Hospitals are urged to apply for additional graduate medical education (GME) full-time equivalent (FTE) resident cap slots for fiscal year (FY) 2025 by March 31. Section 126 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, made available an additional 1,000 GME FTE slots, phased in over five years, beginning in FY 2023. 10% of slots must go to hospitals in rural areas, but only two geographically rural hospitals received slots in the most recent round of slot distribution.
Hospitals must qualify in at least one category:
- Located in a rural area.
- Train residents in excess of their GME cap.
- Located in states with new medical schools.
- Serve areas designated as health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) – geographic HPSAs only and not population HPSAs.
Section 125 requires at least 10% of the cap slots go to hospitals in each of the four categories, and no single hospital can receive more than 25 additional FTE resident cap slots. Hospitals can apply for FTE resident cap slots under Section 126 by accessing the online application system.
The Rural Residency Program Development Technical Assistance Center is hosting a webinar Jan. 17 at 12 p.m. ET, titled Expand GME Training at Your Hospital: How to Apply for Section 126 Positions. The session will provide a background on Section 126 GME slots and discuss the application process for round 3 (e.g., timeline, eligibility, requirements, etc.). Members are encouraged to register in advance.
Additional information on the application submission process and application questions can be found on the Direct Graduate Medical Education webpage.
Members with questions should contact Lauren LaPine at the MHA.