UAMS, Washington Regional receive $4.5 million to expand medical education

Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) will expand their joint graduate medical education program after the PEER Joint Budget Committee approved $4.5 million for the program.

The money, according to a March 5 press release, will expand the UAMS/Washington Regional Graduate Medical Education Program by 26 medical residency and fellowship slots. Programs for the 26 additional slots are planned in emergency medicine, neurology, general surgery, and transitional year, as well as fellowships in internal medicine subspecialties.

“The majority of physicians who complete their residency training in Arkansas choose to stay here to continue their practice,” said Washington Regional President and CEO Larry Shackelford. “Once fully implemented, the UAMS/Washington Regional Graduate Medical Education Program will have a $54 million impact on our economy as each residency position generates $715,000 in economic impact annually.”

Shackelford said each new physician in Northwest Arkansas results in an estimated 17.1 new jobs, which contributes $2.4 million to the regional economy.

Since 2021, the UAMS/Washington Regional Graduate Medical Education Program has established 50 new residency positions, including 24 residency slots in internal medicine. The program was created after a 2019 study commissioned by the Northwest Arkansas Council identified a physician shortage in Northwest Arkansas. The study recommended expanding graduate medical education programs in the area to increase the number of doctors and expand access to health care. In 2021, Washington Regional, in collaboration with UAMS, accepted a geographic wage reclassification from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to increase the number of federally funded residency slots.

“We are extremely grateful to the PEER Joint Budget Committee for approving these funds,” said Ryan Cork, vice chancellor of the UAMS Northwest Region. “Expanding residency slots in Northwest Arkansas is critical to meeting the growing health care needs of our communities. By increasing opportunities for medical graduates to train locally, we not only strengthen our workforce but also improve access to quality care for patients across the region.”

According to the release, the Northwest Arkansas Healthcare Transformation Committee recently evaluated the region’s progress in graduate medical education and found that “significant advances have been made due to the partnership between Washington Regional and UAMS.” However, the committee found that “additional work is still needed to grow residency slots to keep pace with the region’s population growth and the large number of physicians nearing retirement.”

“This additional $4.5 million will help Washington Regional and UAMS continue to meet the needs of our growing community while ensuring patients can receive the specialized care they need right here in Northwest Arkansas,” Shackelford said.