Over the past decade, a troubling trend has emerged: an increasing number of physicians are exiting clinical practice entirely. What once might have been considered a rare event is slowly becoming more common—and its consequences stretch far beyond individual careers.
What the Data Shows
- In 2013, about 3.5% of U.S. physicians left clinical practice. By 2019, that number had climbed to 4.9%.
- The increase spans specialties, geographic regions, and is felt across all age groups (especially those 35 and older).
- Certain groups appear more vulnerable to leaving:
- Female physicians have a higher adjusted hazard risk of exiting than their male counterparts.
- Rural doctors face elevated risk compared to those in urban settings.
- Physicians in fields like primary care, psychiatry, and obstetrics/gynecology show greater exit rates; hospital-based specialties show particularly high risk after adjustments.
- Those caring for older or high-risk patient populations, or higher proportions of Medicare/Medicaid dual-eligibles, are more likely to leave.
Why It Matters
When physicians depart clinical medicine:
- Patient access suffers, especially in underserved or rural communities.
- Care continuity is disrupted, and remaining clinicians may feel added pressure.
- Health systems must work harder to recruit, retain, and support clinicians.
Policy makers, hospital administrators, and medical societies must consider strategies to bolster physician retention, address burnout, and make clinical practice sustainable.
Moving Forward: What Can Be Done
- Support for women physicians: Addressing systemic barriers and fostering equitable work environments.
- Rural incentives: Financial, logistical, and practice support to reduce the strain of rural practice.
- Workload and patient complexity: Helping physicians manage heavy burdens of high-risk patient populations with adequate resources.
- Monitoring and early intervention: Identifying physicians at risk of leaving and offering mentorship, flexibility, or alternative pathways.