Clogs in the Pipeline: How GME Funding Contributes to the Primary Care Shortage

Recent data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) note a current deficit of primary care physicians (PCPs) of 13,800; by 2032 this deficit may grow to 55,200. 1 Lack of access to a PCP is a health equity issue as evidence clearly demonstrates increasing PCP supply leads to a decrease in population mortality.2 The projected deficit of PCPs is multifactorial – a growing, aging population coupled with decreased interest in and lack of funding for training in primary care in Graduate Medical Education (GME).