Anytime someone mentions the AMA I just have to ignore them completely. It’s not that the AMA hasn’t done some shady shit throughout the years (especially the 60s), it’s just that in 2022 they are so close to irrelevant that painting them as a boogieman merely shows that your name information is about 50 years out of date. The “medical cartel” as you call it is more and more getting shaped by a number or powerful interest groups none of which are the AMA that is pushing somewhat successfully for fewer doctors in most specialities.

Amen. The American Hospital Association wields way more power now. Mergers between hospital systems have led to the large hospital systems being among the largest employers in many states, which means that senators and representatives are going to listen to what they want. Certainly more than they do to the AMA, which might only represent like 25% of doctors anymore.

Even if true how does that make medicine less of a cartel?

Please stop spreading misinformation. The AMA doesn't limit residency slots. They have been actively lobbying Congress to increase residency slots, and have even put their own money into it.

https://www.ama-assn.org/education/accelerating-change-medic...

> Launched in June 2019

They were actively lobbying to reduce residency slots as late as 2012. They only started the program you linked to when became common knowledge that they were attempting to limit the number of doctors.

The AMA (and other medical trade groups) lobbied to limit residency slots back in the 90s. We're still feeling the effects of that in the market today.

Rather than copy / paste a comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30108269

Edit: Funny enough I was replying to you back then too. Small world.