Why America's medical training pipeline is failing our future

Academic physician executive William Wertheim discusses his article, "America, our health care workforce training isn't evolving alongside our needs." He argues that the U.S. medical system is training professionals who will not meet the needs of the country's rapidly aging population. With the number of Americans over 65 expected to reach 82 million by 2050, specialties like geriatrics are in decline, with only 42 percent of fellowship positions filled in 2023. William explains that this problem extends to projected shortages in primary care, oncology, and other specialties, which is especially acute in rural areas where "distance decay" limits access to care. He identifies a critical bottleneck in the training pipeline: while medical school enrollment is high, a lack of corresponding residency positions prevents qualified doctors from entering the workforce. While tools like AI and telehealth can help, they cannot replace the need for a comprehensive strategy to expand training capacity and align medical education with the demographic realities of today and tomorrow.

Careers by KevinMD is your gateway to health care success. We connect you with real-time, exclusive resources like job boards, news updates, and salary insights, all tailored for health care professionals. With expertise in uniting top talent and leading employers across the nation's largest health care hiring network, we're your partner in shaping health care's future. Fulfill your health care journey at KevinMD.com/careers.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://kevinmd.com/careers

Discovering disability insurance? Pattern understands your concerns. Over 20,000 doctors trust us for straightforward, affordable coverage. We handle everything from quotes to paperwork. Say goodbye to insurance stress – visit Pattern today at KevinMD.com/pattern.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://kevinmd.com/pattern

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended