PROFESSIONAL ISSUES

Innovative funding opens new residency slots

Despite a lack of fresh federal dollars, some hospitals are adding residency positions.

By Myrle Croasdale, AMNews Staff. Jan. 30, 2006.

While some are lobbying for Congress to increase the amount it spends on graduate medical education, a handful of teaching institutions have found their own sources of money in recent years to expand the number of residency slots their programs offer.

Although Medicare funding for residents remains frozen at 1996 levels, data recently examined by the Assn. of American Medical Colleges' Center for Workforce Studies show that the total number of residency slots has inched up 4% between 1998 and 2004.

To pay for this growth, academic medical centers are cobbling together funds from state governments, hospitals' bottom lines and Medicaid. The American Academy of Dermatology even tapped corporate sources to help pay for new dermatology residencies that will start later this year. (See correction)

The efforts come as consensus is growing that a national physician shortage lies ahead. Some experts say adding slots is important, even though the government isn't pitching in more money, because it's the only way to increase the physician supply and ensure there are enough doctors to meet the public's medical care needs.

Work force experts are just beginning to examine the growth closely. For example, they are looking at what specialties are growing and where, geographically, residencies are being added.

Some, though, worry that money-making specialities such as orthopedic surgery will see the biggest growth, while fields such as family medicine will be left behind.

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