In a bid to meet a growing deficit of physicians and nurses in the province the Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Labor and the Ministry of Health have come together to provide 2 million dollars in funding to Saskatchewan Academic Health Sciences Network (SAHSN).

The funds are said to help SAHSN develop its medical and nursing program and expand it beyond the borders of Saskatoon. Saskatchewan, which has an abysmal record when it comes to attracting and retaining medical graduates, is planning on turning this around by increasing the number of medical seats from 60 to 84 and the residential seats to 100 from the previously allotted 60. There are plans to further increase the numbers to 100 and 120 respectively.

Of these 40% would be based in Saskatchewan, 40 per cent in Regina and the remaining 20 per cent would be spread across the province.

Health Minister Don McMorris defended the distribution stating, "It's having the students experience more than just the Saskatoon and Regina setting. If they do all their formal education in an urban setting, then they tend to stay there".