(1) Expensive universities
Opening a new medical college in the U.S. currently costs around $200 million and takes approximately 7 years, mainly due to government regulations.
(2) State licenses don’t make sense
Doctors must be licensed in each state they wish to practice in, and the requirements can vary widely between states. This creates challenges for doctors who want to practice across state lines, particularly with the rise of telemedicine. These laws make it difficult for doctors to practice independently across multiple states, limiting their ability to be mobile or expand their practice.
(3) Labor is abundant outside the US
At the same time, many highly qualified doctors in other countries are eager to work in the U.S., but the immigration process is overly complicated and deters them from coming.
Policies:
-
Reduce or eliminate regulatory barriers that make it difficult and expensive to open new medical colleges.
-
Implement a national medical license or facilitate license reciprocity among states to allow doctors to practice across state lines without redundant processes.
-
Simplify the immigration process to make it easier for experienced doctors from abroad to work in the U.S.