Summary of key points
The healthcare landscape has certainly changed over the last twenty years. While staffing challenges are not entirely new, the severity and scope of the challenge has become far more pronounced, with healthcare organisations struggling to fill roles with the right people. According to a 2018 report, over 51% of healthcare organisations have said the ‘ability to find the right talent’ is poor, and although physician staffing solutions are making a difference, on the whole, the majority of hospitals are constantly on the lookout for professionals to fill up the blank spaces. So if you’re hoping to become a physician, does this provide you with an opportunity or make the journey even more difficult?
The Increased Demand
The first thing to note is that the reason many healthcare organisations are experiencing shortages can be largely put down to the increased demand.
In the US alone, the population has increased significantly over the last twenty years, and is projected to increase from 312.2 million in 2010 to 400.9 million by 2050. That’s nearly a 30% increase in people, and as the population is also ageing, the population of seniors is similarly projected to grow by 111%.
In line with the extra pressure put on our hospitals, there is subsequently a growing demand for physicians, which has led to more opportunities, especially in underserved areas. In response to physician shortages, there have been efforts to expand residency programs, increase enrollment in medical schools, and grow more accepting of non-traditional students from diverse educational backgrounds.
Coupled with this, advances in online and hybrid learning models have made it easier for students to access medical education, with changes in standardised testing – such as the USMLE Step 1 exam moving to a pass/fail system – working to reduce competition among students.
The Journey Toward Qualification
With that being said, there are still fundamental challenges of becoming a physician. The long years of education, competitive admissions, demanding training, and significant financial costs – the cost of medical education has increased significantly, which remains a barrier for many potential students – remain fairly unchanged compared to twenty years ago, and in some cases, they are even more intense.
In terms of completing education and finding a role in the healthcare sector, many aspects of the journey have been made a little smoother due to the points mentioned above – not least the role of staffing solutions in introducing healthcare organisations to the right people – but becoming a physician can never be considered ‘easy’. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and resilience to stay on the path and persevere through all of the challenges.
But if you have the passion to do so and want to work towards making a difference to patients’ lives, then in many ways, the end goal of this journey is worth the sacrifices. And as mentioned before, healthcare organisations are actively looking for people to fill the roles available, which means you know that journey will be rewarded when you climb the final steps.
