Bill > S1627

This bill, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2011, aims to address the shortage of physicians by increasing the number of available residency positions in hospitals. Specifically, it directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to add 3,000 new residency slots annually from fiscal years 2013 to 2017, with at least 1,500 of these slots each year dedicated to training residents in "shortage specialty residency programs," which are defined as medical fields identified as having a current or projected shortage of physicians. The bill outlines a process for distributing these new positions, prioritizing hospitals in states with new medical schools or branch campuses, those already exceeding their resident limits, and those focusing on community-based training. It also mandates that hospitals receiving these additional positions must ensure a significant portion are used for shortage specialties and maintain their existing resident levels. Furthermore, the bill requires the National Health Care Workforce Commission to study the physician workforce and identify specialties with shortages, and directs the Comptroller General to investigate strategies for increasing the diversity of health professionals.