Our Mission
TACKLING FLORIDA ’ S PHYSICIAN WORKFORCE SHORTAGE
There is no easy solution to addressing the physician shortage in the state and nation . The only way to do it is through hard work — building exceptional medical education and pathway programs , recruiting the right students with the aptitude and passion to make a difference , and growing outstanding Graduate Medical Education ( GME ) programs to train more physicians .
Over the past two years , four new GME programs have been added under the auspices of the Florida State University ( FSU ) College of Medicine , and more are on the horizon .
“ When I arrived at FSU in May 2022 , my goal was to strategically expand our GME enterprise across the state to aid in meeting the critical physician workforce shortage ,” said Bill Boyer , DHSC , associate dean of GME and Faculty Development and the college ’ s Designated Institutional Official . To do so , Boyer consulted with FSU ’ s health care partners to gain a better understanding of their service line needs .
“ GME must align with our health care providers ’ strategic goals and service line initiatives to be successful ,” Boyer said . “ GME is the main pathway for producing qualified physicians who can meet the health care needs of the population . It influences the supply , distribution and diversity of physicians across geographic regions , practice settings and specialties . It also affects the quality and innovation of health care delivery and the academic and research missions of medical schools and teaching hospitals .”
The population of Florida and the physician short- age are growing at such a fast pace that they ’ ve drawn the attention of the Florida Legislature . In March , Gov . Ron DeSantis signed into law four bills , collectively known as Live Healthy . One key component of the legislation calls for the expansion of medical residency slots . Statistics show that there is a 75 % retention rate for physicians who attend medical school and complete their residencies in Florida . Another incentive in the legislation is a bolstering of the Florida Reimbursement Assistance for Medical and Dental Education ( FRAME ) loan forgiveness program .
When announcing the new legislation , Kathleen Passidomo ( R-Naples ), president of the Florida Senate , said that Florida continues to attract families , businesses and seniors , adding , “ These new Floridians are not bringing their health care providers with them . Live Healthy will grow the health care workforce we need to serve our communi-
“ GME is the main pathway for producing qualified physicians who can meet the health care needs of the population .”
Florida State University College of Medicine
22
A REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY