Many areas of Tennessee have a shortage of primary care and OB-GYN care. In 2022, 10 Tennessee counties, including Nashville’s neighbor to the north, Robertson County, had no obstetric provider, according to the annual report to the state legislature. There are shortages of primary care and mental health providers, too, but the state flagged obstetrics as the worst. Even in deserts, women need resources to thrive.

Examining VUSM programs that protect the physician-scientist population