SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Hundreds of medical students may not be able to start their residency programs in Illinois this summer because of licensing delays.

The delays are the result of layoffs in the state office that processes the residents' license applications. Illinois officials and the physicians they license have disagreed for months over how to fund the office.

Financial woes forced the office to cut 18 staffers last month. Since then, the application processing time has increased from 16 days to six months.