"Financing Graduate Medical Education — Mounting Pressure for Reform",
by John K. Iglehart, NEJM: Perspective, March 21, 2012.
“A significant step forward is the announcement by the ACGME [Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education] describing major changes in how the nation's residency programs will be accredited in the future, putting in place an outcomes-based evaluation system by which new physicians will be measured for their competency in performing the essential tasks necessary for clinical practice in the 21st century.” ~ Dr. Darrell Kirch, chief executive officer of the AAMC.
Labels: accreditation, ACGME, financing, graduate medical education, medical education, medical reform, medical residency programs, NEJM, United States
Some interesting statistical projections for the next ten years came out during a recent panel discussion held at the annual conference in Chicago of the
Association of Staff Physician Recruiters. Here are a few highlights:
"By 2020, there is expected to be a shortage of 91,500 physicians — 45,400 primary care and 46,100 subspecialists — in the United States..."
"By 2019, the number of physicians reaching retirement age is expected to more than double, compared to 2009."
"Medical school enrollment is projected to increase 40 percent by 2015, compared to 2002, according to AAMC data. More medical schools are expected to open across the country, and growth in non-U.S. based medical schools enrolling U.S. students (such as Caribbean-based institutions) also influence this increase."
"...the number of residency and fellowship slots actually grew nearly 18 percent between 2000 and 2009..."
Read the full news report from the Becker Hospital Review by clicking on the post title. Labels: medical students, physician shortage, statistics, United States
Dr. Cecil B. Wilson,
AMA President, speaking recently to the Society of Hospital Medicine:
"Right now, the AMA estimates that there will be
a shortage of at least 125,000 physicians by 2025. The problem is not just the number of the physicians but who they are and where they practice. Some of the greatest physician shortages are in rural areas and in minority communities. Recruiting minority physicians has been a challenge, he said, in part because of the high cost of medical school, but also because there are few minority role models in the medical community."
Click on the post title for the news report by Mary Ellen Schneider on
Elevier Global Medical News.
Labels: AMA, physician shortage, United States
Becker's Hospital Review has released it's list of what it has determined to be the top 50 hospitals in America. The list covers
"a wide spectrum from well-known academic medical centers to less widely recognized community hospitals. Each of these organizations has put patients' needs first, driven a variety of innovations and helped to set the bar for high-quality care. Each hospital has an impressive list of achievements and a story to tell."
Click on the post title to access the full article by
Leigh Page called
"50 Best Hospitals in America" (Feb 24, 2011).
Labels: hospital ratings, Hospitals, United States
Part of the
"American Experience" series, this PBS documentary film narrates personal accounts of polio survivors; interviews historians, scientists, and researchers; and is based in part on David Oshinsky's award-winning book
Polio in America.
"The story of the polio crusade pays tribute to a time when Americans banded together to conquer a terrible disease. The medical breakthrough saved countless lives and had a pervasive impact on American philanthropy that continues to be felt today."
Labels: history of medicine, infectious diseases, medical research, polio, United States
PBS Series on Health DisparitiesThe U.S. is one of the richest countries on earth yet ranks 29th globally in terms of life expectancy! This four hour series examines America's glaring socio-economic and racial inequalities in health to try to find the root causes. There appears to be much more behind this than bad habits, health care, or genetics!
Click on the title for more information and watch your local listings; airing will begin on PBS March 27, April 3, 7, and 10.Labels: health disparities, PBS, racial inequality, socio-economic inequalities, TV documentary series, United States
