It’s well known that fewer medical students are opting to become family physicians.
This is having a deleterious effect on training programs, where slots are going unfilled. It costs approximately $100,000 to train a single doctor, and hospitals are operating family practice residencies at a loss.
Two programs in Arizona are eliminating such primary care training positions, citing cost and declining student interest.
As “doctors are more likely to launch their careers near where they complete their medical training,” this further depletes the region of much-needed new primary care blood.
