Communications

(Jan. 10, 2025) – Applications are being accepted for new residency positions created by Sec. 126 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, and Sec. 4122 of the CAA, 2023. Applications are due March 31, 2025, via MEARIS.

Sec. 126 of the CAA, 2021 created 1,000 new Medicare funded residency slots to be distributed over five years beginning in fiscal year 2023. Three rounds of slots have been distributed thus far, totaling 600 residency slots. Qualifying hospitals include:

1. Hospitals in rural areas (or treated as being located in a rural area under the law)
2. Hospitals training a number of residents in excess of their graduate medical education cap
3. Hospitals in states with new medical schools or branch campuses
4. Hospitals that serve areas designated as health professional shortage areas.

A hospital cannot receive more than 5.00 full-time employees per application round. Hospitals that received slots under the last round of awards can be found here.

Sec. 4122 of the CAA, 2023, created 200 new Medicare-funded residency slots for FY 2026. At least 100 slots must be distributed to psychiatry or psychiatry subspecialty residency programs. Qualifying hospitals include:

1. Hospitals in rural areas (or treated as being located in a rural area under the law)
2. Hospitals training a number of residents in excess of their GME cap
3. Hospitals in states with new medical schools or branch campuses
4. Hospitals that serve areas designated as health professional shortage areas

Additionally, there is a requirement that each qualifying hospital that applies must receive one slot (or a fraction of one) before any hospital receives more than one slot. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will prioritize the distribution of remaining slots by HPSA scores.

The Rural Residency Planning and Development Technical Assistance Center is hosting a webinar, Expand GME Training at Your Hospital: How to Apply for Section 126 and 4122 Positions, from noon to 1:00 p.m. on Jan. 16.

--Jaron Caffrey