Gap Between Job Offers For New Primary Care Physicians, Specialists Narrows In New York State, Study Shows

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Also Included In: Medical Students / Training
Article Date: 18 Apr 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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New York state primary care physicians entering the job market in 2007 received as many job offers as specialists for the first time in several years, according to a University of Albany study, the Albany Times Union reports. The report, conducted by the university's Center for Health Workforce Studies, is based on questionnaires completed by 2,850 doctors who finished training last year. The center has been surveying graduates from New York state residency and fellowship programs for eight years.

PCPs reported receiving an average of 3.7 job offers, compared with 2.2 in 2002. Job offers for specialists were 3.6 on average, a drop from 4.3 in 2002. Jean Moore, director of the center, said, "In the past when we've done it, when you look at the relative demand, [PCPs] had a much tougher time finding jobs than specialists," but now "we are seeing the gap close in job offers."

About 48% of the new physicians said they would remain in the state, a portion consistent with recent years, according to the Times Union. The portion of new PCPs who remained in New York state was 41% in 2007, down from 52% five years earlier. No general surgery graduates remained in New York in 2007. Liz Dears, a member of the Medical Society of the State of New York, said, "General surgeons are running out of here." The group said that shortages of some specialists are beginning to emerge in some rural and urban areas. The society attributes the trend to high medical malpractice insurance rates. However, the survey showed that proximity to family and salary were the two most common reasons for leaving cited by responding surgeons. Fewer than 2% cited malpractice rates as their main reason for leaving the state (Crowley, Albany Times Union, 4/16).

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