In a bipartisan push to curb the nation’s growing physician shortage, U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) introduced the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025. The bill seeks to add 14,000 new Medicare-supported medical residency positions over the next seven years, aiming to expand access to care across the country.
The legislation comes amid warnings from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), which projects the United States could face a shortfall of up to 86,000 doctors by 2036. The shortage is being driven by population growth, an aging patient population with increasing medical needs, and a wave of retirements from the current physician workforce.
“Our nation’s doctor shortage threatens to make it harder for millions of Americans to access the lifesaving care they depend on,” said Rep. Sewell. “The situation is especially dire for rural communities like the ones I represent. This bill is a commonsense step to ensure our hospitals and health centers have the tools to better serve Americans’ health needs.”
The legislation would increase residency slots in phases, adding about 2,000 annually between fiscal years 2026 and 2032. It would also make permanent the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program, which helps hospitals in underserved areas launch residency programs.
In 2023, Alabama had 15 teaching hospitals and 1,049 medical residents in training—895 of whom were supported by Medicare, according to the AAMC.
The proposed expansion builds on recent congressional efforts that added 1,200 new residency positions through legislation passed in 2021 and 2023.
Supporters say the bill is especially vital for rural and underserved areas where physician shortages are most acute. Medical organizations have voiced strong backing, including AAMC President and CEO Dr. David J. Skorton, who called the measure “a crucial step” toward solving the national shortage and improving training opportunities in both urban and rural settings.
The legislation offers a multi-year roadmap to grow the physician workforce and strengthen graduate medical education—at a moment when the need has never been greater.
