Shortage of Docs in next 15 years!

[kjmtthws]

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Check out this article that was in the LA Times this morning. I thought that is was really interesting. It seems like there are going to be plenty of patients for everybody.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-doctors4jun04,0,1528090.story?coll=la-home-headlines

 

[Law2Doc]

Check out this article that was in the LA Times this morning. I thought that is was really interesting. It seems like there are going to be plenty of patients for everybody.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-doctors4jun04,0,1528090.story?coll=la-home-headlines

As was suggested by someone in the thread "This might make you smile" on the pre-allo board (citing the same article), this might not be a positive thing, and might open the door for ancillary professionals (PAs, CRNAs, nurses) to make a grab for more procedures, to ease the clog.

 

[SemperJeff]

As was suggested by someone in the thread "This might make you smile" on the pre-allo board (citing the same article), this might not be a positive thing, and might open the door for ancillary professionals (PAs, CRNAs, nurses) to make a grab for more procedures, to ease the clog.

I heard we have a shortage of nurses too...

 

[footcramp]

this is a bad thing. if there is a severe shortage then you'll see the floodgates open and tons of FMGs training here without going through a US residency, PAs and NPs having more responsibility, and finally, US doctors having less power than the already pathetic amount it has now.

 

[chillypalmer]

FMGs without US residencies?There is none till now.
But you seem to be against FMGs who are shoring up the Health services up in the US.
Why did they teach you that at the kkk convention, or you dont like bonafide competition?
Your comments betray you as a loser.The good part is you can do nothing to harm the patients who need medical advise.
I know you will come back with a face saving answer, but I wont post a counter to that, because as they say, why argue with a loser. 😀

 

[Mayhem]

I don't think it's likely FMG's will ever be allowed to practice in the US without doing a US residency. The rise of the PA's is more likely. But isn't medical education growing in the US? I read that there were going to be some new medical schools opening soon. That plus the increasing growth in class sizes should decrease the likelihood of a major crisis.

 

[Law2Doc]

But isn't medical education growing in the US? I read that there were going to be some new medical schools opening soon. That plus the increasing growth in class sizes should decrease the likelihood of a major crisis.

This is small potatos. The number of new matriculants anticipated based on these new schools and modest class increases are not going to come close to counterbalancing the number of aging baby boomers needing medical care and/or retiring from the profession.

 

[Law2Doc]

FMGs without US residencies?There is none till now.
But you seem to be against FMGs who are shoring up the Health services up in the US.
Why did they teach you that at the kkk convention, or you dont like bonafide competition?
Your comments betray you as a loser.The good part is you can do nothing to harm the patients who need medical advise.
I know you will come back with a face saving answer, but I wont post a counter to that, because as they say, why argue with a loser. 😀

In all fairness, some of the heads of US medical organizations have publically bemoaned the fact that US educated physicians aren't meeting the US needs. I hardly think that equates to kkk teachings. 🙄

 

[cfdavid]

this is a bad thing. if there is a severe shortage then you'll see the floodgates open and tons of FMGs training here without going through a US residency, PAs and NPs having more responsibility, and finally, US doctors having less power than the already pathetic amount it has now.

Certainly FMG's have served a big role in our healthcare system. So have the mid-level providers. The challenge will be for the various forces not to overcompensate for such predicted shortages by opening the floodgates for FMG's and legislating for excessive increases in mid-level responsibilities. There needs to be a balance, and this situation needs to be managed carefully. Unfortunately, things tend towards overcompensation, and that won't be good for us future docs if that happens.

In the future it'll be more and more important for us docs (o.k. future docs!)to support our various lobbying organizations (i.e. the AMA or subspecialty orgs). That way, while we're busy working and trying to balance that with family life etc., we'll have advocacy on these very important matters. It's critical.

 

[skypilot]

Well trained Family practice docs could take care of the problems noted in the article but not enough people are going into FP anymore:

"dermatologist for a routine skin cancer examination in 15 big cities including Los Angeles averaged 24 days, according to a 2004 survey by Merritt Hawkins.

For a routine gynecological checkup, women faced an average wait of 23 days, the survey showed. To see a cardiologist for a heart checkup, the wait was 19 days. And to have an orthopedic surgeon check out a knee injury, the average wait was 17 days."

 

[kjmtthws]

I may just be a bit young in the medical field, but I think the point of the article was that the US is going to have to rely on other professionals in the future. Be that FMG's, PA's, or specially trained nurses. To me, this raises an interesting question because these people are going to be the gatekeepers for our time and expertise. It seems to me that their training should then be regulated just as much and have just as much oversight as ours is. It makes it even more important to believe in and trust the people that work around you, be that in a hospital or a private office.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

Bad for some docs, good for others. Choose your specialty carefully, folks.

 

[Law2Doc]

Bad for some docs, good for others. Choose your specialty carefully, folks.

Well, the specialties most insulated tend to be many that are the hardest to get into, so to some extent your choices will be narrowed by your aptitude. So rather than "choose your specialty carefully", better words of wisdom would be to bust your hump to give yourself better choices in terms of specialty.

 

[Mayhem]

Well trained Family practice docs could take care of the problems noted in the article but not enough people are going into FP anymore:

"dermatologist for a routine skin cancer examination in 15 big cities including Los Angeles averaged 24 days, according to a 2004 survey by Merritt Hawkins.

For a routine gynecological checkup, women faced an average wait of 23 days, the survey showed. To see a cardiologist for a heart checkup, the wait was 19 days. And to have an orthopedic surgeon check out a knee injury, the average wait was 17 days."

Yeah I saw that too. But there's also a general trend by patients to seek out specialists first. I know I do it. It's rare that I see my GP and it's usually second choice

 

[ShyRem]

Totally agree with shortage. My daughter breaks a bone - I call ortho the next day post-ER. NO APPOINTMENTS FOR THREE WEEKS. No kidding. They agree to "fit me in with a PA" who obviously was pissed one more got squeezed into his schedule. My son needs tonsillectomy (can't get rid of strep). Call otolaryngologist (I never could say that word): earliest date for surgery is 25 days away. My son has to be on antibiotics until then. I'm not happy. I call another otolaryngologist and explain we are moving in 5 weeks... they had a cancellation and put him on the schedule 10 days away.

Now, the oto guy I can understand. It's not like a tonsillectomy is a dire emergency (but I don't want my kid on antibiotics for 3 or 4 more weeks!!), but three weeks to see ortho for a new fx?? Come on!

 

[fussygal]

I dunt believe it..more n more people r going towards medicine nowadays!

 

[Daddydoc]

I dunt believe it..more n more people r going towards medicine nowadays!

The only way more people can go into medicine is if schools expand enrollment. There are always many more applicants than seats.

 

[DrChandy]

Dr. Cohen, past president of the AAMC posted an article on the AAMC website calling for an increase in about 15% in allopathic school enrollment in order to compensate for the impending physician shortage. In addition, there are new osteopathic schools in the works of being instituted, so there will be some growth in the supply side of medicine in the production of U.S. physicians. Now whether or not increasing enrollment and starting new medical schools will be sufficient to meet the demand, we will soon see. A shortage of healthcare is never a good thing for those who need it most.