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To: Universities and
Colleges
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representatives Summers, Porter
HOUSE BILL NO. 1465
AN ACT TO BE KNOWN AS THE MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL EDUCATION 1
PIPELINE AND READINESS ACT; TO STATE THE PURPOSE OF THE ACT IS TO 2
ESTABLISH A COORDINATED MEDICAL EDUCATION PIPELINE BEGINNING IN 3
HIGH SCHOOL AND CONTINUING THROUGH UNDERGRADUATE STUDY, SET 4
UNIFORM READINESS STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS PURSUING MEDICAL 5
EDUCATION, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MISSISSIPPI STUDENTS ADMITTED TO 6
MEDICAL SCHOOL, IMPROVE DIVERSITY IN THE MEDICAL WORKFORCE, AND 7
STRENGTHEN THE STATE'S HEALTH CARE DELIVERY CAPACITY; TO ESTABLISH 8
THE MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL EDUCATION PIPELINE PROGRAM, A STATEWIDE 9
INITIATIVE JOINTLY ADMINISTERED BY THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF 10
EDUCATION (MDE), THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF 11
HIGHER LEARNING (IHL); AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL 12
CENTER (UMMC), WHICH SHALL PROVIDE A STRUCTURED PATHWAY FROM HIGH 13
SCHOOL THROUGH COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS SEEKING ADMISSION TO MEDICAL 14
SCHOOL; TO PRESCRIBE THE DUTIES OF MDE, IHL AND UMMC; TO CREATE 15
THE MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL PIPELINE ADVISORY COUNCIL TO OVERSEE 16
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM; TO PROVIDE THAT STUDENTS MAY APPLY 17
TO ENTER THE PIPELINE BEGINNING IN THE 9TH GRADE; TO PROVIDE THAT 18
MDE, IHL AND UMMC SHALL JOINTLY PUBLISH AN ANNUAL REPORT; AND FOR 19
RELATED PURPOSES. 20
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 21
SECTION 1. Short Title. This act shall be known and may be 22
cited as the "Mississippi Medical Education Pipeline and Readiness 23
Act". 24
SECTION 2. Legislative Findings and Purpose. (1) The 25
Legislature finds that: 26
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(a) Mississippi faces persistent physician shortages, 27
particularly in rural and underserved communities; 28
(b) The state has significant racial, geographic, and 29
socioeconomic disparities in access to medical education and 30
healthcare careers; 31
(c) Early exposure, structured preparation, and 32
continuous academic support are proven strategies for increasing 33
the number of students who successfully matriculate into medical 34
school; and 35
(d) Mississippi lacks a unified, statewide pipeline 36
connecting K–12 education, public higher education, and the 37
University of Mississippi Medical Center. 38
(2) The purpose of this act is to: 39
(a) Establish a coordinated medical education pipeline 40
beginning in high school and continuing through undergraduate 41
study; 42
(b) Set uniform readiness standards for students 43
pursuing medical education; 44
(c) Increase the number of Mississippi students 45
admitted to medical school; 46
(d) Improve diversity in the medical workforce; and 47
(e) Strengthen the state's health care delivery 48
capacity. 49
SECTION 3. Creation of the Mississippi Medical Education 50
Pipeline Program. There is established the Mississippi Medical 51
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Education Pipeline Program (MMEPP), a statewide initiative jointly 52
administered by: 53
(a) The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE); 54
(b) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of 55
Higher Learning (IHL); and 56
(c) The University of Mississippi Medical Center 57
(UMMC). 58
The program shall provide a structured pathway from high 59
school through college for students seeking admission to medical 60
school. 61
SECTION 4. Duties of the Mississippi Department of 62
Education. MDE shall: 63
(a) Identify and designate participating public high 64
schools, with priority given to: 65
(i) Rural districts; 66
(ii) High-poverty districts; and 67
(iii) Historically underrepresented communities; 68
(b) Establish a Pre-Medical Career Pathway within 69
Career and Technical Education (CTE); 70
(c) Align high school coursework with medical school 71
readiness standards, including: 72
(i) Biology; 73
(ii) Chemistry; 74
(iii) Physics; 75
(iv) Algebra II and higher mathematics; 76
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(v) Statistics; 77
(vi) Health sciences; and 78
(vii) Medical ethics. 79
(d) Coordinate with IHL and UMMC to provide: 80
(i) Summer bridge programs; 81
(ii) Dual-enrollment options; 82
(iii) Medical career exploration; and 83
(iv) Shadowing and mentorship. 84
(e) Develop a statewide advising and counseling 85
framework for pipeline students; and 86
(f) Collect and report annual participation and outcome 87
data to the Legislature. 88
SECTION 5. Duties of the Board of Trustees of State 89
Institutions of Higher Learning. IHL shall: 90
(a) Designate participating public universities and 91
colleges; 92
(b) Establish standardized Pre-Medical Readiness 93
Benchmarks for undergraduate students, including: 94
(i) Required coursework; 95
(ii) Minimum GPA thresholds; 96
(iii) Clinical exposure hours; 97
(iv) Research participation; 98
(v) Community service; and 99
(vi) Leadership development. 100
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(c) Create structured pre-med advising offices at 101
participating institutions; 102
(d) Guarantee conditional or priority interview 103
consideration for students who complete the pipeline benchmarks, 104
subject to UMMC admissions policies; 105
(e) Provide academic support services, including: 106
(i) Tutoring; 107
(ii) MCAT preparation; 108
(iii) Peer mentoring; and 109
(iv) Faculty mentoring. 110
(f) Develop articulation agreements with MDE for 111
dual-credit and early-college options. 112
SECTION 6. Duties of the University of Mississippi Medical 113
Center. UMMC shall: 114
(a) Establish medical school readiness standards 115
aligned with the pipeline; 116
(b) Provide early exposure opportunities, including: 117
(i) Summer medical academies; 118
(ii) Clinical observation programs; 119
(iii) Simulation lab experiences; and 120
(iv) Medical research internships. 121
(c) Assign medical student and physician mentors to 122
pipeline participants; 123
(d) Offer conditional acceptance or early assurance 124
pathways for students meeting established benchmarks; 125
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(e) Develop holistic admissions considerations for 126
pipeline completers; and 127
(f) Provide annual reports on admissions, retention, 128
and completion outcomes. 129
SECTION 7. Mississippi Medical Pipeline Advisory Council. 130
(1) There is created the Mississippi Medical Pipeline Advisory 131
Council, composed of: 132
(a) The State Superintendent of Public Education or his 133
or her designee; 134
(b) The Commissioner of Higher Education or his or her 135
designee; 136
(c) The Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs of UMMC or 137
his or her designee; 138
(d) Two (2) physicians appointed by the Governor; 139
(e) Two (2) educators appointed by the Speaker of the 140
House; 141
(f) Two (2) educators appointed by the Lieutenant 142
Governor; 143
(g) One (1) high school counselor; 144
(h) One (1) undergraduate advisor; and 145
(i) Two (2) students currently in the pipeline. 146
(2) The council shall: 147
(a) Oversee implementation; 148
(b) Recommend standards and benchmarks; 149
(c) Monitor equity and access; 150
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(d) Advise on funding needs; and 151
(e) Submit an annual report to the Legislature. 152
SECTION 8. Student Eligibility and Participation. Students 153
may apply to enter the pipeline beginning in the 9th grade. 154
Eligibility criteria shall include: 155
(a) Demonstrated academic interest in health or medical 156
sciences; 157
(b) Commitment to program requirements; and 158
(c) Mississippi residency. 159
No minimum GPA may be required for initial high school entry. 160
No student shall be excluded on the basis of race, gender, 161
disability, or economic status. 162
SECTION 9. Data Reporting and Accountability. MDE, IHL and 163
UMMC shall jointly publish an annual report including: 164
(a) Enrollment numbers; 165
(b) Demographic breakdowns; 166
(c) Retention rates; 167
(d) College matriculation rates; 168
(e) Medical school application rates; 169
(f) Acceptance rates; and 170
(g) Graduation outcomes. 171
SECTION 10. Funding. The Legislature shall appropriate 172
funds to support: 173
(a) Program administration; 174
(b) Staffing; 175
176
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ST: MS Medical Education Pipeline and Readiness
Act; create.
(c) Student stipends; 177
(d) Summer programs; 178
(e) MCAT preparation; 179
(f) Transportation and housing for internships; and 180
(g) Evaluation and data systems. 181
The agencies may seek federal, philanthropic, and private 182
grants. 183
SECTION 11. Rulemaking Authority. MDE, IHL, and UMMC shall 184
jointly promulgate rules necessary to implement this act. 185
SECTION 12. This act shall take effect and be in force from 186
and after July 1, 2026. 187