Plans for doctor training program in Springfield frozen

Plans to create a Springfield medical program that would help train new doctors remain on hold.

Gov. Jay Nixon said support for the program, a partnership between Missouri State University and the University of Missouri, is strong, but the funding is frozen.

"Currently we don't have the money in the bank," he said.

The program would have allowed students to spend their final two years observing doctors from CoxHealth and Mercy Hospital. The plan was supported by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and both hospitals as a boost to the economy and a way to increase doctors in the region.

"It's a great project," Nixon said Friday during a visit to Missouri State. "We all want more doctors in this area."

The $10 million planned to start the project was withheld in mid-2013, and no plan has been announced for when it would be included in a future spending plan.

It would have started small, with fewer than 10 students, and then quickly grow at least 30 students the following year.

Nixon said it's not enough to have the start-up funding. He said the project won't move forward until the money is available to sustain it over time.

"As soon as we have the resources and are guaranteed that we can continue to meet that commitment ... then we'll move forward," he said.

He added that despite an uptick in the economy, there aren't a lot of resources available for new programs.

"As the dollars become available, certainly we'll release them, but when you have a new program there are ongoing costs," he said. "It's really important you have the ongoing resources to meet that."