Can retired physicians help fill the shortage?

Part of the solution to the nation's growing physician shortage could come from the ranks of retired physicians, according to Leonard W. Glass, MD, a retired clinical professor of plastic surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

In a contributed article for The Washington Post, Dr. Glass writes about an online program he founded and now leads as president: Physician Retraining and Reentry. It offers retired physicians and others who previously left their practice, such as disabled surgeons, training and assessment to provide adult outpatient primary care.

A year after its launch, 13 physicians have successfully completed the program and seven are nearing completion. Approximately 70 students are in training and another 20 are slated to begin soon, according to Dr. Glass. He believes the program has the capacity to add 2,000 physicians a year to the healthcare system.

If the program reached these numbers, it would be a significant contribution, even if previously retired physicians are only able to practice part-time or for a few more years. New estimates from the AAMC suggest the country will face a shortage of up to 90,000 physicians by 2025, which means the system must train at least 3,000 more physicians each year, according to AAMC president and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, MD.

 

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