The United States is facing a physician shortage that could have significant implications for healthcare access and quality, with lasting impacts on physicians and patients alike. The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) has projected that by 2036, the nation could be short as many as 86,000 physicians, depending on investments in medical education and policy interventions. This shortage threatens to worsen existing healthcare disparities and limit the availability of care, particularly in underserved areas. The crisis stems from the growing number of medical school graduates, but not enough residency spots to train all of them.  

To combat this shortage, legislative efforts have been introduced, most notably the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023 (US S 1302 and US HR 2389). These bipartisan bills aim to increase the number of Medicare-supported residency slots by 14,000 over the next seven years, with 2,000 positions added annually. One-third of these new slots would be reserved for hospitals that already exceed their Medicare-supported caps, allowing them to train more physicians without bearing the full financial burden. These pieces of legislation represent a crucial step toward expanding the healthcare workforce and ensuring that more physicians are trained to meet the nation’s growing healthcare needs.  

In addition to legislative action, many teaching hospitals are proactively expanding their residency programs, even beyond the caps set by Medicare. These expansions are vital, as data consistently shows that physicians often choose to practice in the regions where they completed their residencies. By increasing the number of trained physicians, particularly in high-demand specialties, these efforts can help address the shortage and improve healthcare access across the country. But to really fix the physician shortage, we need to keep investing in graduate medical school education and push for the enactment of supportive legislation.  

To learn more about the physician shortage, its impact on the future of healthcare, and other challenges physicians face, check out our recent white paper.