New research published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology indicates that radiology has experienced significantly lower growth in training capacity compared to other medical specialties. Despite a total Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) funding increase to over $21 billion in 2023, the number of residency positions for radiology has increased by only 24% since 2010, whereas overall residency positions grew by 58% and family medicine by 95%. The study suggests that the growth in GME payments over the years may not have effectively translated into enhanced funding for individual residents, with real per-resident funding seeing only a 16% increase adjusted for inflation. The findings imply that financial constraints are a major factor limiting the expansion of radiology training positions, with 85% of U.S. radiology program directors expressing the ability to increase positions if funding were available. The authors call for the development of specialty-specific GME reporting to facilitate more targeted federal funding interventions. Relevant legislative efforts are currently underway to address the physician shortage and improve GME funding strategies.
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 05:18:05 GMT | Radiology Business