1. United States
2. Tenn.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to address the excessive regulation and rigid education barriers that keep qualified people from entering healthcare. I have a degree in biology from 2009 and 15yr experience in veterinary medical critical care nursing. Yet when I try to transition into human healthcare or laboratory work, I am told I must start over and pay for another degree, often at a cost of $60,000 or more. That is not a practical or fair path for many working adults. At a time when healthcare facilities are struggling with staffing shortages, this system makes no sense. People with real science, clinical, and patient-care experience are being shut out because there is no meaningful bridge pathway. We are wasting talent that could help patients, support providers, and strengthen the healthcare workforce. I ask you to support legislation and policy changes that: create bridge programs into human healthcare careers recognize prior clinical and scientific experience reduce unnecessary licensing and education barriers expand affordable pathways into nursing and laboratory professions The healthcare shortage is real, and so is the solution: stop forcing qualified people to restart from scratch. Thank you for your attention to this important issue.