This Years Employment Predictions for The Field of Surgery
By: Cory Ellerd
Submitted: 2010-04-07 15:51:31 | Word Count: 718
The Advisory Council for General Surgery reported that the total of general surgeons in the US in '94 was between 17,289 and twenty three thousand five hundred, or a ratio of a little over 7 general surgeons per one hundred thousand people. As many as a third of today's practicing physicians may retire by the year '20. It is therefore projected that because of the number of retiring surgery physicians, available work opportunities for them is strong and should continue to increase. There are particular concerns about a likely lack in the near future as older physicians retire. Rural areas are especially vulnerable, as they are prone to being unable to appeal to and retain physicians, statistically.
A Strengthened number of employments will be accessible to surgeons in areas of poorer populations and rural areas. Surgeons netted an average annual salary of $240,533 to $361,589 in '08, based on Salary.com reports. Salaries vary based upon experience in the field, geographic location, and professional specialty.
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General Surgeon's Salary Range
Generally, most specialties, the number of years of experience, geographic locale and the type of facility and determine the General Surgeons salary. The Allied Physicians Salary Survey exposed a difference in salary for general surgeons by years of experience as follows: * 1-2 Years - $226,000 * 3 or More - $291,000 * Maximum - $520,000.
Surgery Job Outlook
The international job predictions for surgery physicians is good as well because the shortage for physicians is occurring around the world. Employment opportunities are predicted to grow more rapidly than the average between the present and 2014. The Department of Labor reported that about fourteen and a half of all practicing doctors are specialized in surgery.
The Aging Population in the US
The US populace is growing old. From 2010 and '35, all age groups 70 and above will grow by over 95%. This means there will be a greater demand for all physician services and a moderately lesser and younger population of surgeons taking the retiring physician's place . Some are uneasy that as the Baby Boomer age group starts receiving Medicare coverage the older physicians may retire more quickly rather than accept the lower fees and elevated workload of the government administrated Medicaid. Furthermore, it is predicted that as many as one-third of today's practicing physicians will retire by 2020. However, the depression and great job loss across the country has had a blunt impact on the revenue stream to physicians. When people lose their trade, they also lose their health care benefits and so access to health care.
Stock Market crash and its affects on Retirement
The latest stock market decline has impacted older physicians' choices. Some physicians are putting off retirement because of the economy's impact on their retirement savings. But even a 3 to five year delay probably wont address the impending loss of experienced physicians. Some recently graduated doctors are looking to Locum Surgery jobs for the short term to remain on hand for better work.
Health Insurance Reform
Even with the health insurance reform bill finally signed into law, its consequences on our health care is not yet seen. By 2014 there will be an increase in the enrollment into health care insurance programs. This build up, when combined with the long term aging of the population, should push requirement of services and therefore cost higher. However, no one yet knows what will take place with recompense rates from Medicare and this new plan. The uncertainty is will there be rate a cut of remuneration rates for different specialties by Medicare, and will this new program turn out to be a decreasing factor of the pay of all specialties including General Surgery, its related specializations, and subspecialties.
Clearly the Obama administration has its hands full. We are getting older and there are less young people to carry this growing financial burden. The Sins of the Fathers...
