Board-certified physicians in the United States, 1971-1986

Article Abstract:

The third in a series of reports concerning the population ratios of physicians in the US is presented. The previous studies appeared in 1975 and 1981, and the current one includes data from 1971 through 1986. There are 23 specialty boards that certify physicians and surgeons in 80 practice fields. These were grouped into four categories: surgery, clinical services, medicine, and primary care. Results showed that the number of physicians starting their practices increased steeply between 1970 and 1978, and then levelled off. Applicants to medical schools increased until 1974-1975 (42,624), and then declined to approximately 25,000 per year. The American specialty boards granted almost three times as many diplomas in 1986 than in 1964 (17,247 and 5,970, respectively). For all periods studied, medical fields had the largest increase in the number of diplomas awarded. Per 100,000 population, the proportion of board-certified physicians in the medical category increased more than two and one-half times during the 15-year period. The proportion of surgeons increased the least (approximately 50 percent); surgical subspecialties (plastic or gynecologic surgery) increased more than general surgery. The proportion of active board-certified physicians increased from 0.48 to 0.79. In 1986, 15.2 percent of the physicians in the US were female. However, for physicians aged 35 or younger, 25 percent were female. This represents a gradually increasing trend toward more women in medicine. Forty percent of women physicians were board-certified, compared with 58.1 percent of men physicians (this figure includes categories other than active physicians). Social and economic factors that were likely to influence the entry of people into medicine, and their decision to become board-certified, are discussed. The rate of growth of board-certified physicians has been slower than of physicians in general. Suggestions are made for improving the research capabilities of the 23 specialty boards. In general, the number of new physicians did not increase at the same rate in the 1980s as it did in the 1970s. Therefore, predictions of 10 years ago concerning the number of physicians or the need for physicians are not reliable. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Standards, Medicine, Physician and patient, Physician-patient relations, Statistics, Medical specialties

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A report card on the physician work force in the United States

Article Abstract:

Drastic measures may need to be taken to reduce the projected oversupply of physicians. It is estimated that the number of active physicians in the US will rise to 261 per 100,000 members of the population by the year 2000, which will greatly exceed the 145 to 185 per 100,000 that will be needed. Much of the increase has been in the number of specialists, which increased 121% between 1965 and 1992, while the number of generalists only increased 13% during that time. Part of the problem is the Medicare reimbursement to teaching hospitals that subsidizes the cost of training residents. The number of residents has increased 4.3% each year since 1991, and many residents complain that their intensive training in hospitals does not prepare them for practice in managed care. The Council on Graduate Medical Education recommends that the number of residents be limited to 110% of the number of medical school graduates and that half of those graduates choose careers in general medicine.

Training, Residents (Medicine)

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