Thread: Advice on Rotations Residency and Doctor/Residency Spots Shortage

Hi all,

I haven't been on here in a while due to Step studying, but am going to be heading to rotations soon so I thought I'd ask a question on this doctor shortage.

As far as I know, there is a definite doctor shortage in the US. There simply are not enough doctors in the US for the size of our population. Hence, the US schools are increasing their class sizes and some new schools are being created (Allopathic and Osteopathic).

In addition, I've been hearing that the number of residency spots is actually shrinking. Which seems counter intuitive to me. How will the doctor shortage be solved if the number of residency spots continues to shrink? That just means that all the new graduating med students (US or FMG) will not have a residency spot once they graduate.

I also read in another thread that a poster said that the O administration is looking at passing a law expanding the number of residency spots. Is this true? If so, does anyone have a link to a news article with information on this new law?

Does anyone have any advice or first hand experience at finding a rotation spot recently? I will be graduating here in a couple of years and thought I would have an easy time since there is such a doctor shortage and my skills would be in high demand - especially since I am a US citizen who had grown up in the US.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Well, found a link to that new law that the Democrats want to pass:

Bill Would Increase Residency Slots by 15,000 (May 8, 2009)

Anyone here who is a Foreign Medical Graduate should be writing to their Reps/Senators to get that bill passed! Get to emailing!

The amount of residency spots is not shrinking but actualy very slowly growing each year BUT the number of APPLICANTS each year far surpasses the number of residency spots which make sit look like they are shrinking. In fact, they just haven't been growing fast enough!

this bill is good if you want IM or gen surgery, thats about it, but hey who doesnt want more residnecy spots!

Yeah...My thinking is that wonder I will get a good job or residency when I graduate..coz yes there is shortage of docs, but look @ the #'s of school pumping in Docs !! I mean not only US school, but Caribbean and other Foreign schools as well whose grads want to practice in US !!