Heartland Whole Health Graduate Medical Education (GME) Technical Assistance Center

What is the GME Technical Assistance Center? 

The GME Technical Assistance Center is a new, statewide resource launched by Heartland Whole Health Institute to support hospitals, health systems, academic partners, and communities interested in developing or expanding residency training programs in Arkansas. GME Technical Assistance Center helps translate research into action by providing practical guidance, planning support, and access to national expertise. 

Why was the GME Technical Assistance Center created? 

Arkansas faces a growing gap between the number of medical students graduating each year and the number of available residency training positions required for physician licensure. This bottleneck forces many Arkansas‑trained physicians to leave the state for residency, weakening long‑term retention and access to care — especially in rural communities. The GME Technical Assistance Center was created to help communities address this challenge in a coordinated, data‑informed way. 

Who can work with the GME Technical Assistance Center? 

The GME Technical Assistance Center is designed to support: 

• Hospitals and health systems
• Academic medical partners
• Rural and underserved communities
• Organizations exploring new residency programs
• Existing programs looking to expand or strengthen training capacity

Partners do not need prior GME experience to engage. 

What types of support does GME Technical Assistance Center provide? 

The GME Technical Assistance Center offers: 

• Objective feasibility assessments for new or expanded residency programs
• Guidance on accreditation and regulatory considerations
• Support designing programs aligned with local workforce needs
• Access to national best practices and expertise
• Data‑informed planning grounded in Arkansas’ health care landscape 

The GME Technical Assistance Center is designed to meet partners where they are and reduce practical barriers to growth. 

What is GME and why is it important? 

GME refers to residency training — the required, supervised clinical training physicians must complete after medical school to obtain licensure and practice independently. GME is one of the most important factors influencing where physicians ultimately practice, making it a key driver of long-term workforce distribution and access to care. 

Why is now the right time to focus on Arkansas’s physician workforce? 

Arkansas is at a critical moment. The state currently trains more medical graduates than it has available residency positions, forcing many physicians to leave for training and reducing long-term retention. At the same time, workforce pressures are increasing due to an aging physician population and significant access challenges — particularly in rural and underserved areas. These challenges are expected to grow in the coming years, making timely, coordinated action essential to ensure adequate access to care for future generations. 

Is the Institute managing residency spots?  

No. Heartland Whole Health Institute does not manage or operate residency programs or residency positions. 

Residency training programs are developed and administered by hospitals, health systems, and academic institutions. The Institute’s role is to provide objective analysis, research, and strategic insight to help inform and support statewide efforts to strengthen graduate medical education. 

Through the Institute’s full research report, Growing the Physician Workforce in Arkansas: A Statewide GME Strategy and related work, the Heartland Whole Health GME Technical Assistance Center aims to help partners understand where gaps exist, what opportunities are feasible, and how a coordinated approach could improve physician training and access to care over time. 

How does the GME Technical Assistance Center function with the GMERE Board 

WE NEED LANGUAGE FROM WORKFORCE TEAM TO GO HERE  

What is the Institute’s role? 

WE NEED LANGUAGE FROM LEGAL TO GO HERE  

How can I learn more? 

The full report, Growing the Physician Workforce in Arkansas: A Statewide GME Strategy, is available at [link]. 

How can I get started?  

Hospitals, health systems, academic partners, and community leaders interested in expanding residency training are encouraged to connect with our GME Technical Assistance Center to explore opportunities and next steps. gme@heartlandwholehealth.org