Expanding US Medical Residency Programs
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/expanding-us-medical-residency-progra...ms-programs
This petition is seeking for Congress to increase the number of Medical Residency positions in the US by a) funding more positions, and b) redefining residencies to allow more positions.
The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 froze the number of medical residents eligible for funding at 1996 levels, although various programs managed to increase residencies by obtaining grants and using alternative funding.
In 2006, there were 21,659 positions available.
19,349 graduating medical school seniors applied to the match (the system for filling the positions), leaving 2310 positions to be filled by US citizens who graduated from international medical school, and non-citizen graduates of international medical schools.
Since then, US Medical schools have been called upon to increase class size to provide for an anticipated physician shortage. In 2010 there were 22,809 positions (all information here is from The National Residency Match Program, advance data tables, 2010 Match), and
23670 seniors applying , leaving 861 without the possibility of a position. In fact, the situation is worse as 4704 positions went to US citizens who graduated from international medical school, and non-citizen graduates of international medical schools; leaving 4121 Graduating US Seniors without a position. The vast majority of this number have student debt and at the current level of available residencies they will never find a position as medical schools continue to increase class size.
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