Studies show that Detroit ranks 6th place in the OB-GYN shortages across the US

A study shows that by the year 2020, there are many cities in the United States that will feel the effect of OB-GYN shortages.

The study predicts that by 2050, only a handful of doctors will be seen in the gynecologists' field.

A Wayne University Vice President of Government Health Affairs, Doug Skrzyniarz said in an interview that he is not surprised with this news. Skrzyniarz said that the problem is already being addressed by three other states aside from Wayne University. The universities came up with a plan called MIDOCs.

Skrzyniarz said that women are not getting access to the prenatal care that they need. The primary concern is the state of Detroit since it has a record as one of the states that have a high rate of premature birth.

Skrzyniarz said that the problem lies in the low income of OB GYNS. Other healthcare practitioners who receive low incomes include pediatricians and psychiatrists. The rate of the income lessens when the practitioner is located in the area where a lot of people have access to Medicaid cards.

Skrzyniarz explains "The students who have just graduated tend to go to communities where higher pay is possible. This is because these students need to pay for their education debts."

Residency spots are not enough and Wayne University states that there are a lot of physicians who are retiring. Students who aim to become doctors should complete a residency.

The program called MIDOC is the first step taken to address the problem of lacking OB-GYN and doctors. The program is already in the hands of the budget section of Wayne University and it first passed a few weeks ago.

MIDOC will be creating a plan to open up 500 residency spots in Michigan. This can be possible through a $28 million fund that will be shouldered by different universities.

Skrzyniarz said that "students who want to go to California or Texas will have the chance to be trained and get their residencies nearby.

One of the plans' programs said that the students will have to serve in communities that are lacking in doctors such as the one in Detroit. The time will vary but after two years of residency, if a student will be able to serve Detroit, a $75,000 waiver will go to their loans. This will be a huge chunk of the student's loan since students nowadays have loans which are less than $200,000.

Skrzyniarz said that although the students are thinking that they are helping the community while paying off their loans, the community residents are the ones who are going to truly benefit from this project Pregnant women will be able to get the prenatal care that they really needed in order to prevent any types of miscarriage.

The plan is set in the year 2019. The initial expectations of the plan are that it will create at least 50 vacant residency positions on its first months that will include gynecologists and obstetricians.

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