The United States is headed toward a significant physician shortage, according to a new analysis from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
By 2034, the country is expected to be short anywhere from 37,000 to 124,000 physicians. This includes a shortage of 17,000 to 48,000 primary care physicians and 3,000 to 13,000 specialists, a category that includes cardiologists.
The country’s aging population appears to be at the heart of this approaching shortage. According to the report, patients 65 years old and older currently account for 34% of physician demand—and that number could rise to 42% by 2034. This means the same patient group would require care from an additional 125,000 physicians in a matter of less than 15 years—a staggering statistic, to be sure.
In addition, 98% of all projected growth in physician demand is expected to impact metropolitan areas as opposed to more rural parts of the country.
Notably, the AAMC gathered its data before the COVID-19 pandemic, an ongoing situation that has caused continued challenges for the country’s healthcare system.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted many of the deepest disparities in health and access to health care services, and exposed vulnerabilities in the health care system,” David J. Skorton, MD, AAMC’s president and CEO, said in a prepared statement. “The pandemic also has underscored the vital role that physicians and other health care providers play in our nation’s health care infrastructure and the need to ensure we have enough physicians to meet America’s needs.”
The full AAMC report is available here.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.