Medscape’s “Feeling the Impact of the Physician Shortage: Medscape Report 2025,” released Aug. 22, sheds light on how physician vacancies are shaping daily work life.
The report, based on survey responses from 1,001 physicians collected between March 20 and April 24, 2024, asked physicians to rate how unfilled positions affect their patient load, schedule, and work hours on a scale of 1 (no increase) to 5 (substantial increase).
Here’s how they answered:
Patient load:
- 1 (no increase): 24%
- 2: 9%
- 3: 25%
- 4: 24%
- 5 (substantial increase): 18%
Schedule:
- 1 (no increase): 24%
- 2: 10%
- 3: 27%
- 4: 22%
- 5 (substantial increase): 17%
Work hours:
- 1 (no increase): 25%
- 2: 9%
- 3: 25%
- 4: 23%
- 5 (substantial increase): 17%
