By 2034 the United States is anticipated to face a workforce shortage of up to 124,000 physicians, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).[1] The shortage of primary care physicians (PCPs) is particularly concerning, especially given the role PCPs are expected to play in the ongoing shift to value-based care:
- Increased access to and use of primary care medicine is associated with higher-value care and better health outcomes than care that is predominantly specialist oriented.
- Enhanced utilization of primary care lowers costs to both providers and patients.
But in primary care specialties alone, the shortage is projected to be between 17,800 and 48,000 by 2034. Some of the driving factors for the shortage include compensation and the burden of medical school debt, work-life balance, and the medical education training environment. Failure to close the gap in primary care will only prolong existing issues around access and cost.
Organizations are developing new graduate medical education (GME) programs and expanding the number of positions available within existing accredited programs as a means to address the supply-and-demand problem.
But will creating additional training positions lead more medical students to pursue careers in primary care specialties? A review of recent NRMP Match trends offers insight.
Edited by: Matt Maslin
Designed by: Mary Anne Akhouzine
