Congress’ failure to provide long-term funding for teaching health centers threatens the future of vital family medicine residency programs. Tell Congress to act now to save teaching health centers and support the next generation of family physicians. Speak Out today!
The Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program funds residencies for medical school graduates committed to working in community settings and providing care for underserved populations. Since the program’s authority expired on September 30, 2017, residency programs have been operating with less funding, and each short-term fix increases residency programs’ financial burdens and undermines recruiting efforts.
In December, a teaching health center announced it was closing due to the lack of stability and others may do the same or reduce their program size should a solution not be enacted soon. Closure or reduction of these programs will dramatically decrease primary care access and weaken the family physician pipeline.