"Mississippi Delta Medical Apprenticeship Program" (MS DMAP); establish to provide career pathways for students in the Delta.

HB 408 establishes the Mississippi Delta Medical Apprenticeship Program (MS DMAP) for public high school students in grades 9-12 across 18 designated Mississippi Delta counties (including Bolivar, Leflore, and Sunflower) facing critical healthcare worker shortages. The program requires partnerships between schools, medical facilities, and state education/licensing boards to provide hands-on clinical training, academic instruction, and research projects during the apprenticeship. It mandates a stipend for participating students and creates a state trust fund to cover startup costs and operational expenses for school districts and medical facilities. The program aims to build a pipeline of healthcare professionals by connecting students directly to career pathways in underserved Delta communities.