The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians has signed onto a letter that the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) is sending to Congressional leaders urging Congress to reauthorize the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program immediately.
The THCGME program trains primary care residents in community-based settings in 23 states. Ohio has one THCGME program. The AAFP-supported bill, Training the Next Generation of Primary Care Doctors Act, would increase THCGME funding in order to support new programs, particularly in rural and underserved communities, and extend it through the year 2024. Research shows that 39 states are experiencing worsening primary care shortages and that fewer physicians are choosing careers in primary care. The THCGME program addresses that by attracting residents to areas where recruitment can be challenging.
Currently, the program is being maintained with short-term funding that expires on Friday, May 22. This kind of uncertainty has undermined programs in the past. Therefore, the OAFP joins the AAFP in urging Congress to take urgent action on reauthorization.