Residency

Laws to ease physician shortage delayed, face opposition

Residency Program Insider, December 18, 2015

Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Residency Program Insider!

Supporters of a new law in Missouri that aims to reduce the physician shortage are frustrated that its implementation has been delayed until next fall--despite being passed 19 months ago. The law, which would allow medical school graduates to skip residency and begin treating patients, has faced opposition from the American Medical Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

Under the Missouri law, someone who graduated from medical school within the past three years and passed the first two rounds of licensing exams within the past two years would be able to apply for a new license categorizing them as an assistant physician. Assistant physicians would then be allowed to service medically underserved areas under the supervision of another physician.  Arkansas and Kansas have enacted similar laws but also have not seen a single medical school graduate go into practice.

Source: Associated Press



Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Residency Program Insider!

    Residency Program Alert

  • Residency Program Alert

    Residency program managers in all specialties are challenged to effectively manage their programs as accrediting agencies...

  • Residency Program Insider

    Residency Program Connection is devoted to bringing residency directors and coordinators expert advice, best practice...

Most Popular