Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell (AL-07) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) introduced the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025. The bipartisan legislation would combat the nation’s doctor shortage and improve access to health care by expanding the number of Medicare-supported medical residency positions by 14,000 over seven years.

“Our nation’s doctor shortage threatens to make it harder for millions of Americans to access the lifesaving care they depend on. The situation is especially dire for rural communities like the ones I represent,” said Rep. Sewell. “Our Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act is a commonsense bill that will help us train more doctors to meet the growing demand. It will give our hospitals and health centers the tools they need to increase access, lower wait times for patients, and better serve Americans’ health needs.”

“Access to care begins with access to doctors—and right now, we simply don’t have enough. Communities across the country are already feeling the strain of a growing physician shortage. This bipartisan legislation delivers a targeted, long-overdue solution by expanding residency training and reinforcing the backbone of our health care system. I’ve long championed forward-thinking health policy, and I’ll continue working to ensure every person in PA-1 and across the nation can access the care they need, when they need it,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick.

According to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the United States faces a projected physician shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, with demand for physicians outpacing supply. The nation’s demographics—particularly population growth and aging—serve as the primary driver of increasing demand for physician services. As the population continues to age and requires more medical care, it is critical to ensure there are enough physicians to care for those who need physician services. In addition, as a large portion of the physician workforce nears traditional retirement age, there is a critical need to educate and train more physicians to ensure there are enough physicians to care for patients across all communities in the future.

“The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) is proud to again support this landmark legislation, which would take a crucial step toward addressing the physician shortage by increasing the number of Medicare-supported residency positions and strengthening training in both urban and rural communities nationwide,” said AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, M.D. “As the nation’s academic health systems continue to invest in their physician training and patient care missions, we commend Reps. Sewell and Fitzpatrick for their continued leadership in working to expand federal support for physician training and for their commitment to ensuring that all patients, regardless of where they live, have access to the care they need.”

“The American Medical Association commends Reps. Terri Sewell (D-AL) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) for once again introducing this crucial bipartisan legislation that aims to address the growing physician shortage and resulting access challenges for patients,” said AMA President Bruce A. Scott, M.D. “As more Americans become eligible for Medicare each year, the demand for physician care continues to rise. This bill—by expanding federal support for graduate medical education over the next seven years—represents a critical step toward ensuring patients nationwide have access to well-trained physicians in their communities."

Bill text is available here.