The American Medical Association voted Wednesday to support innovative education models to address physician shortages in specialties that are undersupplied and areas that are underserved.
The new policy encourages federal and state governments and private payers to satisfactorily fund graduate medical education and increase the number of available GME slots.
The new policy also encourages the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education and the American Osteopathic Association to develop and foster methods to train and reward physicians who are part of patient-centered care teams.
"As more patients continue to receive health care coverage, it is essential that the next generation of physicians is sufficiently trained," said Stephen Permut, MD, an AMA board member, in a news release. "Increasing funding for graduate medical education will help us accomplish that."
In addition to the new policy, last year the AMA dedicated $11 million to the 'Accelerating Change in Medical Education Initiative' in which 11 medical schools are participating to fill the gaps in medical education and help ease the physician shortages.
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