Challenges of the Physician Workforce

The evolution of medicine from the mid-19th century to the present involves urbanization, scientific advancements, institutionalization, organizational formation, licensing, and education reform.

Physician density has doubled in the U.S. since 1950, with specialists comprising 88% of all physicians, and 22.9% being foreign medical graduates. Challenges include the imbalance between generalists and specialists, geographic distribution issues, and disparities in specialty male distributions.

Physician career satisfaction varies by specialty, with general practitioners reporting the highest overall satisfaction. Despite increasing demand, physician supply remains insufficient, exacerbated by pandemic-related burnout and stress.