The United States Senate legislation has proposed a new bill that will introduce a 15,000 new residency positions across the United States.
The bill mentions an increase of 3,000 new positions each Medicare Fiscal year starting from 2013 until 2017. The full text of the bill is available online and here's the link http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:S.1627:#
This will lift the limit of the 100,000 cap that has been enforced on the number of residency slots in the year 1997.
The senate intention is to meet the increasing demands for physicians as the US populations ages more and more.
If this bill is signed into law, it means there will be more chances for more US medical graduates and also International Medical Graduates to get into residency training in USA, thereafter, potentially increasing the doctors workforce in America.
I'm wondering if the competitive residency programs (R.O.A.D.) will somehow open their doors to deserving IMGs since more residents are needed. Dont get me wrong. I know IMGs match to those programs but only a very small percentage of them because AMGs are more favored
Although this is the step in the right direction, I think there should be certain amendments that should be made:
1. Priority of hiring Citizens and or Lawful residents should be made priority over sponsoring visas.
For-Argument: The funding of these positions is by lawful citizens and residents of the country through tax dollar, and its only fair they benefit the most. The intended result of this change is to serve the American people so that they may have a primary care physician especially in an under served areas. By sponsoring certain types of visas, this typically requires the residents who once finished their training to return to their country, thus not serving the purpose of the bill.
2. According to the bill, only 1/2 of the positions set forth are required to be staged for Primary Care. This should be increased to 3/4, which is where the shortage lies.
I've already emailed my state senator to inquire about the progress of the bill as well as to make the above amendments. All residents should do the same!
But Any img doing residency in US will be very much willing to work in US only...
Serving the tax payee of US only..What makes the difference..
Any one who want to work outside US will not want to do Residency in US ..It cost more money and time..
Well, this is hopeful news, but I certainly see no reason to get all excited about this. It was only introduced in Sept 2011 and has now been refereed to the Finance senate committee. In the US everything...EVERYTHING is determined by money. Given the current economic scenario, I highly suspect if the senate would be able to afford the extra funding for 3000 seats/year. Moreover a similar bill introduced few years back was shot down.
The bill has still got a long way to go.
Reporting by Committee ...
Senate Vote ...
House Vote ...
Signing by President
However, let's stay positive and hope that by some miracle this gets passed.
Good luck you all
This bill has yet to take off, I agree with xpabhishek, this bill is LIKELY to get shot down if its even brought up within the senate within the next 12 months due to the presidential elections, and it directly leading to an increase in cost.
I guess the down fall has started as reported by USMLEontherun
, visas for CS aren't being issued (echoed throughout the online usmle community).
Is it actually working as mentioned?
It would really increase our chances then.
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