Dr. Zac Williamson is a proud graduate of the class of 2012 at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. Williamson is now preparing for a three year residency at Upstate. Unlike many of his fellow residents, Williamson intends to become a primary care physician, even though he could earn a lot more money is some specialized field of medicine..
"It's rewarding to me getting to the people that need it most and being in a place where I'm needed. There's a lot of things I could do but what should I do is more important to me." Williamson told CNY Central's Jim Kenyon.
Under the Affordable Care Act, which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday, more than 30 million Americans will have access to health care through a mandatory insurance requirement. As a result there will be a far greater need for doctors, especially primary care physicians like Williamson. There's already a shortage of family doctors. The President of Upstate Medical University, Dr.David Smith told reporters the nation is ill equipped to handle the increase patient load. "This is actually catastrophic that we as a country right now do not have a strategic plan for health labor and what we're going to do in response to an aging population." Smith told a gathering of reporters.
When the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, experts warned congress that there would be a projected shortage of 63 thousand doctors by 2015. The shortage would grow to more than 130 thousand by 2025. To address the doctor shortage the Association of American Medical Colleges have set a goal of increasing the number of graduate by 30 percent by the year 2015.
As a recent medical school graduate Williamson realizes he will be very busy. "I understand there's going to be this huge patient population that's suddenly going to need doctors but I think that's a good thing. We need to wake up to those people because ...they aren't getting health care and that's not fair...that's not right."
Even though he may be inundated with patients, Dr Zac Williamson applauds yesterday's Supreme Court decision upholding the Affordable Care Act.
