The Residency Mismatch

<p id="p002">In response to concerns about a growing physician shortage, existing U.S. medical schools have expanded, new ones have been developed, and colleges of osteopathy have grown rapidly. But there are insufficient residency posts to accommodate all these medical graduates. <p id="p003">For generations, the supply of practicing physicians in the United States has swung from too small to too large and back again. In 2006, alarmed about a growing physician shortage, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) recommended that medical school enrollments be increased by 30% over the next decade. Now, entering classes are projected to reach 21,434 students by the 2016-2017 academic year, almost a 30% increase over 2002 (see table). Colleges of osteopathic medicine have been growing for the past 20 years, doubling in number from 15 to 30 and increasing enrollments from 6892 students in 1990 to ...