Articles & Studies

Female Physicians Responsible for Shortage of Doctors?

April 30, 2008 | By JC, MD | Bookmark and Share | 2 Comments

A few weeks ago I read an interesting article on the topic of the shortage of physicians in the United States. Apparently, the increasing population and the baby boomers entering retirement is going to put a huge strain on this country. In terms of Social Security and Medicare, it already is. There is no doubt that the climate of decreasing reimbursements is due to the government’s inability to pay for the healthcare of so many aging people.

Thus, the shortage of physicians will increase as more doctors are needed to take care of our aging population.

One person’s analysis of some data shows that one key reason compounding this shortage is the changing demographic of the physician workforce. Currently, women make up an increasing part of the medical school populace, with most schools over half women. It is argued that the data show that women physicians:

have less longevity than their male counterparts,
take more time off for maternity and family matters, and
work less hours and take less overnight call.

Now I am not going to argue any of these points because I am not in the business of making enemies. However, I think those general points can be applied to the younger and newer generations of physicians, physicians-in-training, and medical students. Younger doctors are not working as long or hard as older physicians did. This is largely due to lifestyle considerations and well as work-hour restrictions in training.

Time are changing and the next generation of physicians are not going to stay up all night and take call at any hour of the day to maintain the physician-patient relationship.

Do female physicians work less than their male counterparts? Do they take less call? Do they get pregnant and leave the workforce for longer than male doctors? Maybe. Maybe not.

The point is that this is not necessarily a phenomenon of women, but of a new generation of physicians who demand sanity , mental and physical health in their own lives. After all, shouldn’t physicians take care of themselves the way they expect their patients to?

Tags: baby boomers, doctor-patient relationship, doctors, female, physicians, population, retirement, shortage, training, women, workforce

2 Comments

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Kelly Jad'on
May 02, 2008 | Permalink

Dr. Sandeep Jauhar, the author of Intern: A Doctor’s Initiation is a cardiologist and the director of the Heart Failure Program at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. He too has written about the coming doctor shortage in the United States. Read his point of view: A Doctor Shortage in the United States?

Kelly Jad’on, Director, Basil & Spice: Author & Book Views On a Healthy Life!

Kelso House AFC
May 02, 2008 | Permalink

I am not sure I am convinced that new younger doctors are “working less” than any doctors used to. I have a good friend who has recently finished medical school at Michigan State University, and is now a D.O.. During his internship, he routinely worked 100 hours a week, and did 24 hour days. Now that he is an official doctor, he is still working 60 hours per week, and is on call 24/7 for several days per week. He has a wife and three boys under 5 years of age. His is tired - and he is still young.

I have been a long time critic of this doctor stress-load. As a Patient, I have witnessed first-hand the results of tired doctors. I for one would much rather have a fresh, happy, smiling doctor, who is well-rested, gets to see his / her family and enjoy a good vacation once in a while. I do not feel comfortable placing my personal care in the hands of someone who may be stressed, tired, overworked, and possibly even resentful ! So, I say - more power to women and younger male doctors who may be taking control of their careers in this direction. I think it will ultimately be better for all of us this way.

And - perhaps that doctor shortage will start to take care of itself once people realize that doctors no longer have to live in this stressful way.

I’ll give an example: when my friend was first considering becoming a physician, he spoke about his plans with long-time doctors. What many of them told him: you don’t want to do this - are you crazy? Become a physician’s assistant instead - you make good money and get a 40-hour workweek. You’ll get to take vacations and see your family.

If this is the kind of advice that is coming straight from the horses’ mouths, then is it really surprising when, combined with other factors, it is leading to a shortage of doctors?

To sum up - I’m glad younger doctors are starting to work less and place more importance upon the happiness of their own lives. I think this will make for saner, happier doctors, and better patient care.

http://www.kelsohouseadultfostercare.blogspot.com