The future of Primary Care doesn't look good

[RickHarrison]

A physician recruiting firm that just released their annual review and their predications of the future of medical specialties. I found it helpful so I figured I'd post.

Some highlights

• Primary care had its moment, but it looks like that is changing. They are seeing a saturating market for family and internal medicine doctors and predicted salaries will level off.
  
  
• In the last 10 years they have seen an increase in PA and NP recruitment. NPs are more desirable since they are more independent.
  
  
• Radiology, Pulmonology and Psychiatry is looking good.
  
  
• Most other medical and surgical specialties will continue to do well.
  
  
• The U.S. is spending way too much on healthcare.
  
  
• The U.S. needs to open up more residency spots.
  

It's free and you can download it below by searching for:

merritthawkins 2018-survey-of-physician-and-advanced-practitioners-recruiting-incentives

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[studentdoct4281]

Literally quoting from the source: "For the tenth consecutive year, family medicine physicians were number one on the list of Merritt Hawkins’ most requested physician recruiting assignments with an average starting physician salary of $225,000."

 

[RickHarrison]

Literally quoting from the source: "For the tenth consecutive year, family medicine physicians were number one on the list of Merritt Hawkins’ most requested physician recruiting assignments with an average starting physician salary of $225,000."

I'm not going to fault you, but you actually have to read the report before you respond.

It's 56 pages and starting on page 16 they talk about trends and observations.

On page 26, they dive into primary care more.

On page 46, they talk about stagnating salaries for primary salaries. Here is a quote:

" At some point, starting salaries for primary care physicians will plateau. With the exception of pediatrics, this was not observed by the 2018 Review, but Merritt Hawkins projects slower growth in primary care starting salaries over the next several years than has been seen previously.... salaries do not always correspond to increases in demand, at least not initially, as the market needs time to adjust to changing supply and demand dynamic "

 

[Oso]

 

[W19]

IM resident here... Should I get out now before it's too late ?

 

[RickHarrison]

IM resident here... Should I get out now before it's too late ?

The report is just saying that the tide is turning. The U.S. is headed towards a specialist market and there is a large specialist shortage looming. In the meantime they have noticed a trend that NPs have started to fill the primary care workforce.

This is a report from people who have invested a significant amount of time and money into producing. People whose job it is to know the job market of physicians. It answers questions that get asked everyday on SDN and it has actual evidence for it.

Personally I am interested in primary care and so this report is disheartening. Just don't do it for the money.

On the bright side, congrats to all the psychiatrist, radiologists, EM, pulmonologists, and other specialties. Things are looking really good for the next several years.

 

[anbuitachi]

I'm not going to fault you, but you actually have to read the report before you respond.

It's 56 pages and starting on page 16 they talk about trends and observations.

On page 26, they dive into primary care more.

On page 46, they talk about stagnating salaries for primary salaries. Here is a quote:

" At some point, starting salaries for primary care physicians will plateau. With the exception of pediatrics, this was not observed by the 2018 Review, but Merritt Hawkins projects slower growth in primary care starting salaries over the next several years than has been seen previously.... salaries do not always correspond to increases in demand, at least not initially, as the market needs time to adjust to changing supply and demand dynamic "

The problem with our field vs others is that ours do not only depend on supply and demand but also hugely on insurance reimbursements. Even if there is a large demand for spine surgeons for example, if insurance cuts the reimbursement by half, your salary is going down. In other fields, if Microsoft is in huge need of engineers, they'll pay them 7 figure salaries.

I'm surprised it's predicting radiology to be hot in the future. Must be because our generation over orders imaging. Cause in the future it's likely that AI will do a lot of the simple imaging reads to speed things up. Kind of like EKG reading

 

[RickHarrison]

The problem with our field vs others is that ours do not only depend on supply and demand but also hugely on insurance reimbursements. Even if there is a large demand for spine surgeons for example, if insurance cuts the reimbursement by half, your salary is going down. In other fields, if Microsoft is in huge need of engineers, they'll pay them 7 figure salaries.

I'm surprised it's predicting radiology to be hot in the future. Must be because our generation over orders imaging. Cause in the future it's likely that AI will do a lot of the simple imaging reads to speed things up. Kind of like EKG reading

Thats a really good point. Reimbursement does have a lot do with it, but thats not to say that supply and demand has nothing to do with it. As cited earlier it takes time for salaries to react to the supply/demand curve.

 

[W19]

The report is just saying that the tide is turning. The U.S. is headed towards a specialist market and there is a large specialist shortage looming. In the meantime they have noticed a trend that NPs have started to fill the primary care workforce.

This is a report from people who have invested a significant amount of time and money into producing. People whose job it is to know the job market of physicians. It answers questions that get asked everyday on SDN and it has actual evidence for it.

Personally I am interested in primary care and so this report is disheartening. Just don't do it for the money.

On the bright side, congrats to all the psychiatrist, radiologists, EM, pulmonologists, and other specialties. Things are looking really good for the next several years.

I plan to do a fellowship anyway... But I think it will take years for primary care to be 'in decline' in term of demand. I can't say anything about salary since it's largely tie to reimbursement...

 

[RickHarrison]

So basically, demand is still high - nobody's having trouble finding a job. And we'll still have the same 6 figure salary we've always had. I don't think most people in primary care were in it for the money anyway, so unless salaries start decreasing I'm not too concerned.

You're right

Demand is still high, just not as high and is trending down. Their prediction was that salaries will plateau which isn't the worst thing in the world. However, it is a pretty shocking report given the talk of primary care shortage and past predictions of salary increases. Its definitely not what you want to hear if you're going into primary care.

 

[darklabel]

You're right

Demand is still high, just not as high and is trending down. Their prediction was that salaries will plateau which isn't the worst thing in the world. However, it is a pretty shocking report given the talk of primary care shortage and past predictions of salary increases. Its definitely not what you want to hear if you're going into primary care.

I would still take this report with a grain of salt. While the report is comprehensive and well researched, it's still almost impossible to predict the future. For instance, everyone thought Radiology was going the way of Pathology with reports similar to this one and now it's back to being a hot commodity. Anesthesiology is still booming despite CRNA encroachment and the new machines that are coming out. Also I remember before starting medical school (5-6 years ago) that primary care salaries would also plateau and yet that hasn't happened.

Primary care has always been and will always be hot in areas that most physicians and mid levels don't want to practice in so I don't think they will be in trouble anytime soon. I still am confused why the report calls for an increase in residency spots when they are saying that demand is trending down.

 

[anbuitachi]

I would still take this report with a grain of salt. While the report is comprehensive and well researched, it's still almost impossible to predict the future. For instance, everyone thought Radiology was going the way of Pathology with reports similar to this one and now it's back to being a hot commodity. Anesthesiology is still booming despite CRNA encroachment and the new machines that are coming out. Also I remember before starting medical school (5-6 years ago) that primary care salaries would also plateau and yet that hasn't happened.

Primary care has always been and will always be hot in areas that most physicians and mid levels don't want to practice in so I don't think they will be in trouble anytime soon. I still am confused why the report calls for an increase in residency spots when they are saying that demand is trending down.

Residency spots have seen huge increases in the past few years. The problem is changes in healthcare are usually gradual because of how long it takes to train us. That's why it's taking so long for anesthesiology to go down. The machines didn't take off and now are off the market. CRNAs despite shorter training still takes a few years. Anesthesiology is definitely not booming. The job market has improved somewhat but the job offers are still pretty awful

 

[QueenJames]

Ok well worst case scenario... I'm going to Canada if poop hits the fan here.

Primary care docs are making a killing out there with no insurance bull to go through

 

[redfish955]

How do you guys feel about all of the millennials that went from drinking 5 Miller lite a night to 5 ipa a night?

 

[CharlieBillings]

.

 

[vm26]

The problem with our field vs others is that ours do not only depend on supply and demand but also hugely on insurance reimbursements. Even if there is a large demand for spine surgeons for example, if insurance cuts the reimbursement by half, your salary is going down. In other fields, if Microsoft is in huge need of engineers, they'll pay them 7 figure salaries.

I'm surprised it's predicting radiology to be hot in the future. Must be because our generation over orders imaging. Cause in the future it's likely that AI will do a lot of the simple imaging reads to speed things up. Kind of like EKG reading

Even if reimbursements are cut, if demand for a particular specialty is high enough, hospitals/healthcare systems will find the money to pay (usually by getting it from a specialty that is bringing in a lot of revenue)

AI will eventually affect radiology (and other aspects of medicine), but I have a hard time seeing this happening before AI is also driving buses and trucks, flying planes, filling prescriptions, processing fast food orders etc. Guess we will have to wait and see how it plays out

 

[W19]

If primary care physicians are #1 in demand why is their salary near the bottom?

Physicians' salary is mostly tie to reimbursement...

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Yeah I'm calling BS in this.

Will primary care eventually have a decrease in demand? Probably.

Will it be anytime soon? Doubt it.

The baby boomers are just now starting to retire at the same time they all hit Medicare age.

When the Boomers start all dying, then we might see demand go down but we've got about 15-20 years until the middle of that group hits average life expectancy.

Beyond all of that, until I stop seeing literally dozens of jobs in my right in the middle by population state, I'm not worried.

 

[intubesteak]

Everybody needs to chill with the whole saturation/AI/midlevel nonsense

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Everybody needs to chill with the whole saturation/AI/midlevel nonsense

I mean, if it keeps people out of primary care all the better for me...

 

[youngboy123]

OP you went against the circle jerk, shame on you. SDN hates any notion of AI taking work from rads or declining salaries. thats why you got snippy comments making fun of you and their cronies pressed "Like".

just lol @ thinking AI needs to autonomously operate aircraft and buses before it can make a substantial dent on radiology reimbursement

 

[Psai]

IM resident here... Should I get out now before it's too late ?

You're not an IM resident. You're a medical student that just graduated and you're about to be an intern.

 

[anbuitachi]

Everybody needs to chill with the whole saturation/AI/midlevel nonsense

Nah we should be in DC fighting this stuff. We chill too much!

Even if reimbursements are cut, if demand for a particular specialty is high enough, hospitals/healthcare systems will find the money to pay (usually by getting it from a specialty that is bringing in a lot of revenue)

AI will eventually affect radiology (and other aspects of medicine), but I have a hard time seeing this happening before AI is also driving buses and trucks, flying planes, filling prescriptions, processing fast food orders etc. Guess we will have to wait and see how it plays out

I disagree with this one. Look at what is happening to EKGs. Ive seen many cardiologists just glance at ekg for like 2 seconds and put their name on it. Machine reading has gotten really good for simple stuff.

The same thing can happen for radiology. Put AI in for simple stuff first. I imagine the government will be for it if you tell them it lowers cost since healthcare cost is going nuts.

 

[Mad Jack]

You're not an IM resident. You're a medical student that just graduated and you're about to be an intern.

Irrelevant to the point of the post, whether he was just starting or done with his first year the same sarcasm would still apply

 

[RickHarrison]

Nah we should be in DC fighting this stuff. We chill too much!



I disagree with this one. Look at what is happening to EKGs. Ive seen many cardiologists just glance at ekg for like 2 seconds and put their name on it. Machine reading has gotten really good for simple stuff.

The same thing can happen for radiology. Put AI in for simple stuff first. I imagine the government will be for it if you tell them it lowers cost since healthcare cost is going nuts.

I agree with you. In the reports it says that AI has actually helped the radiology job market because it has made imaging more reliable and accurate. I know that is contrary to what most people on here think.

 

[TrueConjecture]

That report is a joke. Incomplete on so many levels.
I'll start by calling B.S. on the reported "starting salaries".

 

[W19]

You're not an IM resident. You're a medical student that just graduated and you're about to be an intern.

Hahaha... That is funny man! I guess they should have put in my badge 'Intern Physician' instead of 'Resident Physician'...

 

[Rekt]

Everybody needs to chill with the whole saturation/AI/midlevel nonsense

I mean, if it keeps people out of primary care all the better for me...

This is how the problem proliferates. First of all, practicing physicians are the least likely to recognize the problem because they don't give a ****. They have their job and money so who cares about future medical school graduates. NPs have been around awhile, yes, but their expansion hasn't increased until recently. NP school expansion has been out of control since the barrier to enter has essentially been removed (straight RN->NP programs popping up constantly) and they can do nearly their entire school online. Not to mention they often work at least part-time to full-time so that should tell you about rigorousness of their didactics. They have increased from single digit thousands to over 20k a year now within the last 5-10 years.

But sure, keep thinking there isn't a problem.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

This is how the problem proliferates. First of all, practicing physicians are the least likely to recognize the problem because they don't give a ****. They have their job and money so who cares about future medical school graduates. NPs have been around awhile, yes, but their expansion hasn't increased until recently. NP school expansion has been out of control since the barrier to enter has essentially been removed (straight RN->NP programs popping up constantly) and they can do nearly their entire school online. Not to mention they often work at least part-time to full-time so that should tell you about rigorousness of their didactics. They have increased from single digit thousands to over 20k a year now within the last 5-10 years.

But sure, keep thinking there isn't a problem.

I was being sarcastic you sanctimonious ass.

If you read the post I did previous to that one, where I seriously addressed the OP, you'll see that print least the next 15 to 20 years the job market is going to be fine barring some major change (like socialized medicine).

As for your ludicrous claim that those of us with jobs don't care about the job market, that is just stupid. If all of a sudden the primary care job market goes to s***, the next time I'm up for contract negotiations it will not be pretty. So no, those of us who are out actually practicing medicine do care about the job market and are paying attention.

 

[intubesteak]

This is how the problem proliferates. First of all, practicing physicians are the least likely to recognize the problem because they don't give a ****. They have their job and money so who cares about future medical school graduates. NPs have been around awhile, yes, but their expansion hasn't increased until recently. NP school expansion has been out of control since the barrier to enter has essentially been removed (straight RN->NP programs popping up constantly) and they can do nearly their entire school online. Not to mention they often work at least part-time to full-time so that should tell you about rigorousness of their didactics. They have increased from single digit thousands to over 20k a year now within the last 5-10 years.

But sure, keep thinking there isn't a problem.

There isn't a problem. There is a fear of a potential problem, 15-20 years down the road--based on very limited data and wild conjecture. But don't let me stop you from stressing about something you have zero control over.

 

[Money Moniker]

OP you went against the circle jerk, shame on you. SDN hates any notion of AI taking work from rads or declining salaries. thats why you got snippy comments making fun of you and their cronies pressed "Like".

just lol @ thinking AI needs to autonomously operate aircraft and buses before it can make a substantial dent on radiology reimbursement

Yeah, people here have a rather asinine understanding of technology. Their view of the whole thing revolves around the notion that "the cashiers/truckers/etc will go before doctors go" and "they can't even make a stable operating system for my PC, how they gonna make life and death medical software."

They seem not to understand that this crap isn't linear like that. First of all, you ALREADY have software controlling life and death systems such as nuclear reactors, fly-by-wire avionics in modern aircraft, etc. This has been the case for decades, and there are no "blue screens of death" causing power plants to melt down and planes to fall out of the sky on a weekly basis. If software in the real world behaved under the paradigm these SDN folk think is going to save them from automation, we'd already be back in the stone age after a cataclysmic civilizational collapse given how much of vital infrastructure is already controlled by computer.

As for the idea that doctors will necessarily outlive truckers and cashiers, don't bank on it. Cashiers are still around decades after computers have made the highly skilled, high stakes role of "flight engineer" completely obsolete. You still have pimply faced kids (well, ok, illegal immigrants in the current year) taking your order in McDonald's while orbital trajectories that took teams of NASAs finest physicists to calculate are now generated entirely by computers.

Again, this stuff isn't linear, with the "easiest" stuff going first and the "harder" stuff following. Even if it were, what do you think is "easier" for automation to handle, dealing with fast food customers and physically serving them, or analyzing digital imaging from the CT scanner? I guarantee you the fast food workforce will be hit less severely in the next 20 years than the radiology workforce. Then when you combine the midlevel's ability to interact with patients in the physical realm with software's ability to analyze the resulting data the rest of non surgical medicine will be not very far behind.

 

[intubesteak]

Nah we should be in DC fighting this stuff. We chill too much!

Using midlevels makes us $$$$. Physicians fuel the demand for them because we realize they can do the easy stuff while making us money. I don't see this changing despite increasing autonomy (which I am opposed to). NPs practicing solo is the exception not the rule.

AI should make our jobs easier and that is awesome. It will probably increase revenue in the long run if it allows us to be more productive

We are not going to oversaturate the job market any time soon. Telling DC we should slow down when tons of people still can't see a doc makes us look pretty bad.

 

[intubesteak]

Yeah, people here have a rather asinine understanding of technology. Their view of the whole thing revolves around the notion that "the cashiers/truckers/etc will go before doctors go" and "they can't even make a stable operating system for my PC, how they gonna make life and death medical software."

They seem not to understand that this crap isn't linear like that. First of all, you ALREADY have software controlling life and death systems such as nuclear reactors, fly-by-wire avionics in modern aircraft, etc. This has been the case for decades, and there are no "blue screens of death" causing power plants to melt down and planes to fall out of the sky on a weekly basis. If software in the real world behaved under the paradigm these SDN folk think is going to save them from automation, we'd already be back in the stone age after a cataclysmic civilizational collapse given how much of vital infrastructure is already controlled by computer.

As for the idea that doctors will necessarily outlive truckers and cashiers, don't bank on it. Cashiers are still around decades after computers have made the highly skilled, high stakes role of "flight engineer" completely obsolete. You still have pimply faced kids (well, ok, illegal immigrants in the current year) taking your order in McDonald's while orbital trajectories that took teams of NASAs finest physicists to calculate are now generated entirely by computers.

Again, this stuff isn't linear, with the "easiest" stuff going first and the "harder" stuff following. Even if it were, what do you think is "easier" for automation to handle, dealing with fast food customers and physically serving them, or analyzing digital imaging from the CT scanner? I guarantee you the fast food workforce will be hit less severely in the next 20 years than the radiology workforce. Then when you combine the midlevel's ability to interact with patients in the physical realm with software's ability to analyze the resulting data the rest of non surgical medicine will be not very far behind.

I think you have a rather asinine understanding of medicine if you honestly believe AI will make the tiniest ripple, let alone waves.

 

[Money Moniker]

Using midlevels makes us $$$$. Physicians fuel the demand for them because we realize they can do the easy stuff while making us money. I don't see this changing despite increasing autonomy (which I am opposed to). NPs practicing solo is the exception not the rule.

AI should make our jobs easier and that is awesome. It will probably increase revenue in the long run if it allows us to be more productive

We are not going to oversaturate the job market any time soon. Telling DC we should slow down when tons of people still can't see a doc makes us look pretty bad.

Hahahahahaha! Typically when I hear this kind of BS it's coming from bloviators in the Ivory Towers and other apologist sellouts, but it's fairly fresh to have a medical student spout such nonsense. Listen buddy, unless your daddy owns a large, thriving medical practice he's keeping warm for you, you're not going to be making a dime from any midlevels. Best case scenario, you won't be interacting with any midlevels at all, average scenario is you'll be shouldering their liability for zero financial benefit while Hospital Admin accrue the revenue, and worst case scenario you'll be out a job.

EDIT:

I think you have a rather asinine understanding of medicine if you honestly believe AI will make the tiniest ripple, let alone waves.

lmao. That's your response to a post with several concrete examples and at least an attempt to actually use logic? "You're wrong, because my opinion is that you're wrong?" Your non argument isn't even asinine, my dear fellow, it's not existent. But then again you're a medical student who thinks midlevels will end up being a great financial boon for physicians. I'm just wasting my time arguing with someone so deluded, so I'mma let you finish.

 

[RickHarrison]

That report is a joke. Incomplete on so many levels.
I'll start by calling B.S. on the reported "starting salaries".

I think its good to critically analyze it, thats part of the reason why I posted it. I'm sure it is not perfect but it is better than anecdotal suspicions that most of these posts are filled with.

I think it would help if you said why its wrong. Do you think the starting salaries are too high or too low? In the report they address that they are a recruiting firm so people who use them will probably pay more for physicians because they are more desperate.

 

[Goro]

A physician recruiting firm that just released their annual review and their predications of the future of medical specialties. I found it helpful so I figured I'd post.

Some highlights

• Primary care had its moment, but it looks like that is changing. They are seeing a saturating market for family and internal medicine doctors and predicted salaries will level off.
  
  
• In the last 10 years they have seen an increase in PA and NP recruitment. NPs are more desirable since they are more independent.
  
  
• Radiology, Pulmonology and Psychiatry is looking good.
  
  
• Most other medical and surgical specialties will continue to do well.
  
  
• The U.S. is spending way too much on healthcare.
  
• The U.S. needs to open up more residency spots.

It's free and you can download it below by searching for:

merritthawkins 2018-survey-of-physician-and-advanced-practitioners-recruiting-incentives

They forgot to mention that water is wet.

 

[TrueConjecture]

Do you think the starting salaries are too high or too low?

We're talking starting salaries here. And yes, I recognize that not everybody begins their attending life as "post-doctoral research clinical instructor" at a Top 3 academic place and moonlighting in the ER just to keep a roof over their heads.

Too high. In some cases, I'd even argue some numbers are multiple standard deviations above the mean. It bothers me that this is the kind of data that is freely circulated to the public as "starting salaries" for doctors. Probably explains why half of this country wants to saw our heads off.

 

[anbuitachi]

Using midlevels makes us $$$$. Physicians fuel the demand for them because we realize they can do the easy stuff while making us money. I don't see this changing despite increasing autonomy (which I am opposed to). NPs practicing solo is the exception not the rule.

AI should make our jobs easier and that is awesome. It will probably increase revenue in the long run if it allows us to be more productive

We are not going to oversaturate the job market any time soon. Telling DC we should slow down when tons of people still can't see a doc makes us look pretty bad.

Using midlevels may make the hospital some money. Doctors going to midlevels to make money are probably the same people getting squeezed by insurance reimbursement cuts.

We're talking starting salaries here. And yes, I recognize that not everybody begins their attending life as "post-doctoral research clinical instructor" at a Top 3 academic place and moonlighting in the ER just to keep a roof over their heads.

Too high. In some cases, I'd even argue some numbers are multiple standard deviations above the mean. It bothers me that this is the kind of data that is freely circulated to the public as "starting salaries" for doctors. Probably explains why half of this country wants to saw our heads off.

Probably a bit high but may be around the ball park. I think one thing that differs for physicians is we dont get many raises. It's not like we get promoted every few years and get a raise from that. Our starting salary may be the same or close to our finishing salary unless partnership is involved. I imagine some new grads may take high paying jobs in the middle of no where to pay off some loans for the first couple years.

 

[intubesteak]

Hahahahahaha! Typically when I hear this kind of BS it's coming from bloviators in the Ivory Towers and other apologist sellouts, but it's fairly fresh to have a medical student spout such nonsense. Listen buddy, unless your daddy owns a large, thriving medical practice he's keeping warm for you, you're not going to be making a dime from any midlevels. Best case scenario, you won't be interacting with any midlevels at all, average scenario is you'll be shouldering their liability for zero financial benefit while Hospital Admin accrue the revenue, and worst case scenario you'll be out a job.

EDIT:



lmao. That's your response to a post with several concrete examples and at least an attempt to actually use logic? "You're wrong, because my opinion is that you're wrong?" Your non argument isn't even asinine, my dear fellow, it's not existent. But then again you're a medical student who thinks midlevels will end up being a great financial boon for physicians. I'm just wasting my time arguing with someone so deluded, so I'mma let you finish.

All the placed I worked, the docs were making good money off the midlevels. Pretty standard where i'm from but obviously you are living on a different planet so who knows whats going on there.

 

[IMreshopeful]

Nah we should be in DC fighting this stuff. We chill too much!



I disagree with this one. Look at what is happening to EKGs. Ive seen many cardiologists just glance at ekg for like 2 seconds and put their name on it. Machine reading has gotten really good for simple stuff.

The same thing can happen for radiology. Put AI in for simple stuff first. I imagine the government will be for it if you tell them it lowers cost since healthcare cost is going nuts.

If that’s what your cardiologists are doing then remind me never to go to that hospital. I have to read 3000 EKGs in order to graduate and I make edits to > 70% of them (basically the ones which aren’t normal). Machine learning is still pretty crappy at this.

 

[Aerus]

Using midlevels makes us $$$$. Physicians fuel the demand for them because we realize they can do the easy stuff while making us money. I don't see this changing despite increasing autonomy (which I am opposed to). NPs practicing solo is the exception not the rule.

AI should make our jobs easier and that is awesome. It will probably increase revenue in the long run if it allows us to be more productive

We are not going to oversaturate the job market any time soon. Telling DC we should slow down when tons of people still can't see a doc makes us look pretty bad.

Uhhhh physicians are already being let go by hospital admin and replaced with NPs at many places. The AANP lobby is only getting stronger, not weaker, whereas the AMA doesn't do zilch. You need to open your eyes if you don't think that this is an issue for physicians in the future.

 

[sabsaf123]

You're not an IM resident. You're a medical student that just graduated and you're about to be an intern.

lol who let the premed in? Hey little buddy, intern = first year resident....rofllll

 

[Raney Schauer]

That report, like this thread, has an underlying agenda/ulterior motive that is less than clear.

Who paid for the report? Why? Who benefits?

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

lol who let the premed in? Hey little buddy, intern = first year resident....rofllll

True, but I don't think anyone is actually working as a new intern just yet. If memory serves, the start date is July 1.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

lol who let the premed in? Hey little buddy, intern = first year resident....rofllll

This made me lol on so many levels

 

[DubbiDoctor]

There isn't a problem. There is a fear of a potential problem, 15-20 years down the road--based on very limited data and wild conjecture. But don't let me stop you from stressing about something you have zero control over.

Tbf, you do have control over what field you choose specialize (presuming you have the qualifications to match). While I think primary care will continue to be a good job, and that midlevels won't replace physician experts, the fact that physicians will have compete with independently practicing NPs does discourage me from pursuing it. Many patients would be willing to pay more to see a physician, but it's a question of how much more. Midlevels, who would be happy to work for 120k a year, will put pressure on primary care physician salary. Since every insurance plan compensates specialists more than PC physicians and midlevels are less able to compete with specialists, I would advise med students to pursue a speciality unless they have a burning passion for primary care.

As for radiology, AI may decrease the demand for radiologists because its improves their productivity, but there will always be a need for physician experts in medical imaging. AI will replace some of what radiologists do, decreasing their workload, but not all of it. Don't pursue it just for the pay, which doesn't seem to be that relatively high anymore, but if you're interested in medical imaging and like the other aspects of the job, I think it's a great choice.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Aw man! AI is taking over everything! Medicine is next!

sadly, this random joke that showed up on my FB is not as ridiculous as the idea of a surgeon actually tolerating not being able to ask a radiologist about a scan on a critical patient.

 

[sabsaf123]

This made me lol on so many levels

Lol premeds... I guess that h8ers gonna sip h8torade am I right?

 

[Psai]

lol who let the premed in? Hey little buddy, intern = first year resident....rofllll

Let's be real here, you're a first year DO student who barely made it into medical school in the middle of nowhere.

 

[W19]

Look. Look! There is a badass doctor here...