“There’s an extreme shortage. Oklahoma is one of the deserts for physicians in the United States,” said Larry Bookman, MD, president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association.
To address the shortage, Dr. Bookman said Oklahoma must increase the number of residency slots available in the state. He is calling on lawmakers to allocate more money for teaching hospitals to create residency positions.
Lawmakers have already pledged $62.8 million to teaching hospitals this year, but Dr. Bookman said the move was to make up for lost federal funding and will not be enough.
“You can’t have a five-year residency and only know it’s funded for one year,” he told KWTV.
More articles on integration and physician issues:
California to mandate implicit bias training as part of continuing medical education
Yale New Haven hospital creates leadership role for physician wellness
Weill Cornell medical school to eliminate student debt
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