Two in three U.S. physicians live in states that allow noncompete agreements, according to a study published Oct. 19 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Researchers at Providence, R.I.-based Brown University analyzed state laws as of July 2026. They found that 714,595 of the country’s 1,067,563 physicians, or 66.9%, live in states that permit noncompetes. Physician noncompetes are banned in 19 states, allowed in 16 and allowed with restrictions in 15. Twelve of the 19 bans took effect in 2024 or later, but none apply to contracts signed before the ban.
Restrictions vary among the states that allow noncompetes. Six states cap how long they can last, from one year in Connecticut, Maryland and Texas to five years in Louisiana. Texas also limits the geographic scope to 5 miles. Maryland makes noncompetes unenforceable for physicians who earn less than $350,000.
A national ban covering all employers would free all 714,595 physicians from noncompete exposure. A ban modeled on the FTC’s 2024 rule would reach only 411,381, because it would exempt nonprofit employers. The FTC rule was struck down. “Comprehensive federal reform is necessary to extend protections uniformly across physician employment models,” the authors wrote.
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