Image courtesy of @AAMCtoday.On April 9, 2024, an AAMC-sponsored briefing was held in a U.S. Congressional session to examine the impact of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA, 2021). The CAA, 2021 allowed for 1,000 Medicare-supported graduate medical education (GME) positions to be added to health systems around the United States. UAB’s Craig Hoesley, M.D., senior associate dean for Medical Education, participated as one of three panelists representing health systems and hospitals that have benefited from the legislation.
With its five-year distribution rollout of the 1,000 slots, the CAA aims to address the U.S. physician shortage, with specific attention paid to underserved and rural areas. This is the first legislative increase in Medicare-supported GME in nearly 25 years. Hoesley spoke to how the increased number of GME positions impacts UAB Medicine and its ability to provide necessary care for surrounding rural areas.
Image courtesy of @AAMCtoday.“Legislation of this nature allows us to more effectively accomplish our mission to provide healing and care to our patients,” Hoesley said. “The addition of highly trained and prepared physicians gives us more bandwidth to service surrounding rural regions that have significant need. I’m pleased to have had the opportunity to speak to our nation’s leaders about the importance of these types of investments in medicine and to reinforce the need for them to continue.”
Senior Vice President for Medicine and Dean of the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Anupam Agarwal, M.D., spoke to the Congressional briefing’s value in advancing our enterprise’s mission and goals. “These expanded spots are important for reaching and serving all communities throughout the State of Alabama. To advance health equity in our region, we must increase our capacity to provide care. I am proud of the work we are doing here at UAB Heersink School of Medicine and within UAB Medicine.”