Until the residency deficit has been resolved, I suggest
that each state “preserve” its own doctors.Currently, the “best numerical candidates” prevail in the residency
match (see previous blogs).That would
have to change.
The tradition of Medical Education is to “reward” the “best”
students.The students with the best
GPA, the best test scores, get into the most competitive schools and
residencies.It’s hard to change that
mindset.Every institution wants to attract
“the best”.Any graduate doctor who has
passed the requirements of “The Match” already is “the best”.
I recall the tuition for medical school in South
Carolina 5-10 years ago.Tuition for in-state residents was
approximately $50,000/year, and out-of-state $80,000/year.I remember thinking that if accepted to a South
Carolina medical school, a student could get their
education, but South Carolina
would not be underwriting any part of that cost.South Carolina
would not share in the expense of a doctor’s education, only to have the
graduate leave upon graduation.
Here are the dollars
that Florida has allocated to
increase the numbers of residencies in the state:
2013,
$80 Million for recurring State and Federal funding for Graduate Medical
Education (residencies)
2015, additional
$100 Million appropriated by Florida Legislators for “Graduate Medical
Education Startup Bonus Program”
Program
“Gives hospitals a one-time $100,000 Bonus for every new residency slot in
shortage specialties” (1)
The
first year 66 new residency positions in seven shortage specialties
qualified for the bonus” (1)
Florida
faces a shortage of 7,000 physician specialists by 2025
As described in a prior blog, Arkansas
and Kansas are garnering doctors
for their own states.Their residency solutions
apply only to their citizens.Until the
residency deficit is eliminated, I believe that Florida
should do the same.Florida
tax dollars are providing the monetary incentives to increase the number of
residencies in Florida.So Florida
residents and its unmatched doctors should benefit.Residency selection in Florida
residencies should be skewed toward residents of Florida,
not using the traditional numerical ”cutpoints”.Florida
is addressing the residency shortage by allocating tax dollars to increase the
number of residencies.The State of Florida
and its doctor grads should benefit from these tax dollars.These are the doctors who plan to live, work,
and stay in Florida.
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