MDs in Missouri say, "Show me."

Here's a fascinating story in Governing about Missouri's approach to alleviating a physician shortage in rural areas.  (Thanks to the folks at Commonwealth Magazine for the tip in one of their daily newsletters.)  The lede:A new Missouri law allows recent medical school graduates to practice primary care in underserved areas without completing a residency in a teaching hospital.The Missouri State Medical Association, the law’s chief backer, is calling it an unprecedented effort to help deal with doctor shortages in rural and other underserved areas, but opponents raise questions about whether circumventing the traditional path to the exam room will do more harm than good. The article goes on to explain:Missouri’s law, signed by Gov. Jay Nixon earlier this month, carves out a new classification called “assistant physician.” The law allows medical school graduates who have completed their licensing exams but haven't finished a residency to practice immediately in underserved areas. These graduates have to join a primary care practice of a “collaborating physician” who agrees to accept responsibility for an assistant physician. An assistant physician, who can legally be called a doctor, has to practice continually with his or her collaborating physician for one month before being able to serve independently. My buddy Rosemary Gibson, a board member at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, doesn't like the idea.  ...
Source: Running a hospital - Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs