Toil and trouble? Growing the physician supply.

Richard Cooper outlines several obstacles to increasing the supply of U.S.-trained physicians. His analysis paints a bleak picture, but he may be underselling the possible benefits of technological advances that could increase medical school capacity and of increasing the volume of qualified applicants by broadening eligibility criteria. Another issue that would confront medical educators is that imbalances between supply and demand would not be uniform across states. This development could signal increased involvement from state policymakers, but public and private policymakers should take steps to assure that resources are funneled to where doctors are needed most and to exploit opportunities for innovative curriculum development.