醫學院畢業生慶祝「配對日」，醫院致力解決醫師短缺問題
Medical graduates celebrate Match Day as hospitals address physician shortages
對美國成千上萬的醫學生來說，三月的第三個星期五是充滿忐忑期待與人生轉折消息的日子。
For thousands of medical students across the United States, the third Friday of March is a day of nervous anticipation and life-changing news.
這一天被稱為「配對日」(Match Day)，是多年苦讀後情緒宣洩的高潮。
Known as Match Day, it is the emotional culmination of years of study.
透過一套稱為「全國住院醫師配對計畫」(National Resident Matching Program)的複雜演算法系統，學生們會揭曉哪間醫院將收納他們進行住院醫師訓練——這是獨立執業前的強制訓練期。
Through a complex, algorithm-based system called the National Resident Matching Program, students discover which hospital will host their residency—a mandatory training period for independent practice.
當學生們慶祝自己的配對結果時，這一天也暴露了一個嚴峻的挑戰：美國醫師短缺問題。
While students celebrate their placements, the day also exposes a critical challenge: the U.S. physician shortage.
儘管由於人口高齡化，醫療需求不斷上升，但聯邦政府資助的住院醫師名額自1997年以來便一直受到限制。
Although the demand for healthcare is rising due to an aging population, the number of federally funded residency positions has been capped since 1997.
專家預測，到2030年代中期，醫師短缺人數將達12萬人，這場危機在偏鄉與醫療資源匱乏的社區尤為明顯。
Experts project a shortage of 120,000 physicians by the mid-2030s, a crisis felt most acutely in rural and underserved communities.
