A recent article on Doximity noted that estimates suggest that the U.S. will face a shortfall of about 86,000 physicians by the year 2036. We’re already starting to feel some of the strain on the healthcare system in the form of longer wait times, greater patient volumes per physician and rising rates of physician burnout.
The article attempts to figure out ways to push more young minds into the field of medicine, and while there are some hopeful ideas in the article, it may be wise to focus on why the current system is failing and why bright minds are opting not to embark on a career in medicine.
Dr. Silverman Comments
Our current system makes it quite hard for doctors to succeed, especially on their own. Recent reviews have found that reimbursement rates for doctors have dropped nearly 40% since 2005. Coupled with the fact that prices of everyday items have soared in the last 20 years, and we can see that not only are payouts harder to come by, those dollars simply don’t go as far as they did in the past.
For example, a base-model Ford F-150 cost $21,000 in 2005; by 2025, it’s $40,000—without any options, which have more than doubled in price. Inflation data backs this up: a dollar today buys just 61% of what it did in 2005.
Meanwhile, the cost of running a medical practice has skyrocketed. Hiring staff to keep up with endless rules and regulations is more expensive than ever. Administrative workers are needed to track metrics for Medicare—metrics that don’t improve patient satisfaction or care. Penalties pile up if you don’t comply, and guess who foots the bill? The doctor. No one else can absorb these costs.
When doctors raise these concerns, the response is often, “Oh, poor rich doctor.” But that dismisses the reality: solo practices like Silverman Ankle & Foot become impossible to sustain. The financial and administrative pressures are crushing, and it’s only getting worse.
COVID-19 made things even harder, pushing many senior surgeons into early retirement after burnout. Workplace violence is another growing threat. A 2023 survey by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons found that 4 in 10 orthopedic surgeons faced violence at work in the past year. We’ve even seen tragic cases of doctors being murdered.
If we can’t reverse these trends—falling pay, rising violence, increasing insurance costs, and suffocating administrative burdens—how will we attract bright minds and skilled hands to healthcare? Orthopedic surgery is already facing a predicted shortage, just as baby boomers, the generation that built America’s economic strength, need care the most.
The “poor doctor” excuse is wearing thin. This isn’t about pity—it’s about the future of medicine.