https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-fun...
From [1]:
> "The United States is on the verge of a serious oversupply of physicians," the AMA and five other medical groups said in a joint statement. "The current rate of physician supply -- the number of physicians entering the work force each year -- is clearly excessive."
> The groups, representing a large segment of the medical establishment, proposed limits on the number of doctors who become residents each year.
> The number of medical residents, now 25,000, should be much lower, the groups said. While they did not endorse a specific number, they suggested that 18,700 might be appropriate.
They've changed their tune (which I, cynically, think is because the members in the late 90s have all "gotten theirs" by now).
[0] https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/thanks-to-doctors-there-a...
[1] https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1997-03-01-19970600...
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/01/us/doctors-assert-there-a...
[3] https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/13/health/train-more-doctors-res...
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001936.htm
The other thing that changed in the past 100 years is that Americans on average are older, sicker, and have higher demand for healthcare.
This may not be a bad thing in the long run. There’s a shortage of medical professionals because the medical industry wants it that way. If the crisis becomes acute enough, the government will be forced to loosen regulations, and that would allow for more people to enter the field faster and more easily.