Council on Graduate Medical Education

Nominations for Membership

COGME's membership includes individuals who represent legislatively mandated categories and serve 4-year terms. HRSA accepts nominations on a rolling basis and will keep nomination information on file for consideration to fill any vacancies that may occur.

Visit the COGME Members page for more information on membership and nominations. 

COGME reviews physician workforce trends, training issues, and financing policies, and provides recommendations to address these challenges through both federal and private sector initiatives.

The committee advises:

  • The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)
  • The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
  • The House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce

Authority 

COGME operates under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public Law 92-463 §1 (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), which sets standards for advisory committees.

Initially authorized in 1986 for 10 years, COGME’s authority was extended through subsequent legislation. The Health Professions Education Partnerships Act of 1998 redesignated the Advisory Council under section 762 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. §294o). Although that authorization ended in September 2003, annual appropriations for the Department of Health and Human Services continued its operation. In March 2020, the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act required that the Advisory Council be renewed every two years, in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

Charge to the Advisory Council 

Under Title VII of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, COGME is charged with advising the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Congress on the following issues:

  1. Supply and distribution of physicians in the United States
  2. Current and future shortages or surpluses of physicians in medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties 
  3. Foreign medical school graduates 
  4. Federal policies addressing the above issues specified in items 1 – 3, including policies concerning changes in the financing of undergraduate and graduate medical education (GME) programs and changes in the types of medical education training in GME programs
  5. Appropriate efforts to be carried out by hospitals, schools of medicine, schools of osteopathic medicine, and accrediting bodies with respect to the issues specified in items 1 – 3, including efforts for changes in undergraduate and GME programs
  6. Improving physician workforce databases, including identifying problems and recommending solutions related to physician supply, distribution, and postgraduate training in the United States

Additionally, the authorizing legislation calls for the Advisory Council to support groups providing GME to voluntarily achieve our recommendations, as specified in item 5, above. The Council also develops performance measures and guidelines for programs under its purview and recommends funding levels for these programs, except those authorized under Parts C and D of the Public Health Service Act.

Contact us

Email Angela Young, Designated Federal Officer (DFO)

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