Med Students' Suit

A US medical students' lawsuit, whichalleges that the National ResidentMatching Program (NRMP) unfairlykeeps wages low and workweeks long formedical residents, recently received agreen light from a federal court judge.The judgment goes against the defendantsin the class-action suit, the Association ofAmerican Medical Colleges and theAccreditation Council for GraduateMedical Education, who had sought tohave it dismissed. The medical studentsargue that the NRMP violates antitrustlaws because hospitals share salary informationand conspire to keep residents'salaries at below-market levels. The averageresident earns about $37,000 peryear. The full text of the opinion is availableat www.dcd.uscourts.gov. For theNRMP point of view on the lawsuit, visitwww.savethematch.org; for the residents'case, go to www.residentcase.com.