During the last 18 months, in light of the impending national physician workforce shortage, the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals (Council) has spearheaded a very important initiative to assess the physician workforce needs for New Jersey. The Council formed the Physician Workforce Policy Task Force which included representatives from many stakeholder groups, including the New Jersey departments of Health and Senior Services, Human Services, and Banking and Insurance; Medical Society of New Jersey; Board of Medical Examiners; New Jersey Hospital Association; and key legislators.   

The Task Force has now completed its report and is ready to release it to the public at two press conferences scheduled on January 26, 2010. The details are as follows:

            Morning Press Conference:

9:00 am:         A continental breakfast will be available prior to the press conference.

10:00 am:       Press Conference

            Location:       Cooper University Hospital Pavilion

One Cooper Plaza, Camden, NJ 08103

            Afternoon Press Conference:

            1:30 pm:         Press Conference

            Location:       Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

                                    Conference Center, Rm. 1302

Clinical Academic Building

                                    125 Paterson Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08903

A reception will take place immediately following the press conference.

The purpose of the press conference is two-fold:

• To disseminate to the general public and to public policy makers the results and recommendations of the Task Force report; and
• To educate the general public as to the urgent need for additional private and governmental resources to be brought to bear in order to provide for an adequate medical workforce in the years ahead.