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TUCSON- Population boom and healthcare reform has the medical community concerned the nation wide doctor shortage will get worse, before it gets better.

A significant impact is felt in Arizona because it's one of the fastest growing states.

"Only recently have begun to ramp up," says Pima Co. Medical Society Executive Director Steve Nash, who says the industry is 30 years behind. "Until we catch up, we're going to be working very hard so you're going to have those four minute doctor visits.

They're facing the challenge head on at Diamond Children's Medical Center where they're preparing future doctors to make up for the shortage.

Officials there say the best investment is to train future doctors just like Tucson native and University of Arizona graduate Michelle Aguilar who will stay in Arizona.

Aguilar is less than two weeks into her residency, using the Arizona Medical Student Loan program to pay for school, "I'm promising to give back four years of commitment in an under served rural area in the state."

She knows there are tough challenges ahead, "Like the number of people we should see in the clinic and the amount of time we can devote to our patients."

Nash says it's hard to tell when things will turn around, even though Arizona medical schools are turning out more doctors now more than ever, "It doesn't matter. It takes four years to graduate from medical school but an additional 3-5 years of training before they're a doctor. To the U of A's credit they've recognized this a long time ago."

It's one reason University Physicians Health Care Hospital is increasing their residency programs, focusing on under-served Arizona rural areas.