To help boost the supply of physicians in the United States at a time when their numbers are declining, the American Medical Association has announced recommendations designed to make it easier for doctors to re-enter the workforce after an extanded absence.
The AMA defines "re-entry" as when a physician decides to return to clinical practice in the same capacity in which he/she has been trained and certified following an extended period of time away, though not resulting from discipline or impairment issues. Physicians may take a voluntary leave of absence from clinical practice for many reasons, such as child-rearing, personal or family health issues or academic leave.
"About 10,000 physicians could re-enter clinical practice in the U.S. each year," said AMA President Cecil Wilson, MD. "Easing the re-entry process can help increase the physician workforce and improve access to care for patients. These new recommendations are aimed at helping ease a range of challenges physicians can face as they pursue re-entry."
Every state has different requirements for re-entry, and barriers include high costs and limited information and resources, according to Wilson. Current re-entry programs lack standardized curricula and an officially recognized accreditation process. To help coordinate and ease the re-entry process and strengthen the physician workforce, the AMA is seeking to help state medical licensing boards, the Federation of State Medical Boards, state and specialty societies and medical education programs develop and implement re-entry programs.
"National re-entry policy guidelines must be developed that are consistent and evidence-based," Wilson said. "They should specify the length of time away from practice that necessitates participation in a re-entry process and how much clinical care constitutes active practice. Physicians who are participating in re-entry programs should be allowed to engage in clinical practice under supervision."
AMA officials said they collaborated with the Federation of State Medical Boards, the American Academy of Pediatrics and other stakeholders — including leaders in licensure, board certification and medical education and directors of re-entry programs — to develop the recommendations.
Read the recommendations here.