UC Merced's SJV PRIME Program Aims to Grow Central California Healthcare Workforce

The program is creating a pathway for local students to pursue medical careers and serve the region.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 11:35pm

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A translucent X-ray photograph of a stethoscope, its internal structure revealed as glowing lines against a dark background, symbolizing the advanced medical technology and expertise that the SJV PRIME+ program seeks to bring to the region.A new medical education program at UC Merced aims to train the next generation of healthcare providers for Central California's underserved communities.Merced Today

A medical education program at UC Merced, called the San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education (SJV PRIME+), is working to address the healthcare worker shortage in Central California. The program focuses on recruiting high school students from the region and providing them a pathway to medical school and careers as doctors serving the local community.

Why it matters

Central California faces a significant shortage of healthcare workers, with the region having only 217 physicians per 100,000 people compared to a statewide average of 358 per 100,000. The SJV PRIME+ program aims to train a new generation of doctors who will stay and practice in the region, improving access to medical care for local residents.

The details

The SJV PRIME+ program is a partnership between UC Merced, UC San Francisco, and UCSF Fresno. It is the first BS-to-MD program in the San Joaquin Valley, focused on recruiting high school students from Central California. The program provides students like Samneet Deol, a third-year Bioengineering major at UC Merced, the opportunity to pursue medical school and stay close to their local community. Construction is also underway on a new 200,000-square-foot Medical Education Building at UC Merced, which is expected to open by 2027 and welcome the first cohort of medical students.

  • UC Merced's new Medical Education Building is slated to open by fall 2026.
  • The first cohort of medical students is expected to attend the new facility starting in 2027.

The players

Samneet Deol

A third-year Bioengineering student at UC Merced who is part of the SJV PRIME+ program and hopes to one day work in healthcare, inspired by her father's career as a nurse practitioner.

Dr. Margo Vener

The chair of the Department of Medical Education at UC Merced, who oversees the SJV PRIME+ program and its goal of training doctors to serve the Central California region.

UC Merced

The university leading the SJV PRIME+ program in partnership with UC San Francisco and UCSF Fresno, with the aim of creating a pipeline for local students to pursue medical careers.

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What they’re saying

“At the end of the day, I would hear his stories and how he helped patients, especially here in the Valley. My parents are immigrants. Growing up, it was hard learning English and everything.”

— Samneet Deol, UC Merced Student

“The idea is to build out a three-campus regional collaboration so that students who are from the Valley can have all of their training in the Valley, and then stay and become doctors for the community.”

— Dr. Margo Vener, Chair of the Department of Medical Education, UC Merced

What’s next

The new Medical Education Building at UC Merced is expected to open in fall 2026, with the first cohort of medical students slated to begin classes in the facility in 2027.

The takeaway

The SJV PRIME+ program at UC Merced is a crucial initiative to address the healthcare worker shortage in Central California by creating a pipeline for local students to pursue medical careers and serve their home communities. This program, combined with the new state-of-the-art Medical Education Building, will help improve access to quality healthcare for residents across the region.