What is currently being done?
The goal for taking action is to create a means to "preserve" these doctors until the deficit of residency positions is eradicated. We don't want these qualified doctors to leave medicine altogether. We also don't want these doctors to be in a helpless situation with large medical school debts and difficulty translating their skills into meaningful jobs.
Senator Bill Nelson, Florida, recently resubmitted the "Residency Physician Shortage Reduction Act 2015" in order to create a large number of new residency positions.
Some states like Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas have created legislation to remedy this situation. However, for Arkansas and Kansas, the new legistlation applies only to medical students who graduated from schools in those states. In Florida, we are pushing for new legislation to create a "place holder" for those unmatched doctors until enough residencies are in place. The Governor of Florida authorized 80-million dollars to create incentives for the opening of new residencies in Florida. Nationally, the U.S. Congress must increase Medicare funding for the creation of new residencies in ALL states. Congress is in a position to exert pressure on the ACGME to streamline the accreditation process ( A 3 year approval process is too long!).
In order to effect this change, we have been scheduling appointments and writing letters to the following legislators, medical societies/associations, healthcare editors, and media channels.
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U.S. Senators and U.S. Congressman
Medicare Funding
State Laws
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Florida House Representation
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Rep. Dwight Dudley
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Florida Senator
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Florida Representative on Health Committees
Medical Associations
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State Surgeon General
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ie. Florida SUrgeon General
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Executive Director of FL Board of Medicine
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Chairman of FL Board of Medicine
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Health Editors
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All major newspapers
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Letters to the Editor
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All major newspapers
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Health writers of major networks