Congressman Aaron Schock is renewing his effort to get more doctors into the workforce the same day fourth year medical students matched for residency assignments. Peoria Public Radio’s Tanya Koonce reports.
The Peoria Republican says it was an exciting day for many new doctors, but also disappointing for those who didn’t get placed. He says the number of residency slots needs to be increased to counterbalance the current and pending doctor shortage. Schock says the American Medical College estimates a shortage of 130,000 doctors in the next decade.
“Our bill that we’re introducing increases the number of graduate medical education slots by 15,000. But it focuses half of that 15,000 on primary care physicians,” Schock says.
He estimates the measure would cost two Billion dollars over ten years. The expense born largely through the federal grants teaching hospitals receive for each medical residencies slot they host. Schock introduced the same measure last year. He is co-sponsor this year’s proposal with Democratic Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz from Pennsylvania.