"Doctors Wanted" - Linda Marsa
A growing physician shortage nationwide, which is hitting impoverished urban and rural regions hardest, is projected to create a deficit of up to 120,000 doctors by 2030 and seriously undermine patient care, according to a 2018 report by the Association of American Medical Colleges. A 2017 National Academy of Medicine report found that more than half of the nation's doctors were emotionally exhausted and felt unsatisfied professionally. This is more than a personal problem: Doctors suffering from burnout retire early or leave the profession, and studies suggest their stress can compromise patient safety. "Burnout has a huge impact on recruitment and retention,” said Jonathan Ripp, MD, MPH, senior associate dean for well-being and resilience and professor of medicine, medical education, general internal medicine, and geriatrics and palliative medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He added, “The issue of burnout has been around for a long time, but we've reached an inflection point where we realize we need to take a more structured approach.”
— Jonathan A. Ripp, MD, MPH, Senior Associate Dean, Well-Being and Resilience, Chief Wellness Officer, Professor, Medicine, General Internal Medicine, Medical Education, Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai