Graduate Medical Education Residency Expansion Implementation Grants | GMERE
Important Note: The following information is intended as a general overview of the program for those applying, or who are considering applying, for the scholarship and is not intended to be a comprehensive compilation of program requirements. For complete information, please refer to the program’s rules and regulations.
The number of first-year residency training positions in Arkansas has not kept pace with the growing number of medical school graduates in the state, according to an Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI) review of publicly available information.
In 2019, the number of first-year residency positions in Arkansas far exceeded the number of medical school graduates, with 280 residency positions and 163 graduates. Since 2021, however, the number of medical school graduates has surpassed the number of residency positions each year. In 2023, there were 401 graduates and just 356 residency positions, so a large portion of this year’s graduates had to leave the state for training. (ACHI.net/newsroom)
Physicians are very critical to the health and well-being of Arkansans. The purpose of this grant program is to award one-time grants that support the start-up costs related to increasing the number of graduate medical education (GME) positions throughout the state of Arkansas.
The Graduate Medical Education Residency Expansion Board was created to administer and distribute implementation grants to entities in the state of Arkansas that are creating a new graduate medical education program or expanding an existing graduate medical education program.
Application Release Date:
April 1, 2025
Application Deadline:
Accepting applications on a continuous basis.
Awardees Announced:
April-June
Award Amount
Award amounts are determined by the Board based on the number of qualifying applicants and availability of funding.
Detailed Description
Basic Eligibility Criteria
An applicant must:
- Be an Arkansas based medical facility/hospital in this state that:
- Is in the process of creating a new graduate medical education program; or
- Is expanding an existing graduate medical education program
- Submit the following to be considered for implementation grant funding for graduate medical education programs by the Graduate Medical Education Residency Expansion Board:
- A detailed letter of intent for receiving accreditation for the increased number of residency positions or for the new graduate medical education program that shall include without limitation:
- A timeline;
- A budget, including a financial sustainability plan;
- A proposed program;
- The number of existing slots within a proposed program expansion;
- Letters of support from both the sponsoring institution and clinical sites;
- The number of current residency slots available; and
- The number of new residency slots that will be established in a new or expanded program.
- Commitment letters from the Board of Directors, senior leadership team, and the medical staff to establish and support the graduate medical education program.
- Documentation of the intent to submit an application to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) for the new program or expansion of an existing program must be submitted.
- A detailed letter of intent for receiving accreditation for the increased number of residency positions or for the new graduate medical education program that shall include without limitation:
Upon submission of your application, you will receive a confirmation message. Once your submission has been reviewed, you will be notified if your portfolio is complete or requires additional information.
Application portfolios should be submitted to:
LozAnne Calhoun
Osteopathic Rural Medical Program Administrator
Arkansas Division of Higher Education
101 E. Capitol Ave., Suite 300
Little Rock, AR 72201
Office: 501-371-2015
Continuing Eligibility Criteria
An entity awarded an implementation grant shall provide a progress report to the Board before the distribution of grant funds for the following year.