UC branch medical school campus in Kern County: feasibility study

AB 1547 · Assemblymember Bains · University of California feasibility study

Overview

AB 1547 directs the University of California to conduct a feasibility study on establishing a branch campus of an existing UC medical school in Kern County, evaluating costs, infrastructure, and long-term workforce impact in underserved regions.

The bill requires the University of California, on or before January 1, 2028, to complete the study in consultation with local stakeholders and to submit detailed findings, recommendations, and an implementation timeline to the Governor and Legislature. It builds on the existing University of California Kern County Medical Education Endowment Fund, which supports the development, operation, and maintenance of a future branch campus. AB 1547 passed the Assembly 75 to 0 on its third reading in May 2026.

Why it matters

Kern County and the surrounding southern San Joaquin Valley face some of the most severe physician shortages in California. Physicians tend to practice where they train, so a UC medical school presence in Kern County would build a durable pipeline of doctors who stay, serve, and teach in the communities that need them most.

CRHSA advocacy efforts

• Advocating for a rural medical education pipeline that trains physicians where they are needed most
• Tracking the bill's progress through the Legislature and evaluating its workforce impact for underserved regions