The nation is experiencing the beginning of a physician shortage, with primary care being especially hard hit. As the U.S. population grows and millions of baby boomers age, this shortage promises to get worse, with major repercussions for the health of the nation. The American Medical Association (AMA) has passed a new policy at its semi-annual policymaking meeting aimed at increasing the ranks of primary care physicians.
The AMA’s new policy includes a multi-pronged action plan addressing medical student debt, recruitment and training, and increased payments by insurers for primary care services. One challenge facing medical students considering primary care is their substantial medical school debt. On average, a medical student graduates owing $140,000, which can lead students to consider pursuing a career in higher paying specialties. The AMA will support programs to decrease the debt load of physicians who choose to practice primary care, including scholarships and loan repayment plans.
The AMA will also conduct studies on new models of care, such as the medical home, that may improve the quality of patient care and make the practice of primary care more rewarding for physicians. To spur broader interest in practicing primary care, the AMA will work with other organizations, such as medical schools, to develop new and innovative ways of recruiting and training primary care physicians. This may include offering students more educational experiences in community-based settings, like smaller hospitals or rural health clinics.
