profession
Mississippi aims to boost doctor supply with more residencies
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 7, 2012
A new Mississippi law will create more residency positions with the goal of keeping primary care physicians in the state.
The state has the country’s lowest per-capita primary care physician supply, with 8.3 doctors per 10,000 residents compared with the national average of 12.8 per 10,000. On April 24, Gov. Phil Bryant signed legislation that establishes the Office of Mississippi Physician Workforce at the University of Mississippi Medical Center to support the creation of more primary care residency programs and assess the state’s work force needs (link). UMMC researchers estimate that 50% of graduates who go out of state for residencies never return, while about 80% of those who train at UMMC later practice in Mississippi.
Bryant said the state must add 1,000 doctors by 2025. “Expanding our state’s medical residency programs will directly increase the number of physicians who remain in Mississippi to practice,” he said. “We know that new doctors generate about $2 million in economic impact in their communities, and more doctors means better health care for our citizens.”
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/05/07/prbf0507.htm.
