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Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Solve DOC Schortage State by State







Solve DOC Shortage State by State

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSaPTPzTRyY


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.

(1)http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/florida-increases-medical-residency-slots-still-faces-doctor-shortages#stream/0

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