders asked the administration to reconsider its rejection of her requests for disaster declarations for individual assistance and public assistance.

“Arkansas communities are still recovering from this spring’s tornadoes, as the sheer magnitude of this event resulted in overwhelming amounts of debris, widespread destruction to homes and businesses, the tragic loss of three lives, and injuries to many others,” Sanders said. “To relieve the burden on these counties, cities, and towns, I am appealing FEMA’s decision to deny Arkansas’ Major Disaster Declaration request.”

Sanders originally sought the major disaster declaration on April 2; FEMA issued its denial on April 11.

Sanders’ letter notes that “without the support of a Major Disaster Declaration, Arkansas will face significant challenges in assuming full responsibility and achieving an effective recovery from this event. I
have determined that the severity and magnitude of these storms exceed the capabilities of the State and affected local governments to respond adequately. As such, supplemental Federal assistance is crucial.”

The state’s request includes Baxter, Stone, Sharp, Hempstead, Independence, Randolph, Nevada, Jackson, Clay, Woodruff, Greene, Hot Spring,  Izard and Lawrence counties.

Trump earlier this year called the Federal Emergency Management Agency “a disaster” and suggested it “might go away.” He said states could take care of disaster responses on their own and convened a group to review the agency and recommended changes.

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Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com.

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Arkansan appears on Wheel of Fortune

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Arkansan appears on Wheel of Fortune

www.youtube.com – THV11 – 2025-04-18 06:58:17

SUMMARY: Justin, a contestant from Arkansas, appeared on *Wheel of Fortune* and showcased his Razorback pride by calling the hogs. Originally from Van Buren and a UOVA graduate, he won $6,000, despite the wheel not favoring him. Justin’s son convinced him to audition after spotting an open call, leading to his appearance. He celebrated the experience with a watch party, expressing that the memories and family trip were more valuable than the prize money. He also expressed a desire to bring the Razorback spirit to *The Price Is Right* next, envisioning an audience call of the hogs.

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One lucky Arkansan got the chance to show his smarts and state pride on Wheel of Fortune— and what better way to do that than call the Hogs!

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