Scholarlink

Background <p>The USA faces a predicted shortage of 36,500 physicians by 2036, with an increasing proportion of physicians leaving clinical practice or expressing an intent to do so. Female physicians have known differential workplace experiences, and prior studies have demonstrated higher attrition rates by sex in specific specialties.</p> Objective <p>To characterize nationwide hazards of attrition from clinical practice by physician sex across specialties. To describe the relative age at attrition by sex among physicians who leave clinical practice.</p> Design <p>Nationwide, longitudinal study based on national Medicare administrative data.</p> Setting and Participants <p>Physicians across clinical settings who provided care to Medicare patients from 2013 to 2023.</p> Measurements <p>Time to attrition from clinical practice.</p> Results <p>The sample consisted of 707,934 physicians of which 217,013 (30.7%) were female. Over the study period, female physicians had a higher likelihood of clinical practice attrition (HR: 1.43 (95% CI: 1.41, 1.44) compared to male counterparts across physician ages. Hazards of attrition were additionally greater for female physicians across multiple specialty categories (HRs ranging from 1.26 (9% CI: 1.23, 1.28) for hospital-based specialties to 1.72 (95% CI: 1.65, 1.78) for psychiatry specialties) and in both rural (HR: 1.42 (95% CI: 1.37, 1.47) and urban areas (HR: 1.43 (95% CI: 1.41, 1.44). Among physicians who left clinical practice, the median (IQR) age at attrition was significantly lower for females than males (49 (39–61) vs. 64 (53–70) years).</p> Conclusions <p>US female physicians are significantly more likely to leave clinical practice than male counterparts&#xa0;at every age, across specialties and practice locations. Among physicians who leave clinical practice, female physicians are younger when they do so. Given projected clinical workforce shortages, health systems and policymakers should pursue interventions and policies that mitigate the concerning trends identified.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Sex Differences in Physician Attrition from Clinical Practice Across Specialties: A Nationwide, Longitudinal Analysis

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月2日

查看全文
  • Lisa S. Rotenstein,
  • Zili He,
  • James Dziura,
  • Yusuke Tsugawa,
  • Arjun K. Venkatesh,
  • Edward R. Melnick,
  • Cameron J. Gettel

摘要

Background

The USA faces a predicted shortage of 36,500 physicians by 2036, with an increasing proportion of physicians leaving clinical practice or expressing an intent to do so. Female physicians have known differential workplace experiences, and prior studies have demonstrated higher attrition rates by sex in specific specialties.

Objective

To characterize nationwide hazards of attrition from clinical practice by physician sex across specialties. To describe the relative age at attrition by sex among physicians who leave clinical practice.

Design

Nationwide, longitudinal study based on national Medicare administrative data.

Setting and Participants

Physicians across clinical settings who provided care to Medicare patients from 2013 to 2023.

Measurements

Time to attrition from clinical practice.

Results

The sample consisted of 707,934 physicians of which 217,013 (30.7%) were female. Over the study period, female physicians had a higher likelihood of clinical practice attrition (HR: 1.43 (95% CI: 1.41, 1.44) compared to male counterparts across physician ages. Hazards of attrition were additionally greater for female physicians across multiple specialty categories (HRs ranging from 1.26 (9% CI: 1.23, 1.28) for hospital-based specialties to 1.72 (95% CI: 1.65, 1.78) for psychiatry specialties) and in both rural (HR: 1.42 (95% CI: 1.37, 1.47) and urban areas (HR: 1.43 (95% CI: 1.41, 1.44). Among physicians who left clinical practice, the median (IQR) age at attrition was significantly lower for females than males (49 (39–61) vs. 64 (53–70) years).

Conclusions

US female physicians are significantly more likely to leave clinical practice than male counterparts at every age, across specialties and practice locations. Among physicians who leave clinical practice, female physicians are younger when they do so. Given projected clinical workforce shortages, health systems and policymakers should pursue interventions and policies that mitigate the concerning trends identified.