Graduate Medical Education: Addressing the Doctor Shortage

New section

Residency slots are extremely competitive due to their limited number, and limited federal funding for residency training is one of the reasons.

New section

New section

Two health care workers with female patient in examining room

The federal government, through Medicare, supports its share of the costs associated with training residents. The amount of Medicare support was effectively capped by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, limiting the number of doctors that our nation’s teaching hospitals could train. Legislation providing a modest increase in Medicare support for residency, also known as graduate medical education (GME), has been introduced.

America faces a nationwide physician shortage as demand for health care accelerates because of a growing, diversifying, and aging population. Residency plays a crucial role in preparing physicians like you to meet this increased demand. Establishing a physician workforce able to meet the nation's future health care needs requires adequate investment in GME.

You’re devoting your life to the care of others. Medical schools are enrolling more students to keep up with rising demand for care, and, along with teaching hospitals, are working to innovate and provide a better learning environment for residents and better care for patients. All that’s left is for our nation’s leaders to strengthen the foundation of our medical system and secure support for GME.

Learn more about what the AAMC is doing on GME, including about proposed GME expansion legislation on our Key Issue page.

New section

AAMC Action
AAMC Action

GME funding, IME funding, and research funding are critical to your future as a next-generation doctor. You can’t have one without the others. But too often, Congress forgets how important it is to keep funding for these three critical programs strong.

Visit AAMCaction.org
Key Issues in Academic Medicine

The AAMC focuses on a number of key issues including GME funding, medical research, and teaching hospitals.

View the AAMC's Current Key Issues
Washington Highlights

Washington Highlights is a weekly electronic newsletter that features brief updates on the latest legislative and regulatory activities affecting medical schools and teaching hospitals.

View the Latest Stories