Physician shortage could reach 124K people by 2034

SALISBURY, Md. – Officials say they’re seeing a physician shortage right here in Salisbury.

Tidalhealth does an assessment every 3 years to identify pockets of a physician shortage. The last physician’s needs study was done in 2021.

They say most of the shortage comes at the most basic level of care. “Family medicine, essentially primary care, endocrinology, nephrology, obstetrician/gynecology, pulmonology, you name it we have a gap in it,” said Dr. Simona Eng, with the Graduate Medical Education at Tidalhealth.

Dr. Eng at tidalhealth says because of the shortage they’ve launched the graduate medical education program to build that pipeline of physicians.

Dr. Eng says that the supply of medical programs doesn’t equate to the demand, which causes the shortage. “Medical schools are going up left and right but there are not enough residency programs to support the amount of medical students that require residency spots,” said Dr. Eng.

Dr. Eng says the shortage could reach as many as 124,000 people by 2034 according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. The Balance Budget Act of 1997 put a cap on available residency spots which Dr. Eng says also contributes to the shortage.

A new anesthesiology program was recently approved at Tidalhealth as they navigate this shortage.