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Oklahoma looking for more physicians

Residency Program Insider, September 25, 2019

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The president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association is lobbying state lawmakers to fund more residency positions. Association president Larry Bookman, MD, says that increasing the number of residencies in the state will hopefully increase the number of physicians practicing in the state.

“There’s an extreme shortage. Oklahoma is one of the deserts for physicians in the United States,” said Bookman in an interview with News9.

News9 also reports that some hospitals in rural areas of Oklahoma have had to close because of physician shortages.

Bookman believes that the state won’t be able to increase the number of practicing physicians without focusing on residency slots. Statistics have shown that physicians tend to stay and practice where they complete their residency.

This year, state lawmakers pledged $62.8 million to Oklahoma teaching hospitals.
Bookman said that was to make up for lost federal funding, and the one-time funds won’t produce a large number of residency positions.

“You can’t have a five-year residency and only know it’s funded for one year,” added Bookman.

Source: News9
 

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