The initiative, which still needs final approval from state health officials, would allow a limited number of veterans to work at certain hospitals without additional education or training, according to the administration's announcement. The pilot would start with just 10 eligible veterans and focus on "certain medication administration activities," with the state then assessing how participants' skills map onto civilian health care roles.

Eric Goralnick, the state's secretary of veterans services, described the proposal as a "win-win" — both for former medics re-entering civilian life and for local hospitals grappling with persistent workforce shortages.

Goralnick said thousands of military medics leave active duty across the country each year. He described them as a "Swiss Army knife for military medicine," trained in everything from emergency and ambulatory care to surgery and prescribing. Yet many never pursue civilian health careers because no equivalent credential exists for their experience.

"They are more than a patient care assistant," Goralnick said. "They're some combination of a nurse, a physician assistant, a doctor ... So it's a missed opportunity for people with really wonderful training to contribute to the healthcare workforce."

He said the state is drawing on a similar effort in Virginia, which has grown to partner with more than 50 health care facilities.

Beyond filling immediate staffing gaps, Goralnick said he hopes the pilot will steer participants toward further education — nursing school, physician assistant programs and medical school among the possibilities.

The proposal arrives as hospitals across the region continue to report difficulty recruiting clinical staff, and as state officials look for ways to keep skilled workers in Massachusetts. For veterans, the program could offer a faster route back into meaningful work after service.

Final approval rests with state health officials, and the administration has not announced a timeline for when the first participants could begin.