New data shows fewer OBGYNs choosing TN for residency since abortion ban

Mark Kelly
·2 min read

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – New data shows fewer doctors are chosen to do their OBGYN residency here in Tennessee since the abortion ban passed. News 2 talked with the researcher who said the ban is scaring doctors away.

“Year over year, the magnitude has surprised me,” said Dr. Atul Grover, executive director of the Research and Action Institute at AAMC.

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Grover said new data shows that the number of doctors looking to do OBGYN residency training here in Tennessee has dropped 21% since the state’s abortion ban passed.

“Some great programs, places like Vanderbilt and Meharry; in East Tennessee and University of Tennessee, they declined by almost 21%, or 175 fewer people applied to be OBGYN training programs in Tennessee compared to the year before, and the year before it had already declined by 132,” said Grover. “We’re seeing big drop-offs in applications to residency training programs in states where abortion is banned.”

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Tennessee is not alone. The data shows that 14 states that have abortion bans on the books are seeing a similar drop-off in residency applications.

“This is something that we anticipated as practicing OBGYNs,” said Dr. Laura Andreson.

Andreson is a Middle Tennessee OBGYN. The abortion ban has motivated her to run for state office. She’s concerned the ban is pushing experienced doctors into retirement, scaring the younger ones away from practicing in Tennessee, and ultimately hurting patient care statewide.

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“We’re seeing OB deserts all over Tennessee. We have large, vast areas that don’t have an OB provider readily available to them, and by pushing more people out, not being able to draw new people in, that is only going to get worse,” said Andreson.

News 2 reached out to a few of the groups in support of Tennessee’s ban, but has not heard back.

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