| Physician Jobs: Physician Employment | | | | pediatric jobs and OB/GYN) by 2020. Added to this |
| The United States is in the midst of a physician | | | | shortage is the fact that the number of medical |
| shortage that is expected to intensify as baby | | | | students choosing primary care as a profession has |
| boomers age and the need for health care grows. It is | | | | already dropped by 51.8% since 1997, and that |
| estimated that as many as one-third of today's | | | | currently only 2% of medical school graduates choose |
| practicing physicians will retire by 2020. There are | | | | primary care as a career. |
| about 650,000 practicing physicians of all kinds and a | | | | Economy |
| little more than half of those are primary care | | | | The stock market collapse has had a major impact on |
| physicians. | | | | physician employment. Many doctors are postponing |
| Many believe that primary care demand will increase | | | | retirement because of the economy's impact on their |
| with the proposed changes to healthcare at the same | | | | retirement savings. But even a three- to five-year |
| time more residents are choosing the higher paying | | | | delay won't address the impending loss of experienced |
| specialties and subspecialties. If this trend continues the | | | | physicians. |
| shortage will be more acute in the rural and | | | | Health Insurance Reform |
| underserved areas of the US. | | | | Another uncertainty is the outcome of national health |
| American Academy of Family Physicians suggests | | | | reform. Many physician practices are holding off |
| there will be a shortage of 40,000 primary care | | | | making any decisions until they have a better idea of |
| doctors (family practice jobs, internal medicine jobs, | | | | how the health reform will impact reimbursements. |