Washington Regional Receives $4.5 Million for Expansion of Graduate Medical Education
Washington Regional Medical Center and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) will further expand their joint graduate medical education program in Northwest Arkansas after the PEER Joint Budget Committee last week approved $4.5 million for expansion of graduate medical education at Washington Regional. The funds, which were unanimously approved on February 26, will allow the UAMS/Washington Regional Graduate Medical Education Program to expand by an additional 26 medical residency and fellowship slots.
The UAMS/Washington Regional Graduate Medical Education Program was created after a 2019 study commissioned by the Northwest Arkansas Council identified a shortage of physicians 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, elected to accept a geographic wage reclassification from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which allowed the number of federally funded residency slots to be increased.
Since 2021, the UAMS/Washington Regional Graduate Medical Education Program has established 50 new residency positions, including 24 residency slots in internal medicine. The funding announced last week will allow for the creation of a planned 26 additional slots. Programs are planned in emergency medicine, neurology, general surgery and transitional year, as well as fellowships in high-demand internal medicine subspecialties.
“Expanding graduate medical education is a win for all of Northwest Arkansas and the surrounding area,” said Washington Regional President and CEO Larry Shackelford. “The majority of physicians who complete their residency training in Arkansas choose to stay here to continue their practice.” In addition to improving access to health care, there are also significant economic benefits. “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 $715k in economic impact annually,” Shackelford said. “For each new physician practicing in Northwest Arkansas, an estimated 17.1 jobs are created, contributing $2.4 million to the local economy.”
“We are extremely grateful to the PEER Joint Budget Committee for approving these funds, “said Ryan Cork, MSHA, vice chancellor of the UAMS Northwest Region. “Expanding residency slots in Northwest Arkansas is critical to meeting the growing healthcare 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.”
The Northwest Arkansas Healthcare Transformation Committee recently evaluated the progress of graduate medical education in our region and found significant advances have been made due to the partnership between Washington Regional and UAMS. However, the committee found 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.
To learn more about the UAMS/Washington Regional Graduate Medical Education Program, visit
wregional.com/GME.