The AAMC-supported Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025 was introduced by Sens. John Boozman (R-Ark.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on July 24. The bipartisan legislation would increase the number of Medicare-supported residency positions by 14,000 over seven years to help address the nation’s growing shortage of physicians. The bill would prioritize the distribution of new slots to teaching hospitals in rural areas, training over their current resident caps, affiliated with new medical schools or branch campuses, and serving health professional shortage areas, with additional focus on facilities affiliated with historically Black medical schools.
In a statement of support, AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, praised the bill, noting that it would “build upon recent bipartisan success to expand federal support for residency training and improve access to care for patients everywhere.” Skorton pledged to work with the bill leads, asserting that the “legislation represents a strong, bipartisan commitment to expanding the physician workforce and improving health care outcomes.”
A House companion bill (H.R. 4731) was introduced in June by Reps. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) [refer to Washington Highlights, June 13].