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One of the CAP’s recommendations to remedy the shortage is for Congress to pass the soon-to-be-reintroduced Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, which would provide 14,000 new Medicare-supported graduate medical education positions over seven years. While not enough to remedy the shortage, Dr. Volk said, the 14,000 positions “are a critical step in the right direction.”

Another recommendation is to craft and pass legislation that would reserve a certain number of Medicare-supported GME positions only for pathology.

Dr. Volk said the CAP also supports the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (S. 665), which will increase the number of waivers for a state from 30 to 35 and provide incentive for qualified international medical graduates who are citizens of other nations to work in underserved communities. “For agreeing to these terms,” Dr. Volk said, “physicians will not have to leave the U.S. for two years before they are eligible to apply for an immigrant visa or permanent residence,” thus making it possible for them to begin to provide patient care once they complete their residency.

The CAP’s other recommendations are to pass the Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care Act (S. 705), craft and pass legislation establishing student loan repayment options and greater physician visa waiver flexibility for forensic pathologists, pass the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act (S. 704/H.R. 1202), oppose legislation that would expand the scope of practice for nonphysician practitioners, and establish a National Health Care Workforce Commission.

The full letter is at https://capatholo.gy/​40EnzRJ.