Sure, adding more medical schools can help address physician shortages. But it's just as important to expand residency programs, say medical school deans in Florida, one of 23 states targeted by a new federal residency-promotion bill. In Florida, the number of med school graduates should double during the next 10 years, but aren't any current plans on the table to dramatically increase the number of residency slots. However, things will change if The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act passes. The bill, which hasn't yet gotten bipartisan support, would establish 1,222 new residency slots across the nation, including 347 in Florida. Since doctors usually end up practicing where they complete their residencies, the bill could help Florida and other states retain the doctors they need to beat ongoing shortages, experts said.
To learn more about the residency problem:
- read this Orlando Sentinel piece