California Retained the Most Physicians in 2010

Tags: medical schools | physician retention | physician workforce

California led the country in physician retention for 2010, as more than 60 percent of medical and osteopathic students ended up practicing in the state after earning their undergraduate medical education there, according to State Physician Workforce Data (pdf).

The other top states for physician retention are Texas (59 percent), Arkansas (58.2 percent), Mississippi (54 percent) and Hawaii (53 percent). Besides the states that do not have medical schools, the lowest-ranking states for physician retention are New Hampshire (9.7 percent), Vermont (12.8 percent), Rhode Island (13.5 percent), Maine (17.3 percent) and Connecticut (18.6 percent).

Overall, an average of 38.6 percent of medical and osteopathic students end up practicing in the same state where they earned their degrees.

In 2010, Massachusetts, Maryland and New York had the most active, or practicing, physicians per 100,000 people. Mississippi, Idaho and Arkansas trailed with the least.

Related Articles on Physician Retention:

The Unhappy Physician: Why Hospitals Need to Take Morale Seriously
4 Best Practices for Supporting Employed Physicians' Independence
7 Critical Mistakes in Physician Relations Programs

© Copyright ASC COMMUNICATIONS 2012. Interested in LINKING to or REPRINTING this content? View our policies by clicking here.