Pro-Life Laws are NOT causing Medical Students to Leave Texas

When abortion was made illegal in Texas, the Left stoked fear that no doctor would want to train or practice in our Pro-Life state. This would be a major concern — if it were true. National data indicates that these fears are unfounded, and in fact, the medical community continues to grow in Pro-Life states.

It has been over two years since the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) overturned Roe v. Wade with its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022). That would be plenty of time to see the effects of medical professionals fleeing Pro-Life states or choosing not to take their talents to these states. However, we are seeing the opposite.

Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) confirms this. Enrollment in medical schools is up nationwide, including in states that protect preborn Life. Compared to 2019–2020, enrollment increased by 6.6% in the 2023–2024 academic year in Pro-Life states. This is a great development, as Texas will need more doctors to provide life-affirming healthcare to mothers and children, both inside and outside the womb.

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But medical school isn’t where education ends for a doctor. Once they have graduated and completed an internship, new doctors apply for residency programs anywhere they choose. Because most doctors end up settling where they complete their residency, we can use residency applications as a somewhat reliable metric for where doctors will end up. Residency applications to programs in Pro-Life states have decreased slightly.

However, this was less than a 2% decrease. In fact, 86.8% of residency applications were to states that have at least some Pro-Life protections. Many of these programs are receiving more applications than they have spots available, meaning that there won’t be a shortage of medical residents in these areas.

There have also been concerns that Pro-Life laws would lead to the closure of maternity wards and entire hospitals. Hospital closure has been an issue for years, long before Dobbs. The reason that most hospitals close is a lack of demand or a lack of funding. A maternity ward that delivers very few babies will have trouble staying open. It seems that Pro-Life laws would work to solve this problem since more babies would be carried to term where they can be born.

There have also been false narratives parroted by the Left that doctors should leave Pro-Life states, like Texas, to ensure they can provide critical care when a pregnant mother’s life is in danger.

However, as Dr. Ingrid Skop of the Charlotte Lozier Institute explains, initial confusion among Texas physicians regarding Pro-Life laws has improved. The Texas Medical Board and Texas Supreme Court both clarified that doctors can use their medical judgment to intervene when necessary to save the mother’s life or if a major bodily function is at risk. Data from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services shows that physicians intervene when needed to save the mother’s life, with 62 such cases in 2023 and 32 in early 2024.

There is no reason to spread false fears about medical professionals fleeing Pro-Life states. All this does is decrease confidence in the medical care being provided in those states, putting pregnant women in danger. Pro-Life laws are saving lives across the nation, and our medical community is an integral part of this effort.