Target Audience

Healthcare providers of all specialties may benefit from the information presented.

Goals and Objectives

Physician shortages in the U.S. is a longstanding and well-recognized problem; the shortage affects access to health care throughout the country, but disproportionately affects those in the Southern U.S. particularly those in more rural areas. The causes of the physician shortfall are numerous; solutions have been proposed, but little appreciable improvement has been seen. Perhaps a closer look at some of the reasons for this crisis continuing might help find solutions to this problem, and some of the steps physicians can take to help with this.

At the conclusion of this activity, the learner should be able to:

• Identify some of the reasons for the continued physician shortage. 
• Recognize that there are external factors that are exacerbating the shortfall in physician numbers. 
• Learn how physicians can take a more active role in alleviating this shortage.

Course Information

CME Release Date:  June 6, 2023
Valid for credit through:  June 5, 2025
Course type:  Enduring Material
Estimated time of completion: .75 hour

Credits Available

Southern Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Southern Medical Association designates this Enduring Material for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AAPA: AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society. 

AANPCP: The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Healthcare Professionals: For information on applicability and acceptance of continuing education credit for this activity, please consult your professional licensing board.  All healthcare professionals who are not MDs or DOs will receive a certificate of participation.

Instructions for Participation and Credit

This activity is designed to be completed within the time designated; learners should claim only those credits that reflect the time actually spent in the activity. To successfully earn credit, participants must complete the activity online during the valid credit period noted, following these steps:

• Read the goals and objectives, accreditation information, and author disclosures.
• Login in below to study the educational content and references.
• Complete the attestation, post-test (if applicable), and evaluation.

Upon successful completion of these components, your certificate will be processed and emailed from customerservice@sma.org within approximately 1 hour. Credits will be archived for 6 years; at any point within this time period you may login to your account to print a duplicate copy of your certificate.

Disclosures of Conflicts of Interest

Southern Medical Association (SMA) requires instructors, planners, managers, and all other individuals who are in a position to control the content of this activity to disclose conflicts of interest (COI) with ineligible entities within the last 24 months of the development of this activity. All identified COIs are thoroughly vetted and mitigated prior to the release of the activity. SMA is committed to providing its learners with high quality activities and related materials that promote improvements or quality in healthcare and not a specific proprietary business interest of a commercial interest.

The following individual has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Speaker

Christopher Morris, MD

Dr. Morris has been a long-time fixture at the SMA meetings.  A graduate of the Autonomous University of Guadalajara’s school of Medicine, he completed a rotating internship at University of California-Irvine, then his Internal Medicine residency at University of Tennessee-Knoxville.  Rheumatology fellowships at Wake Forest University and the Medical College of Georgia were then completed. 

In addition to the private practice in Rheumatology in Kingsport, TN, Dr. Morris serves as clinical faculty at two Internal Medicine residencies in southwest Virginia.  He has held multiple leadership positions with the Southern Medical Association, including serving as President of the SMA in 2020-2021.  He also has been a member of numerous committees with the American College of Rheumatology.  He also has several publications, as well as oral and poster presentations at regional and national meetings.  He has also been a strong advocate for issues pertaining to medical practices and patient care, having made over 20 visits to Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.