After finishing medical school, graduates must enter a residency program, formally called graduate medical education (GME), to complete the required clinical training necessary to obtain a license. Funding for GME programs comes from a combination of the the teaching hospital itself, as well as state and federal resources.
Unfortunately, the 2013 sequestration forced Medicare to cut 2% of its contribution to GME. In addition, President Obama’s most recent budget proposal includes $11 billion in additional cuts directly to GME. Because of this double-blow to GME programs, a substantial burden will be placed on hospitals' ability to train residents into future physicians. This will not only exacerbate the shortage of qualified doctors, but limit access to care and drive up healthcare costs.
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