STOCKTON, Calif.—University of California, Merced wants to add a medical school to help increase the number of physicians in the Central Valley.

The area from Bakersfield to Sacramento lags every other region in the state in health care, with 30 percent fewer physicians and half as many specialists for its population, according to a UC Merced study published in January.

The area’s population continues to grow, and many residents report that they rely on emergency room visits for primary care.

“It’s concerning if there is an outbreak of pandemic flu or significant medical problem. The resources are already stretched to their limits,” said Dale Bishop, assistant health officer for San Joaquin County Public Health Services.

The UC report found that physicians are more likely to stay in the area where they complete training.

Preliminary plans to get approval for a new medical school could take several years, followed by another five to seven years to open a school, said the project’s leader, Maria Pallavicini, UC Merced’s dean of natural sciences.

The medical school is estimated to cost between $50 million and $60 million a year to operate.

The UC system has medical schools at its campuses in Davis, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Irvine. UC Riverside also is expected to present a medical school proposal to the Board of Regents.