VA plans to expand resident training for academic year beginning July 2007

The number of patients the VA treated grew 22% between 2001 and 2005.

By Myrle Croasdale, AMNews staff. June 5, 2006.

In response to a physician shortage within its system, the Dept. of Veterans Affairs intends to add 1,500 to 2,000 medical residents to its work force over the next few years.

The VA has a budget of $50 million to add 300 to 400 new residents for the academic year beginning in July 2007 and to cover other education expansion costs for fiscal year 2007. If Congress keeps the funding coming, similar increases will be seen until the VA grows from 8,500 residents to 10,000 to 10,500. (See correction)

Medical and surgical subspecialists are especially in demand, but more primary care physicians also are needed, said Malcolm Cox, MD, chief academic affiliations officer for the Veterans Health Administration.

"There's a general lack, and residents are a major component of delivering health care in the VA. When their numbers diminish, there really is a problem keeping up," he said.

The number of patients the VA treats grew 22% over a four-year period, from 4.1 million in 2001 to more than 5.3 million in 2005. As of April, 30,475 new veteran enrollees were waiting for their first appointment.

Dr. Cox expects the VA to have selected which hospitals and residency programs will get new residency positions by October. Priority will be given to requests from:

• Facilities short on subspecialists.
• Community-based outpatient clinics and facilities unaffiliated with academic medical centers.
• Facilities in geographic areas that have been historically understaffed, such as the Southeast and Southwest.