Estimates say that with Obamacare now in place, the United States will have a shortage of roughly 35,000 primary care physicians over the next decade. Currently, only 30-35% of all physicians are in primary care. Why? Like with most things in this country, you’ve gotta follow the money.
Primary care physicians, on average, get paid less than their specialist counterparts while many work just as many hours. Sure, the residency programs are shorter, but when it comes down to paying off debt accumulated throughout college and medical school… a cosy salary really helps. Plus, one approach to resolving the healthcare system’s growing costs is to place primary care physicians as the “first stop” for patients, so it should be an important focus for the government.
