Below are over 25 physician shortage statistics that help give you an understanding of the different aspects of the situation and how dire it is.
During the 2020 pandemic, the United States saw a shortage of toilet paper, paper towels, meat products, and even vehicles. But, there’s another that’s much more severe: the physician shortage.
How are there not enough doctors? That seems unfathomable.
Well, many doctors are going to retire in the next decade and there aren’t enough medical students to replace all of the retirees.
Not only are the number of doctors declining because of age, but the population in the United States is growing. More babies mean more humans that need to see a doctor more frequently.
The population of the elderly is also increasing. This means that the number of people with heart attacks, cancer, and other diseases that come with old age will go up as well. Not only will these people fill more hospital beds, but there will also be an increase in the demand for specialists. As stated above, many specialists will be retiring soon, so the upcoming demand will collide with a decreasing supply of doctors.
You can see that the issue of physician shortages can spiral out of control. But what are the actual numbers? How bad is the situation going to be?
Below are over 25 physician shortage statistics that help give you an understanding of the different aspects of the situation.
With most stories, there are two sides to this problem. The first side of the physician shortage story is that of the doctor and the health organizations.
The shortage is prominent in surgical specialties and medical specialties, including family physicians and nurse practitioners. This problem is acutely felt in Hawaii County, Hawaii, as seen in point number 4 below.
The issue doesn’t stop with current doctors, it’s also seen in the rate of graduations. The number of new family practitioners has been dwindling and may continue to decrease, making the shortage worse.
There are some positives on this side of the shortage story, though. The number of physicians trained in the US seems like it’s going to increase in the coming years. Physician assistants and nurse practitioners are also projected to grow. But, will it be enough to help curb the shortage?
The second side of the coin involves the patients. More specifically, the general population in the United States.
Rural areas are acutely impacted by the shortage of doctors. There are fewer doctors in rural areas, which means that it is hard to get an appointment within a reasonable distance.
And the people seem to agree it's a problem. Especially those living in rural areas. Many say that they had trouble finding a doctor. The numbers below suggest that that issue is more widespread than initially thought.
The age of the workforce is the most obvious cause of the shortage of physicians in the United States.
We can’t prevent doctors from retiring, but there aren’t enough doctors replacing the opening positions. Since these jobs aren’t getting filled fast enough, the deficit is going to continue to get worse.
The situation above could easily lead to burned-out doctors who leave the industry, exasperating the problem.
This issue ranges throughout all medical practices. This includes nurse practitioners, family doctors, and surgeons.
Every university endures students who drop out. This is especially true for students in the medical field since it’s so grueling, just take a look at their mental health.
It’s also extremely expensive between bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and other components of medical education. Many students cannot afford the 8+ years of debt.
The university enrollment rates don’t help the situation and neither does the limited federal funding. These issues limit the number of people who can become doctors, further complicating the shortage situation.
The shortage problem is being compounded since the U.S. population, and therefore the demand for doctors continues to grow.
Not only has the population of the United States changed but so has its habits.
People today do not have the same lifestyle that they did 20 years ago. People eat different foods and exercise in different ways.
Some of the changes are for the better. People don’t smoke as much and wear more sunscreen. Unfortunately, some changes are for the worse. Americans have been eating more fast food and obesity has increased.
Therefore, in addition to the sheer increase of the population, the everyday activities of the population affect how many doctors the United States needs.
As you can see, the physician shortage situation isn't ideal. The different causes of the shortage collide with each other and compound to make matters worse.
But, it’s not all bad. There are some positives. As laws change and the government helps fund more students to get a medical degree, the shortage will naturally shrink over time.
The number of physicians in training is growing at a significant rate. Enrollment rates and acceptance rates are also increasing. Physician assistants and nurse practitioners will also see an increase in numbers due to job growth.
Time will tell if the situation gets better or worse. Make sure to keep yourself updated on the number of physicians in your area, your state or province, and in your country in general.
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