National Doctor Shortage

By 2030, the United States may face a shortage of over 120,000 physicians.  According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), these shortages will be in primary care, medical specialties, surgical specialties, and other specialties. Within the next decade, one in three active doctors will retire. While our growing population of seniors (over 65-years old), which is expected to grow by 50%, our under-18 population will grow by just 3%. By 2030, the number of seniors will increase to almost 20% of the total population.

Per AAMC President and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, MD.,“Medical schools and teaching hospitals are working to ensure that the supply of physicians is sufficient to meet demand and that those physicians are ready to practice in the health care system of future. To address the doctor shortage, medical schools have increased class sizes by nearly 30% since 2002. Now it’s time for Congress to do its part. Funding for residency training has been frozen since 1997 and without an increase in federal support, there simply won’t be enough doctors to provide the care Americans need.”

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