Health Issues

Can one live in a world with too many Dr. McDreamys? Evidently we can. The AAFP is looking towards an eminent family physician shortage in the year 2020. It seems medical school students want to be in the glamorous world of ER doctors, and not at the frontlines of family healthcare as family doctors.

Family physicians have longer days, lower pay, and less prestige when compared to Emergency Room doctors. Given the recent publicity given to ER doctors on Greys Anatomy, Scrubs, and ER, most kids going into the medical school want that type of glamorous life. According to the AAFP, the number of students going to primary care has dropped 51.8 percent since 1997.

The prominence of ER doctors on television is hardly the only reason for the decline in primary physicians. The main concern facing students these days is how to fight the debt that they are going to have due to the cost of medical school. With ER doctors making more money than your family physician, students arent really seeing the draw of giving you your yearly physical.

So why is the shortage going to happen in 2020? The baby boomers will be turning 65 in 2011, and so the need for their medical care is going to increase from that point on. Currently, primary physician jobs are only attracting 50% of the number needed to meet the demand.

Congress is getting involved to prevent this shortage. They are looking at bills that could help doctors who choose primary care with loan forgiveness or other debt relief. They are also considering payment increases for their services. Politicians interested in revamping the healthcare system are bringing attention to this problem.

In addition to what congress is trying to do to get students to consider family medicine, I recommend making our family physicians look like heroes for a change.