The Association of American Medical Colleges projects a shortage of as many as 48,000 primary care physicians by 2034. Yet there are not enough residency positions for the number of medical school graduates. Missouri became the first state to address this problem by launching a new licensure category: assistant physician (AP). APs are essentially apprentice physicians. The reform lets graduates without a residency position provide primary care in clinics while enhancing their knowledge and skills. Six other states have passed similar laws: Arkansas, Kansas, Utah, Arizona, Louisiana, and Idaho.

Please join Kevin D. Dayaratna, PhD, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis; Keith J. Frederick, DO, a former Missouri legislator who spearheaded the country’s first AP law; and Lyman Wostrel, MD, a primary care physician practicing under Missouri’s AP law, to discuss this issue. Cato Institute senior fellow Jeffrey A. Singer, MD, will moderate the discussion.

• “Expand Access to Primary Care: Remove Barriers to Assistant Physicians,” by Jeffrey A. Singer, MD & Spencer Pratt
• “Using Unmatched Medical Graduates to Improve Access to Care in Texas,” by Kevin Dayaratna, Ph.D., John O’Shea, M.D. & David Balat
• “Addressing the Physician Shortage by Taking Advantage of an Untapped Medical Resource,” by Kevin Dayaratna & John O’Shea
• “Health Care Workforce Reform: COVID-19 Spotlights Need for Changes to Clinician Licensing,” by Shirley Svorny & Michael F. Cannon
• “One Simple Fix for the Primary Care Shortage: Assistant Physicians,” by Jeffrey A. Singer