The United States faces a looming Physician shortage in the years to come. Recent projections from the American Association of Medical Colleges predicts a shortage of 54,100 to 139,000 Physicians by 2033. This is partially due to the impact has had on the healthcare system.
What escalates this situation is an increasingly aging US population needing health care. This older population is also more likely to face chronic health issues, making specialty care even more of a concern. Accompanying this is a Physician workforce approaching retirement age with more than 2 in 5 practicing Physicians approaching age 65 or older within the next decade. Furthermore, there is substantial turnover with 1 in 5 Physicians leaving medicine since Feb 2020 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Of course, each specialty will be impacted differently. This means that some specialties will be in greater demand than others. It is likely that this shortage will push salaries even higher for those in-demand specialties. For those now choosing their career path, you may want to consider which specialties will be in the highest demand.
The most sought-after specialty by physician recruiters is Family Medicine. Other in-demand specialties, based on federal data and labor reports include:
· OB-GYN
· Internal Medicine
· Dermatology
· Cardiology
· Neurology
· Infectious Disease
· Psychiatry
· Pulmonary Medicine
· Endocrinology
· Gastroenterology
· Orthopedic surgery
· Geriatrics
There will be other factors impacting your decision like salary, location, personal interests, and benefits. Keep in mind, the data predicts this shortage to only get worse, especially in certain areas. Keep an open mind to the specialties which are likely to be greatly in demand that also align with your interest!
Sources:
3. https://thedo.osteopathic.org/2021/09/top-16-most-in-demand-specialties-and-their-salaries-in-2021/
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