New Federal Legislation Aims to Protect Conscience Rights in Medical Education

by Nicole Hunt | December 12, 2025 | Life

In November, the Senate and the House introduced legislation to protect the conscience rights of medical students, who object to abortion on moral or religious grounds. 

The measures, S. 3238 and H.R. 6219, are companion bills that were developed simultaneously and introduced on the same day, November 20, 2025.

If passed, the bills require residency programs that receive federal funding through Medicare to make participation in abortions an opt-in program rather than an opt-out program.

Currently, residents have the option to opt-out, but it can often mean unethical pressure to participate in abortion training or professional stigma and concern that it will compromise career options.

By changing the system from an opt-out to an opt-in, there isn’t an implied requirement for all medical students to participate in abortions, abortion counseling or abortion referrals.

The bill simply uses federal requirements as leverage to change the way medical schools manage abortion education for students. In order to keep federal funding, participation in abortion “education” must be voluntary and the school cannot discriminate against students who chose not to participate.

A coalition of pro-life organizations are supporting the legislation, including SBA Pro-Life America, Americans United for Life, National Right to Life, March for Life, Heartbeat International, Alliance Defending Freedom, Students for Life Action, Ethics and Religious Liberty Coalition, Live Action, Heritage Action, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, Liberty Counsel, Liberty Counsel Action, Family Research Council, and AAPLOG Action.

In a press release, Senator Lankford, the primary Senate sponsor of the legislation, said, “Medical residents should never be pressured to violate their beliefs in order to finish their training or advance in their career.”

Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D, the primary sponsor in the House of Representatives, said:

Opting out of such training enables potential retaliation by faculty who have enormous power over residents and their future success. This issue is about restoring a non-ideological educational environment where individuals do not fear expressing moral or religious objections.

Focus on the Family applauds these commonsense measures. No one should feel compelled or coerced to participate in an abortion in violation of their conscience.

Pro-life friends, you can help protect the conscience rights of pro-life doctors in training by contacting your senators and representatives today and urging them to support S. 3238 and H.R. 6219, the Conscience Protections for Medical Residents Act. You can either call their offices directly through the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, or you can use the Senate website directory or the House website directory.

Thank you for being a voice for reason and commonsense in policy making. Let’s protect the right to object to abortion on moral and religious grounds without being targeted for discrimination.