Here are six statistics on the physician workforce demographics based on a 2014 report from Merritt Hawkins.
1. The physician workforce is trending younger — the average respondent age was 50, versus 54 years old in 2012.
2. There were more female physicians — 33 percent — versus 26 percent in 2012.
3. Fewer physicians were running solo practices. In 2014, there were 17 percent of physicians in solo practice, compared to 25 percent in 2012.
4. There were only 35 percent who said they were independent practice owners, compared with 49 percent in 2012 and 62 percent in 2008, before the Affordable Care Act was signed into law.
5. There were 53 percent of respondents describing themselves as "employees of a hospital or medical group" compared with 44 percent in 2012.
6. Around 68 percent of the physicians were concerned about clinical autonomy and their ability to make the best decisions for their patients.