The U.S. faces a growing physician shortage — the Association of American Medical Colleges estimates the need to hit 121,900 physicians by 2032 — but the need for physicians is not distributed evenly.
A Merritt Hawkins report of physician search incentives notes that the factors contributing to physician shortages include a low supply of residency positions, an aging workforce and changing physician practice patterns. For example, New Mexico, Hawaii and New Jersey have the highest proportion of physicians aged 60 or older.
The report notes five states where the physician shortage is most likely to hit, based on data from The Senior List. Here are the top five states where a physician shortage is considered likely:
- Wyoming
- Montana
- Mississippi
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
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