Kelly, Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Military Medics Transition into Civilian Health Care Careers
MEDIC Careers Act would strengthen health care workforce by reducing barriers for veterans to enter nursing and other health professions
Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced the Medic Education and Deployment into Civilian (MEDIC) Careers Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation to support transitioning military medics and corpsmen by reducing bureaucratic and credentialing barriers that make it harder for military-trained health personnel to transfer their skills into the civilian health workforce.
The United States is projected to face a shortage of 275,000 nurses by 2030. At the same time, more than 173,000 health care personnel serve in the U.S. Armed Forces, including military medics who deliver critical care in combat zones, hospitals, and clinics. But without a uniform civilian credentialing system, many veterans are forced to repeat training they’ve already completed—slowing their transition into the workforce or pushing them out of health care altogether. The MEDIC Careers Act aims to fix that by streamlining the path from military service to civilian health care careers in rural or medically underserved areas.
“The health care workforce is stretched thin while many highly trained military medics are underutilized once they leave service because of red tape,” said Kelly. “That’s a missed opportunity. These men and women already have the training and experience to step into critical health care roles. We should be clearing a path so they can keep doing what they do best: saving lives.”
The ‘Medic Education and Deployment into Civilian Careers Act of 2025’ presents a timely opportunity to review barriers that may exist in today’s workforce and to provide a pilot mechanism to explore smart solutions,” said Kandi Tillman, Co-Founder of 50strong. “By enabling military professionals to practice in roles that reflect the scope of their military healthcare training, we can strengthen nationwide healthcare access, especially in underserved and rural areas, while ensuring transitioning veterans and their families are connected to meaningful careers as civilians. I applaud Senator Kelly for introducing this legislation and I look forward to meaningful, bipartisan dialogue that will move it forward.”
“Arizona’s veterans and transitioning service members bring unmatched discipline, expertise, and readiness to our healthcare workforce. The MEDIC Careers Act of 2025 is a critical step toward ensuring their military training and credentials align with civilian healthcare roles—streamlining their path into high-demand careers. HonorHealth’s Military Partnership program has already trained over 1,700 medics in trauma readiness and continues to lead with a robust veteran hiring initiative. By recognizing and integrating the skills of our service members, we not only strengthen our healthcare system but honor their service with meaningful career opportunities,” said Michelle Pabis, Vice President Government & Community Affairs, HonorHealth.
The MEDIC Careers Act would:
- Identify barriers to standardizing military medic training and aligning it with civilian credentialing requirements;
- Evaluate the effectiveness of current transition assistance programs for military health care personnel;
- Explore the impact of states clarifying equivalencies between military training and civilian health care licenses; and
- Update an existing Department of Defense grant program to support eligible civilian health care providers and service members in hiring, training, or retraining, and retention efforts while also leveraging G.I. benefits.
Read the bill text here.
