Health News
- Panel Of Physicians At National Conference Discuss Future Of Rural Primary Care, How To Solve Doctor Shortages
More needs to be done to address the shortage of primary-care physicians, a big problem in rural areas and much of Kentucky, according to a panel of physicians at "Rural Health Journalism 2014," Kris Hickman writes for the Association of Health Care...
- Doctor Shortage News: Residencies Are Filling The Pond With Primary Care Doctors, But U.s. And Ky. Need An Ocean Of Them
Despite a critical shortage of primary care in the country, only 25 percent of newly educated doctors go into this field, and even worse for the mostly-rural Kentucky, less than 5 percent go on to practice in rural areas, says a study by researchers at...
- New Health Law And Aging Baby Boomers' Anticipated Strain On The System Is About To Make Chronic Doctor Shortage Worse
Kentucky's persistent physician shortage is hardly new. Almost a century ago, the Frontier Nursing Service came to Hyden on the presumption that doctors wouldn't. A report from the Health Resources and Services Administration in 2005 found that...
- 13 Kentucky Schools, 11 In Perry County, Receive Funds And Other Help To Get More Kids Eating Breakfast
Thirteen Kentucky schools will receive money and other help to get more children eating breakfast at school, an undertaking funded by Kellogg's cereal company and Action for Healthy Kids. The goal is to serve 1 million more breakfasts nationwide to...
- Will Illinois Have Enough Family Physicians Beyond 2014?
Do we have enough physicians to care for newly insured patients seeking care starting Jan. 1? Some will be covered by Medicaid; some gain coverage through the insurance marketplace; and others turning 65 join the ranks of Medicare. The Illinois Academy...
Health News
More residency placements will be needed as medical school enrollments rise, perhaps by 30 percent through 2016
Aimed at addressing expected physician shortages, enrollment at U.S. medical schools is on target to increase by 30 percent by 2016, the Medical School Enrollment Survey has found.
But even if enrollment rises through expansion of medical schools and construction of new ones, "This won't amount to a single new doctor in practice without an expansion of residency positions," said Dr. Darrell G. Kirch, president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges.
First-year medical school enrollment is expected to reach 21,376 in 2016-17, a 29.6 percent increase over enrollment in 2002-03. Nearly 60 percent of the growth will happen in the 125 medical schools that were accredited in 2002; 25 percent will happen in schools accredited since then, and 17 percent will come from schools that are applicant or candidate schools.
The United States is facing a shortfall of more than 90,000 primary care and specialty doctors by 2020, the AAMC estimates. With medical schools stepping up, what's key is "an increase in federal funding to expand the number of residency training positions ? which prepare new doctors for independent practice," research-reporting service Newswise reports.
"Otherwise it may become more difficult for medical students to complete their training and for patients to get the care they need ? as our population continues to grow and age, more doctors retire, and 32 million Americans enter the health care system as a result of the Affordable Care Act," Kirch said. (Read more)
But even if enrollment rises through expansion of medical schools and construction of new ones, "This won't amount to a single new doctor in practice without an expansion of residency positions," said Dr. Darrell G. Kirch, president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges.
First-year medical school enrollment is expected to reach 21,376 in 2016-17, a 29.6 percent increase over enrollment in 2002-03. Nearly 60 percent of the growth will happen in the 125 medical schools that were accredited in 2002; 25 percent will happen in schools accredited since then, and 17 percent will come from schools that are applicant or candidate schools.
The United States is facing a shortfall of more than 90,000 primary care and specialty doctors by 2020, the AAMC estimates. With medical schools stepping up, what's key is "an increase in federal funding to expand the number of residency training positions ? which prepare new doctors for independent practice," research-reporting service Newswise reports.
"Otherwise it may become more difficult for medical students to complete their training and for patients to get the care they need ? as our population continues to grow and age, more doctors retire, and 32 million Americans enter the health care system as a result of the Affordable Care Act," Kirch said. (Read more)
- Panel Of Physicians At National Conference Discuss Future Of Rural Primary Care, How To Solve Doctor Shortages
More needs to be done to address the shortage of primary-care physicians, a big problem in rural areas and much of Kentucky, according to a panel of physicians at "Rural Health Journalism 2014," Kris Hickman writes for the Association of Health Care...
- Doctor Shortage News: Residencies Are Filling The Pond With Primary Care Doctors, But U.s. And Ky. Need An Ocean Of Them
Despite a critical shortage of primary care in the country, only 25 percent of newly educated doctors go into this field, and even worse for the mostly-rural Kentucky, less than 5 percent go on to practice in rural areas, says a study by researchers at...
- New Health Law And Aging Baby Boomers' Anticipated Strain On The System Is About To Make Chronic Doctor Shortage Worse
Kentucky's persistent physician shortage is hardly new. Almost a century ago, the Frontier Nursing Service came to Hyden on the presumption that doctors wouldn't. A report from the Health Resources and Services Administration in 2005 found that...
- 13 Kentucky Schools, 11 In Perry County, Receive Funds And Other Help To Get More Kids Eating Breakfast
Thirteen Kentucky schools will receive money and other help to get more children eating breakfast at school, an undertaking funded by Kellogg's cereal company and Action for Healthy Kids. The goal is to serve 1 million more breakfasts nationwide to...
- Will Illinois Have Enough Family Physicians Beyond 2014?
Do we have enough physicians to care for newly insured patients seeking care starting Jan. 1? Some will be covered by Medicaid; some gain coverage through the insurance marketplace; and others turning 65 join the ranks of Medicare. The Illinois Academy...