FAIR Act

This bill aims to make residency applications fairer and more transparent for both DO and MD students. Hospitals with residency programs would have to report how many people apply and how many are accepted into each program, broken out by applicants from osteopathic schools (DO) and allopathic schools (MD). Hospitals would also have to affirm that they consider applicants from both DO and MD schools, and if they require an exam score, they must accept either COMLEX-USA or USMLE, based on the applicant’s choice. The Department of Health and Human Services would post this information online each year, starting with fiscal year 2025. The bill does not force programs to accept any set number of DO or MD students and does not “federalize” medical education.

Key points:

• Who is affected: Hospitals with residency programs; medical students applying to residencies (DO and MD).
• What changes: Hospitals must report applicant and acceptance numbers by school type, confirm they consider both DO and MD applicants, and accept COMLEX-USA or USMLE if an exam is required; HHS publishes this data online.
• When: Public posting begins with fiscal year 2025.