Why family care doctors are disappearing in the US

Tags: United States, Health Care, Doctors

Family doctors: An endangered breed
As more medical students shun primary care for higher-paid specialties, experts warn of a severe imbalance that could cripple the nation's health care system.

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High debt, low pay: Some experts say the doctor shortage boils down to one basic problem -- health care's payment structure.

"A specialist can earn $500,000 or more a year and work 20 hours a week versus a family doctor who earns on average $120,000 a year and works more than 60 hours a week," said Weiner.

Medical students such as Manriquez and Glass, are keenly aware of this payment inequity given that both will incur considerable debt upon graduation.

This payment inequity has resulted in a workforce inequity. "About 70% of all doctors are specialists and only 30% are in primary care," Epperly said.

Should a specialist really earn $500/hr? Really? While a great nurse is fortunate to earn $40/hr... Isn't this the type of fee structure that has our health care system spiraling out of control?

Re: Robert (Post 100)

From what I understand, the high cost of medical malpractice insurance is a huge factor, as well as overhead to pay staff. When malpractice insurance went up in Ohio for GYNs, many of them just shut their doors (and they were young)! Quite a few of them gravitated to Michigan.

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