(1) The department, in consultation with at least the student achievement council, the state board for community and technical colleges, the superintendent of public instruction, and state-supported education programs in medicine, pharmacy, and nursing, shall develop a plan for increasing rural training opportunities for students in medicine, pharmacy, and nursing. The plan shall provide for direct exposure to rural health professional practice conditions for students planning careers in medicine, pharmacy, and nursing.

(2) The department and the medical, pharmacy, and nurse education programs shall:

(a) Inventory existing rural-based clinical experience programs, including internships, clerkships, residencies, and other training opportunities available to students pursuing degrees in nursing, pharmacy, and medicine;

(b) Identify where training opportunities do not currently exist and are needed;

(c) Develop recommendations for improving the availability of rural training opportunities;

(d) Develop recommendations on establishing agreements between education programs to assure that all students in medical, pharmacist, and nurse education programs in the state have access to rural training opportunities; and

(e) Review private and public funding sources to finance rural-based training opportunities.

Effective date—2012 c 229 ss 101, 117, 401, 402, 501 through 594, 601 through 609, 701 through 708, 801 through 821, 902, and 904: See note following RCW 28B.77.005.