Physician Retraining & Reentry was recently featured in an article by the California Health Care Foundation on programs that help experienced physicians return to practice to ease provider shortages in low-income communities.

The article credited PRR and La Clínica Monument in Concord, Calif., for “generating opportunities for senior physicians to refresh and renew their medical practices.” This benefits both the physicians and the communities they serve, according to the article.

PRR past participant Dr. Michael LaRocque shared his return-to-practice story with CHCF. He retired after running a urology practice but wanted to return to practice to provide care to underserved populations. He retrained as a primary care physician through PRR and now practices at Vista Community Clinic, a federally qualified health center that serves mostly a Latino population in northern San Diego County.

“I know my patients are not only struggling to understand their health problems, but many are also facing incredible stress from financial difficulties, language barriers, and sometimes the inability to read and write in their native language,” LaRocque told CHCF. “I’m glad I can help them on the path to healing.”

PRR CEO Thomas DeRosa added: “Getting doctors to extend their careers is the best way to deal with the physician shortage.”

Read the entire article, Retired California Physicians Return to Practice Medicine in Low-Income Communities, on the CHCF website.