Changes in marketplace demand for physicians: a study of medical journal recruitment advertisements.
OBJECTIVE
To measure trends in marketplace demand for physicians in different specialties.


METHODS
Retrospective review of physician recruitment advertisements appearing in the September issues of 7 medical journals in 1984, 1987, 1990, 1993, and 1995.


METHODS
Number of advertised positions in each of the studied specialties.


RESULTS
Steep declines in the number of advertised positions for specialist physicians over the past 5 years were consistently observed with the exception of pediatric specialists. The most dramatic changes occurred in the number of internal medicine specialist positions, which declined by 75% since 1990. For physicians as a whole, there were 4 specialist positions for every generalist position advertised in 1990; by 1995, this ratio dropped to 1.8. Family medicine exhibited continuous growth in the number of advertised positions, more than doubling during the period studied.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest a recent decline in marketplace demand for physicians, particularly those in specialist fields. Among generalists, demand for internists and pediatricians is rising. Ongoing analysis of these advertisements will provide timely information about the demand for physicians in a rapidly changing health care system.
Seifer
S D
SD
Center for Medical Education Research, Department of Medical Education, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
Troupin
B
B
Rubenfeld
G D
GD
D000329:Advertising; D003625:Data Collection; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006280:Health Workforce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D016015:Logistic Models; D008511:Medicine / Q000639:trends; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D010560:Personnel Selection; D010820:Physicians / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013038:Specialization; D014481:United States