AMA 2023: New AMA Policy on Medical Education
First, given the topic’s timeliness in anticipation of a Supreme Court decision this summer, the AMA passed policy entitled: “Banning Affirmative Action is a Critical Threat to Health Equity and to the Medical Profession.” Specifically, the AMA outlined that using race in admissions decisions enables the creation of a diverse workforce that will advance health equity and improve the gap in outcomes noted between groups of populations. Next, the Residents and Fellow Section introduced policy that the HOD ultimately passed, calling for the AMA to study alternatives to the current residency and fellowship Match process that would be less restrictive on free market competition.
In line with a major legislative priority of the American Urological Association (AUA), the AMA also focused on strategies to reduce debt burden. The AUA is currently advocating for passage of the Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care Act, or the SPARC Act, which provides debt relief in exchange for practice in a rural, underserved community. The HOD voted to accept a report that calls for study and support of actions to address medical education costs and student debt, and specifically asked to continue to find ways to reduce non-educational debt, such as virtual or hybrid interview structures.
Another area relevant to the practice of urology, gender-affirming care, was discussed at the Annual Meeting. The HOD passed policy entitled “Increasing Access to Gender-Affirming Care through Expanded Training and Equitable Reimbursement.” The resolution calls for both expanded training opportunities, but also fair and accurate reimbursement for procedural gender-affirming care. To combat the mental health and burnout crisis that plagues the physician workforce, Resolution 307 was passed, calling for expanded access and transparency regarding support for mental health and suicide prevention services. The policy also calls for routine health screening and urges medical and licensing boards to avoid asking applicants about a history of mental health disorder diagnoses or treatments, all in an effort to reduce the stigma associated with seeking care for these issues.
Written By: Ruchika Talwar, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, @RuchikaTalwarMD during the 2023 AMA Annual Meeting, June 9 to June 14