The latest crop of final-year medical residents are just a few months
away from beginning their first physician job after training. Are they likely
to stay in state or find an opportunity elsewhere?
That depends largely on the state where they trained, according to a
new report from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
AAMC tracks medical school graduates and residents on an annual basis,
compiling data on a number of characteristics, specialty preferences and
post-residency activities. The new 2018 Report on
Residents found that more
than half of graduating residents (54.2%) end up practicing in the state in which they did their training. Yet physician retention
rates vary widely by state.
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Here are the states with the highest and lowest physician retention
rates, based on the state of residency training:*
The 10 Top States for Retention of Medical Residents
California – 77.7%
Puerto Rico (territory) – 73.6%
Alaska – 69.0%
Texas – 66.1%
Montana – 64.8%
Florida – 61.7%
Oregon – 61.4%
Oklahoma – 60.4%
Colorado – 59.5%
Idaho – 58.9%
Mississippi – 57.6%
The 10 States with the Lowest Retention Rates of Medical Residents
Wyoming – 27.2%
Delaware – 34.5%
District of Columbia – 35.8%
Rhode Island – 38.8%
New Hampshire – 38.8%
Connecticut – 41.7%
Vermont – 45.1%
New Jersey – 45.2%
Iowa – 45.2%
Pennsylvania – 45.4%
*Results based on
AAMC data from practicing MDs and DOs who completed their residency training from 2008 through
2017 and are not currently active in any GME program.
For full details, see AAMC’s
state-by-state breakdown of physician retention rates.
Additional findings about
physicians post-residency
The AAMC 2018 Report of Residents also found that, of those who completed
their residencies from 2008 to 2017, almost a quarter (23.1%) are practicing in
Medically Underserved Areas. This practice also varies widely by state. On the
extreme ends of the spectrum, less than 1% of those who completed residency and
go on to practice in Utah are practicing in a Medically Underserved Area, while
more than 90% of residents who completed training and practice in Puerto Rico
do so. See the chart
of how many doctors practice in Medically Underserved Areas after completing
residency training.
Reality of the physician job
market vs. expectations
Will new physicians end up where they expect? The 2017
Survey of Final-year Medical Residents, conducted by Merritt
Hawkins, found that a great majority of residents (92%) would prefer to
practice in communities of 50,000 or more people, while only 3% would prefer to
practice in communities of 25,000 or less.
The fact that nearly a quarter of newer physicians are currently
working in Medically Underserved Areas, many of which are smaller communities,
may show that these former medical residents will go where the jobs are—or at least
they are willing to change their perspective and provide care where it is
needed.
Related:
Medical
Moonlighting for Residents: The Pros and Cons
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