According to the “National Study of the Emergency Physician Workforce, 2020,” the nation’s rural emergency physician shortage is expected to worsen in the coming years, the authors note. Nearly a third (28 percent) of practicing emergency physicians today are women—a modest increase from 22 percent in 2008.

Michigan faces a physician shortage greater than the national average, and the largest shortage is in primary care. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, by 2020 there will be a shortage of 8,000 to 12,000 physicians in Michigan, of which 4,000 will be primary care physicians.

According to new data published today by the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges), the United States could see an estimated shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians by 2034, including shortfalls in both primary and specialty care.

Emergency medicine (EM) has expanded rapidly since its inception in 1979. Workforce projections from current data demonstrate a rapid rise in the number of accredited EM residency programs and trainee positions. Based on these trends, the specialty may soon reach a point of saturation, particularly in urban areas.

30,211 board-certified physicians
The American Board of Emergency Medicine currently has 30,211 board-certified physicians, and the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine has 2,344.

How much does a Primary Care Physician make? The average Primary Care Physician salary is $175,790 as of September 27, 2021, but the salary range typically falls between $155,154 and $202,732.

The study concluded that the current trends in EM would result in a surplus of 9,413 emergency physicians in 2030.